Yamashiro family photograph collection, 1900-2018

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Yamashiro Family; Yamashiro, Ruby Mariko, 1929-1978
Title
Yamashiro family photograph collection
Dates
1900-2018 (inclusive)
1940-1965 (bulk)
Quantity
10.5 linear feet, (3 archives boxes, 6 oversize)  :  1,829 items
Collection Number
P2284
Summary
Shoichi Yamashiro and Tsuruyo Nakanishi Yamashiro emigrated to Utah from Japan in the early 20th century and raised their five children in Devil's Slide and Kaysville, Utah before the family relocated to California in the 1950s. This collection consists of photograph ablums and prints collected and created by members of the Yamashiro family and depicting their experiences
Repository
University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library
University of Utah
295 South 1500 East
Salt Lake City, UT
84112-0860

Telephone: 8015818863
special@library.utah.edu
Access Restrictions

Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Shoichi Yamashiro was born on 1885 January 15 in Hiroshima, Japan to Kichizaemon Ota and Kiyono Yamashiro. He immigrated to the United States in 1904, arriving first in Hawaii and then moving to Utah, where he initially worked for the railroad. Tsuruyo Nakanishi was born on 1897 October 15 in Hiroshima, Japan to Hide Murakami and Umekichi Nakanishi. Tsuruyo Nakanishi and Shoichi Yamashiro married on 1915 April 22. Tsuruyo Yamashiro emigrated to the United States on 1919 December 17. The couple settled in Devil's Slide, Utah, where all of their children were born. Together, Shoichi and Tsuruyo Yamashiro had five children: Masayoshi "Mike" Yamashiro, born 1921 January 2; Yoshiko "Yo" Yamashiro, born 1922 April 2; Akemi "Ay" Yamashiro, born 1925 December 28; Akira "Skeeter" Yamashiro, born 1927 October 30; and Ruby Mariko Yamashiro, born 1929 January 4. Shoichi Yamashiro died on 1953 October 5 in Monterey, California. Tsuruyo Nakanishi Yamashiro died on 1974 November 24 in Monterey, California.

The Nakanishi and Yamashiro families were also linked through the marriage of Saburo Nakanishi, brother of Tsuruyo Nakanishi Yamashiro, and Tasu Yamashiro, younger sister of Shoichi Yamashiro. Together, Tasu Yamashiro and Saburo Nakanishi had three daughters: Hatsue, Tasuko, and Akiko.

In Devil's Slide, Shoichi Yamashiro worked at the Union Portland Cement Company. During World War II, the Yamashiro family was not incarcerated in a concentration camp; however, they experienced discrimination during this time, and gathered and destroyed objects connecting them to Japan for their protection (West 2021). All of the Yamashiro children attended Davis High School in Kaysville, Utah. By the late 1940s, the family had moved to Clearfield, Utah. By 1950, the Yamashiro family relocated to Monterey, California, where they shared resources to purchase a house and restaurant, Yamato's.

Masayoshi "Mike" Yamashiro, the eldest of Shoichi and Tsuruyo Yamashiro's children, left Utah to serve in the United States Army during World War II, obtaining the rank of Second Lieutenant. He remained in the military, fighting in Korea; he also worked for the (Yamashiro, L. 2021). Mike Yamashiro first married a Korean woman named Boon Sun Ri, called Yoko; they divorced in the 1950s without children. When stationed in Okinawa, Japan, he met and married Fujiko "Fuji"(1936-) in the 1950s; together, the couple had two children, Linda (1958-) and Nancy (1961-). He retired to Marina, California. Masayoshi Yamashiro died on 1986 February 28.

Yoshiko "Yo" Yamashiro studied nursing at Dee Hospital in Ogden, Utah, graduating in 1948. After graduation, her first position was as a nurse in an army hospital, where she met Alvin D. West (1930-2012); the two married on 1953 April 13; together, they had two children, April (1954-) and Robin (1957-). The Wests settled in Salinas, California, not far from family in Monterey, and Yo Yamashiro West worked at Fort Ord hospital until the birth of her younger daughter. The Wests subsequently moved to Texas before settling in Washington state. Yoshiko Yamashiro West died on 2009 July 3.

