Correspondence Between Taro Kishi (from Terry) and His Father, K. Kishi (in Japan)
Soon after the creditors foreclosed on the mortgages and notes on the Kishi Colony, Taro Kishi’s father, Kichimatsu Kishi went to Japan to seek funds to buy back the property. From March 16, 1931 to March 28, 1932, Taro Kishi corresponded with his father in Japan by typed letters and coded cables. The letters were sent to the following address: 110 Suwa, Tozuka-Machi, where Kichimatsu Kishi stayed under the care of his brother K. Kobayashi. Taro Kishi's father replied by terse coded cables. Through them, Taro Kishi recounted life in Terry from wellbeing of family to effects of the financial struggle. The following is the letter that started the correspondence between father and son:
March 16, 1931
I mailed two letters addressed to you at the boat, but even the special handling did not manage to reach you before the Asama Maru sailed. The letters came back to me.
Below is the rest of the collections of exchanges:
Family Welfare
Young athlete, Yoichi Kishi
Furuta-san and Tuberculosis
Financial hardships
Crude oil
K. Kishi vs. Gulf Production Company
All letters are signed:
Your affectionate son,
Taro
The individuals named in the letters, and their relation to Taro Kishi
K. Kishi, Kichimatsu Kishi: Taro's father
Fuji: Taro's mother
Toki: Taro's sister
Saito: Tokuzo Hirasaki, future husband of Toki
H. Kishi: Hachitaro Kishi, Taro's uncle
Yoichi Kishi: son of Hachitaro, Taro's cousin
Furuta-san: one of the colonists
Nagai-san: Junzo Nagai, one of the original colonists
Fusa Nagai: daughter of Junzo Nagai
Kanji Nagai: son of Junzo Nagai
Breaux, L. Breaux: Cajun neighbor
Ada: wife of Breaux