George S. Kobayashi papers, 1918-1964

Susumu (also written Susuma) Kobayashi (January 25th, 1892 or 1893-1970) was born in Inaba-Mura, Japan. He went by the name George Kobayashi in the United States. After arriving in the United States in 1909, he lived and attended school in Montana and then worked as a laborer.

By 1915, he had moved to Seattle, Washington but his work often caused him to relocate. He worked for the Oriental Trading Company and the Union Pacific Railroad in Pleasant Valley, Oregon as a section foreman until the outbreak of World War II.

After the war he lived in Vale, Oregon. By 1947 he was living in Payette, Idaho, where he had a beet farm with John Kobayashi. In the mid-1950s he moved to Ontario, Oregon.

George Kobayashi married Martha Masako Kajikawa (nee Ono) (1901-1992). They had six children: Ethel (March 19, 1919), Ruth (January 10, 1923) , Grace (November 4, 1924), John Maasaki (March 26, 1921), George Jr. (May 22, 1938) and Carol Sachiye (November 23, 1941).

Sources: The National Archives at Seattle; Seattle, Washington; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009; Record Group Number: Record Group 21

Year: 1930; Census Place: La Grande, Union, Oregon; Page: 4B; Enumeration District: 0027; FHL microfilm: 2341690

Number: 712-07-8846; Issue State: Railroad Board (Issued Through); Issue Date: Before 1951