Akemi "Ay" Yamashiro served in the United States Army during World War II, where he was a tank sergeant. On 1949 February 13, Akemi Yamashiro married Ruth Toyama (1926-2009). They settled in Orange County, California, where he likely worked as a produce buyer. Together, they had four children: Cleo (1949-1949), Danny Dennis (1951-), Glenn (1953-) and Ted (1958-). Ay Yamashiro died on 1996 October 4 in Orange County, California.

Akira "Skeeter" Yamashiro served in the United States Army during World War II. He attended college in Florida and in Berkeley, California. He gained expertise in computer systems and continued to work for the United States government, including for the Pentagon. He never married. Akira Yamashiro died on 2020 February 28 in Pasadena, California.

In 1955 March, Ruby Yamashiro married Makoto "Mak" Kimura (1927-1994); the couple divorced without children. On 1961 October 14, Ruby Yamashiro married Theodore "Ted" Yudacufski (1930-2011) in Santa Clara, California; together, they had two children, Naomi (1962-) and Daria (1971-). In addition to their two daughters, Ruby Yamashiro Yudacufski played a maternal role to Frances and David Matsuo, whose mother had died. In California, she worked at the family restaurant until the death of her parents, after which she sold the business to start a chess center, which she and Ted Yudacufski ran together. Ruby Yamashiro Yudacufski died on 1978 June 24 in Monterey, California.

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

The Yamashiro family photograph collection consists of 9 boxes containing 1,829 photographs. Series I: Albums and Oversize contains photograph albums and oversize prints, some removed from frames for preservation purposes. Boxes 1-2 contain formal portraits of Yamashiro family members. Subjects depicted in the albums include: family snapshots; pets; children; tourism to post-World War II Europe and through the American West; and Yamashiro men's service in the military during and after World War II. Boxes 3-5 contain photograph albums compiled by various members of the Yamashiro family. Box 6 contains oversize prints and panoramas. Several panoramas are stored in a panorama box for preservation. In addition to any identifications made by the album compilers, the donor, Naomi Estolas, included additional identifications on sticky notes throughout the albums. Some of the albums were deconstructed for preservation, but all identifications by family members have been preserved with the corresponding albums.

Series II: Family and Friends consists of three archives boxes containg black-and-white photographs depicting the Yamahsiro family and their friends and associates. Box 7 contains assorted photographs created or collected by the Yamahsiro children. Box 8 primarily consists of photographs taken or collected by Ruby Yamashiro. Box 9 contains formal portraits of largely unidentified people; these are arranged by the location that the photographs were taken.

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's Use Agreement and Reproduction Request forms.

Preferred Citation

Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Arrangement

Donor arrangement preserved.

Acquisition Information

Donated by Naomi Estolas on April 11, 2001, addendum on October 26, 2021.

Processing Note

Processed by Special Collections Staff.

Click here to read a statement on harmful language in library records.

Separated Materials

See also ACCN 3226 in the Manuscripts Division of Special Collections.

Related Materials

Forms part of the Mitsugi M. Kasai Memorial Japanese American Archives.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

Albums and Oversize, 1915-2018Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
1 1
Portrait: Shoichi and Tsuruyo Yamashiro with children
circa 1924
1 2
World War II Portraits
circa 1944
1 3
High School Group Portrait
circa 1940-1948
1 4
Akira Yamashiro 90th Birthday Poster
2018
2 1
Ruby Yamashiro photograph album
circa 1915-1940s
3 1
Ruby Yamashiro photograph album
circa 1930-1956
4 1
Yamashiro Family photograph album
circa 1944-1960s
5 1
Akira Yamashiro photograph album
circa 1944-1950
6 1
Family and Friends: Weddings and Group Portraits
circa 1940s-1950s
6 2
Family and Friends: Funerals
circa 1930-1950
6 3
Funeral of Cleo Yamashiro
1949 September
6 4
Illustrated Portraits
6 5
Panoramas: Group Portraits
circa 1945-1955

