Taro Kishi's Childhood
Taro Kishi was born on January 4, 1903 in Nagaoka in Niigata Prefecture, Japan, to his parents, Kichimatsu & (Moriyama) Kishi. Four years later, his sister, Toki, was born; but sadly, their mother passed away shortly thereafter. So, Taro's father married again to Fuji Ogawa. Fuji is who the children always considered as their loving mother.
In 1907, K. Kishi, Fuji & Taro along with other colonists immigrated to Terry, Texas. Taro attended the one-room Terry School until 4th grade. The next two years were at Houston Public School while boarding with Dr. Joe and Constance Bell Eskridge. Later, after Toki came to the U.S., both children commuted to Orange Public Schools by catching the 6 a.m. train at Terry Station and returning home on the 5 p.m. train. At other times, Taro bicycled or rode a motorcycle, and later drove by car to school, especially when after-school activities such as the glee club, baseball and football practices were involved.
Text from a presentation by Ida Hirasaki Bush to the Methodist Church in Vidor.