In 1920, 陳孔祝 Wing Jung Chin, born in 1899, immigrated to America as a paper son. He owned a laundry at 147 E. Merrimack Street, Lowell, Massachusetts. His son was 陳想華Henry (Chin, Theung Wah) immigrated in 1931 while his wife, Lu Gam Fhoung immigrated in 1948.

陳想華Henry (Chin, Theung Wah) was born in 1920 at Ai Wan Village, Toishan, China. In 1931, Henry journeyed across the Pacific and then crossed the Canadian border by train and ship to Boston. He was tagged and treated like cargo. As a child, he would learn his father’s laundry business located at 147 E. Merrimack St., Lowell, Massachusetts.

Courtesy of the Chin Family

In 1927 Henry married Lai Yee Chew (Debbie Lai Chin) born 1927 in 台山縣 浮石村Fow Shek, Toishan, China. Under the War Brides Act, Lai was able to immigrate in 1948 to Red Bluff where she started a family. She was very proud of becoming a naturalized citizen in 1971 and was active in the church.