The City of Seattle birth return for Chin Tom Kee shows that he was born at 219 Washington Street on 13 July [1904]. His mother was 24 on 26 October and his father, Chin Kee, a merchant, born in China was 44 years old. Chin Tom Kee was delivered by Mrs. Jakshitz [a midwife]. [The return is a post card attached to notarized statement in the file.]
In September 1918 Chin Tom Kee was about to make a trip to Hongkong and was filling out the necessary paper work so he could be readmitted upon his return. He received visa no. 988, Certificate for a Person of the Chinese Race Claiming American Citizenship. Although this sounds very official, the last sentence of the document is: “The question of his admissibility to the United States will be determined upon his arrival at an American port.” It is signed by J. S. [illegible] Callen, Vice Consul, Hongkong.