Archives West Finding Aid
Table of Contents
Henry K. Hashitani Papers, circa 1904-2019
Overview of the Collection
- Creator
- Hashitani, Henry K. (Henry Katsuji) ca. 1885-1952
- Title
- Henry K. Hashitani Papers
- Dates
- circa 1904-2019 (inclusive)19042019
(bulk 1904-1949) - Quantity
-
2.0 linear feet and 7 electronic files
2.25 megabytes of digital material - Collection Number
- Mss 837
- Summary
- Diaries, photographs, and letters of Henry K. Hashitani, who immigrated to the United States from Japan in 1903, and other family members, including his wife Takako. He worked on the railroad near Missoula, Montana, around 1905 before moving to Emmett, Idaho, where he farmed and supplied vegetables to miners. In 1934, he moved to Nyssa, Oregon, where he continued farming and served as a community leader. The diaries and letters are in Japanese. A translation into English of the earliest diary is included with the collection. A few selected letters are also partially translated into English.
- Repository
-
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu - Access Restrictions
-
Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.
- Languages
- Japanese, English
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Katsuji Hashitani was born in Japan on August 2, 1885 and lived in Tottoriken. According to the translated portions of his diaries and a biography written by his daughter, Alice, he emigrated from Japan to Seattle, Washington, in 1903, arriving in the United States on the boat Kanagawa Maru on June 3. He adopted the English name of Henry. Along with a friend, Henry Fujii, he found work thinning beets in Billings, Montana. Later they joined a section gang working on the railroad near Missoula, Montana. In the evenings, he took English lessons. After two years, Henry Hashitani moved to Emmett, Idaho, where Fujii joined him. They rented 80 acres, bought a team of horses, wagon and buggy, and supplied vegetables for Emmett and mining cities in the area. At some point Fujii and Hashitani went to Japan for brides. Henry married Takako Yawata (b. July 10, 1889), from the city of Yanago, and returned with her to Seattle. Later, along with their four children, George, Roy, Raymond and Alice, they moved to Scism, Idaho. In 1934, the family moved once again, this time to Oregon, where Hashitani farmed around the area of Nyssa. He was a devout Christian, president of the Japanese men's club, and chairman of the finances for the building of the Ontario (Oregon) Community Methodist Church. Henry Katsuji Hashitani died on August 14, 1952. Takako Hashitani died two months later on October 23, 1952.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
Series I of the Henry K. Hashitani Papers consists of four original diaries by Henry Katsuji Hashitani, written in old Japanese and dating from approximately 1904 to 1949. It is expected that these diaries document his thoughts and activities during the years covered. Photocopies of a translation into English of the first portion of the first diary and photocopies of brief biographical sketches written by Hashitani's daughter are also included. In 2019, a full translation of the first diary was given to the Archives and placed in the collection. An article written by Henry Fujii's daughter, Mary Fujii Henshall, chronicles the lives of Hashitani and Fujii in the United States.
Series II contains correspondence between Henry Hashitani and Takako before their marriage, as well as other correspondence between the Hashitanis in the United States and family and friends in Japan. These letters are primarily written in old Japanese, and a select few have been partially translated into both English and modern Japanese.
Series III consists of seven digital photographs of Henry Hashitani and his family. Printed versions of the digital photographs are in Box 1.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Restrictions on Use
Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Non-exclusive copyright transferred to The University of Montana.
Preferred Citation
Henry K. Hashitani Papers, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in three series:
Series I: Diaries, 1904-1949, 0.4 linear feet
Series II: Letters, 1912-1950, 1.6 linear feet
Series III: Photographs, 7 electronic files
Custodial History
These diaries were held by Hashitani's daughter, Alice, until their donation to the University of Washington in the late 1980s. In 1989, they were returned to the family by UW. Letters were held by the family until their donation in 2019.
Acquisition Information
Gift of Donna Hashitani Thomas to Archives and Special Collections at the University of Montana in 2013 and 2019. Dave and Lissa Forrey donated a newspaper article in 2013 and seven digital images of Henry Hashitani and his family in 2014.
Processing Note
Because the dates within the diaries are in Japanese, at this time, the description of the diaries does not include a date - this will be updated when a translation of dates is available. A few loose papers from the 4th diary were removed from the diary but retained within the collection. A newspaper article and prints of digital photographs and were added to the collection in 2015. In 2019, the family donated the correspondence and documents that make up Series II, and they were processed in 2021. Because the letters are also written in Japanese, dates for most are not available in English.
Bibliography
Biographical information about Henry Hashitani is featured in the publication Showers of Blessing: Community United Methodist Church, Ontario, Oregon, 1945-1995, Fifty Years of Faith.