Family and Friends, 1900-1970Return to Top

Container(s) Description Dates
Box Folder
7 1
Shoichi and Tsuruyo Yamashiro
circa 1915-1919
7 2
Tsuruyo Yamashiro and Family
circa 1925-1960
7 3
Album Pages: Soldier's Funeral, Buddhist Temple, Sacramento, California
circa 1949-1950
7 4
Portraits: Mike Yamashiro
circa 1940-1945
7 5
Mike Yamashiro and Boon Sun Ri Wedding
circa 1950
7 6
Mike Yamashiro Family and Friends
circa 1950-1960
7 7
Commercial photographs of Washington, D.C. and Virginia
circa 1945
7 8
Blank Postcard: Washington, D.C. and Japan
circa 1944-1950
7 9
Military Service
circa 1950-1960
7 10
Portraits: Yoshiro Yamshiro West in Nursing Uniform
circa 1944-1950
7 11
Yoshiro Yamashiro and Family
circa 1950s
7 12
Portraits: April and Robin West
circa 1961-1965
7 13
Robin and April West with Family
circa 1955-1963
7 14
Robin and April West at Birthday Parties
circa 1960-1965
7 15
Portraits: Akemi Yamshiro
circa 1940-1946
7 16
Portraits: Cleo, Danny, and Glenn Yamshiro
circa 1949-1960
7 17
Danny, Glenn and Teddy Yamashiro at Long Beach, California
1959 August
7 18
Danny, Glenn and Teddy Yamashiro with Family
7 19
Akira Yamahsiro in Military Uniform
circa 1945-1960
8 1
Ruby Yamshiro with Dog
circa 1937-1940
8 2
Suntone Albums: Family and Friends
circa 1946-1947
8 3
Suntone Albums: Utah Centennial Parade, Ogden, Utah
1947
8 4
Family and Friends, California
circa 1952-1955
8 5
Ruby Yamashiro and Makoto Kimura Wedding
1955 March 27
8 6
Portrait: Makoto "Mak" Kimura in Military Uniform
circa 1944-1950
8 7
Travel: Ruby Yamashiro and Makoto Kimura in Europe
1956
8 8
Ruby Yamashiro Travel and Family
1959
8 9
Travel: Western United States
1960
8 10
Amusement Parks
circa 1955-1960
8 11
Ruby Yamashiro
circa 1955-1965
8 12
Ruby Yamashiro, Ted Yudacufski, and Kay Mann at Beach
circa 1960-1961
8 13
Ruby Yamashiro and Ted Yudacufski with Family, Friends, Pets
circa 1960-1962
8 14
Pets
circa 1955-1965
8 15
Friends and Family at Beaches
circa 1930-1965
8 16
Family at Used Car Business
circa 1960s
8 17
General: Friends and Family
circa 1940-1965
8 18
General: Children
circa 1940-1969
8 19
General: Outdoors
circa 1955-1965
9 1
Portraits: Japan
circa 1900-1920
9 2
Portraits: Salt Lake City, Utah
circa 1910-1942
9 3
Portraits: Ogden, Utah
circa 1910-1950
9 4
Portraits: Logan, Utah
circa 1920-1930
9 5
Portraits: Preston, Idaho
circa 1930-1945
9 6
Portraits: General
circa 1900-1950

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Japanese American families--Photographs
  • Japanese American soldiers--Photographs
  • Japanese American women--Photographs
  • Tourism--Photographs
  • World War, 1939-1945--Participation, Japanese American

Family Names

  • Yamashiro Family

Geographical Names

  • Davis County (Utah)
  • Monterey (Calif.)
  • Morgan County (Utah)

Form or Genre Terms

  • Photograph albums
  • black-and-white photographs