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
Series I: Diaries, 1905-1949Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 1/1 | 1905-1907 | |
| 7/8 | Diary 1 - English Translations A partial translation of Diary 1 was created in 1987 by Kaxuko Kuramoto. The remainer of the English translation of Diary 1 was created in 2019 by Machiko Yamamoto, Kumi Sakamoto and Yoshi Nanjo.
|
1987 and 2019 |
| 7/9 | Diary 1 - Modern Japanese Translation Translation from old Japanese to Modern Japanese by Koji Ueshima, Kuniko Enomoto and Yoshiko Taniguchi.
|
2019 |
| 1/2 | October 1, 1911 - June 14, 1912 | |
| 7/10 | Diary 2 - English Translation |
2020 |
| 7/11 | Diary 2 - Modern Japanese Translation |
2020 |
| 1/3 | date unknown | |
| 1/4 | date unknown | |
| 1/5 | Biographies of H. K. Hashitani by
Alice Hashitani Nishitani |
1996 and undated |
| 1/6 | Newspaper Article about H. Hashitani and Henry Fujii by Mary Fujii Henshall |
December 1971 |
Series II: Letters, 1912-1950Return to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 2 / 1 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; envelope with U.S. postmark
|
October 21, 1912 |
| 2 / 2 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; envelope with U.S. postmark
|
December 28, 1912 |
| 2 / 3 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; envelope with U.S. postmark
|
April 21, 1913 |
| 2 / 4 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; envelope with U.S. postmark
|
April 24, 1913 |
| 2 / 5 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; envelope with U.S. postmark
|
April 30, 1913 |
| 2 / 6 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; envelope with U.S. postmark
|
June 1, 1913 |
| 2 / 7 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; envelope with U.S. postmark
|
June 6, 1913 |
| 2 / 8 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; envelope with U.S. postmark
|
July 4, 1913 |
| 2 / 9-31 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; envelope with Japanese postmark or missing/illegible postmark
|
Undated |
| 3 / 1 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; no envelope; translator's note: "Mother must be living w/ Mr. H's family in Japan. Farm is busy. He can hardly wait until he can go to get her. She won't have to work outside. She will have to do something like picking strawberries and beans. Fumiko Fujii can do it, so he is sure she can also. He went to church - prays for her and looks at her picture."
|
August - September 1912 |
| 3 / 2 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; no envelope
|
October 19, 1950 |
| 3 / 3-59 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; various paper formats; no envelope
|
Undated |
| 4 / 1-54 | Correspondence Written in Japanese; long format rice paper; no envelope
|
Undated |
| 5 / 1 | Postcards Written in Japanese; U.S. postmark
|
1907-1928 |
| 5 / 2 | Postcards Written in Japanese; Japanese postmark
|
Undated |
| 5 / 3 | Postcards Written in Japanese; postmark missing/illegible
|
Undated |
| 5 / 4 | Correspondence, Immigration Services to Mr. K. Hashitani Written in Japanese; Department of Commerce and Labor letterhead; envelope with U.S. postmark
|
March 29, 1912 |
| 5 / 5 | Correspondence, New York Life Insurance Company to Mr. K. Hashitani Life insurance premium notices and policy information for George K. and Roy R. Hashitani
|
1929-1930, 1933 |
| 5 / 6 | Correspondence, Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada to Mr. and Mrs. K. Hashitani Life insurance premium notices and policy information for H.K. and Takako Hashitani
|
1930-1934 |
| 5 / 7 | U.S. Defense savings bond booklet Defense stamp album
|
1942 |
| 5 / 8 | Drawings Three crayon drawings signed in Japanese (Katsuto); one pencil drawing
|
1949, undated |
| 5 / 9 | Document Written in Japanese
|
Undated |
| 5 / 10 | Newspaper clippings Written in Japanese
|
Undated |
| 5 / 11 | Addresses Addresses for Harry Watanabe c/o Seisuke and Kiyashi Wanatabe in Japan
|
Undated |
| 5 / 12 | Hashitani family photos Post card with Takako and Henry K Hashitani photo; four family photos with Takako (July 10, 1889 - October 23, 1952), Raymond Aizo (February 9, 1907 - March 24, 1953), Henry K. (August 2, 1885 - August 14, 1952), Alice, Geo, and Roy Hashitani
|
Undated |
| 5 / 13-22 | Envelopes Empty envelopes written in English and Japanese
|
Undated |
| 6 / 1-3 | Translations of Letters Partial English translation of select letters from 1912 and 1913 (translation by Yukari Ninomiya)
|
Undated |
| 6 / 4-5 | Translations of Letters Photocopies of select letters (material primarily in Japanese); some additional information in English on the back of some of the copies (translation by Yukari Ninomiya)
|
Undated |
| 6 / 6-7 | Translations of Letters Photocopies of select post cards with some English translation (translation by Yukari Ninomiya)
|
Undated |
Series III: Photographs, circa 1913-circa 1926 and undatedReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Box/Folder | ||
| 7/1 | circa 1913 | |
| 7/2 | Photograph - Hashitani Family
837-002
|
circa 1913 |
| 7/3 | Photograph - Hashitani Family
837-003
|
circa 1926 |
| 7/4 | Photograph - Hashitani Family
837-004
|
undated |
| 7/5 | undated | |
| 7/6 | undated | |
| 7/7 | undated |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Farm life--Montana
- Immigrants--United States
- Japanese American--Idaho--Diaries
- Japanese American--Oregon--Diaries
- Japanese American--Washington (State)--Diaries
- Japanese Americans--Montana--Diaries
- Railroads--Montana--Billings
Geographical Names
- Montana--Emigration and immigration
- Montana--Social life and customs--20th century
Form or Genre Terms
- Diaries--Montana--Missoula
Occupations
- Japanese American farmers--United States
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Nishitani, 1918-2010 Alice Yoshiko Hashitani
Finding aid prepared by Donna
McCrea, Kellyn Younggren and Kristin Gates
2013
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
