森 Ching (abt. 1854)

Born about 1854 in China [uncertain]

Biography

Sam Ching has Chinese Roots.

Birth

Sam Ching (程 Sam) aka Cheng Sen (程森)^[1] was born about 1854 ^[2] in China.

In Oct 1877, he attended a funeral of Ah Lung as noted in an article in The Globe. "...In the last cab came Sam Ching, Wah Lee, Chi Heng, and another of their countrymen."^[3]

Residence

This profile is part of the Chinatown, Toronto, Ontario One Place Study.

Sam Ching (程 Sam) was the first documented businessman and resident of Chinese origin in Toronto, as indicated by his entry in the 1878 city directory.^{[4] [5] [6]}

In 1881, the Tax Assessment document listed Sam Ching (程 Sam) in the "St. James" ward of Toronto, Ontario. His laundry business was at 13 Adelaide Street and the building owner was listed as Samuel Bell. ^[7]

Occupation

Sam Ching (程 Sam) owned Sam Ching & Co. Chinese Laundry at 9 Adelaide Street East, close to the railroad (and to the publisher of the directory at 26 Adelaide St. E.). ^{[4] [5][6]} There were very few occupations that they were allowed to choose, with laundry shops being one of those allowed. Sam’s ties to the United States before entering Toronto are due to him immediately opening a laundry shop.^[8] There were no such shops in China and the men never washed their own clothes there.^[8] That job belonged to the women.^[8] According to Arlene Chan, some of those arriving during the gold rush wore their clothes until the fell apart, or mailed them home to be washed, not getting them back for several months!^[8]

In the 1879 tax assessment, the store at 13 Adelaide St., owned by Samuel Bell, was listed as a Vacant Store.^[2] Therefore, it is feasible that Sam Ching's laundry could have moved down a couple of doors by 1881, especially if the space was more suitable or the rent was lower. Sam's laundry was at 15 Adelaide St by 1881.^[9][10]

By 1891 there were thirty-three Chinese men in Toronto.^[5] There were so few Chinese men, that their presence was notable. It is said they "helped establish a community that would overcome numerous barriers in order to grow and become a vital part of the city." ^[6]

It's not known where Sam came from before he moved to Toronto, or what his real name was.^[11] "Sam" would have been an adopted name for the benefit of English-speakers. "Ching" was his surname as reported in the Toronto Directory of 1878 and in the Globe article of 1879. ^[12]

Four Chinese Pioneers in Toronto in 1877

Sam Ching (程 Sam) was one of four pioneering Chinese immigrants to Toronto, Canada in the 1870s. They worked together and were a core part of the first Chinese community in Toronto.

The four men are Chi Heng, Wah Lee, Sam Ching, and Ah Lung. It is thought that Sam's friend Ah Saum was part of that initial group.^[13] Sam Ching was said to have gone to Toronto from the United States, while Ah Saum migrated from China with two brothers from St. Louis, Missouri.^[13] Ah Saum, formerly a tea tester for the Beijing government, worked at the Pekin Tea Company at Yonge and Albert Streets, and was featured in the Globe in 1873.^[13]

Two business partners of Sam Ching (程 Sam): Ah Lung and Wah Lee (華 李) came to Toronto from Saint Louis, Missouri in about 1875, having arrived in St. Louis in about 1867. Ah Lung was believed to have been originally from Hong Kong. ^[3]

Ah Lung was listed in the 1873 St. Louis directory under boarding houses and Wah Lee (華 李) was listed in the same directory under laundries. ^[14]

A fourth man, Chi Heng Unknown (無 姓 志 興), was also to have known and worked with the other three at Sam Ching's Laundry.^[3]

Research Notes

Possible Names and Locations for Further Research

1. An excellent resource -- worth reading when embarking on any genealogical research into Chinese immigrants to Canada (and the U.S. as well, to some extent) is the e-book by Linda Yip: Getting Started in Chinese Genealogy: A Family Historian’s Guide (even if you don’t speak or read Chinese). ^[15]
2. Yu, Dr. Henry. Thinking Orientals: Migration, Contact, and Exoticism in Modern America (Oxford University Press, 2001) (Dr Yu is Associate Professor, History and Principal, St. John’s College, University of British Columbia.)
3. Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, Canada has some on-line resources: https://www.sfu.ca/chinese-canadian-history/chart_en.html?fbclid=IwAR3DMoS7Q1KTAW9HtLfwnCMAcoTWZN5G93kG9nnlC18FQkXZvK6QdhyNseU#
4. Apparently all/most/some of the ships travelling between the US and Asia in the 1800s stopped in Hawaii. These Ships' Manifests are online, but the details are not. Index is at: https://digitalcollections.hawaii.gov/greenstone3/library/collection/indextoc/page/about. Passenger Manifests being referenced by this index can be found at the Hawaii State Archives as Microfilm MFL No. 72, Ships Manifest or Series 82, Records of Passenger Arrivals and Departures, 1843-1900.
5. Some other researchers are on Facebook group Canadians with Taishanese (Toi Shanese, Toishanese, Hoisanese) Roots: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1356658814387095
6. A Facebok Group dedicated to the topic of Genealogy for Asian Canadians: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1923544271050858
7. Possible source for 1874 Missour: "Local Intelligence: Items of All Kinds" database w/images (https://www.newspapers.com/ : accessed 20 Apr 2021) St. Joseph Gazette (St. Joseph, Missouri) · Saturday, March 14, 1874 Page 4 Newspapers Clip: 116264353
8. In 1881, Sam Ching's Tax Assessment was for 13 Adelaide Street in the St. James Ward of Toronto, Canada.
9. The 1881 Census of Canada. Toronto Centre, Ontario; St. James Ward shows a Kee, Sam (age 35); Pan, Chin (Sam Chin?), age 28, both born in China and occupation: Laundryman. Unfortunately there is no street address in this census and no description on the Library Archives site of the boundaries of the St. James Ward. ^[16]
10. The 1881 Census of Canada. Toronto Centre, St. James Ward lists a Samuel Wing (doesn't look like a 'C' from this enumerator), age 22, born U.S., St James Ward. However, Samuel Wing appears to be younger than expected and born in the U.S. ^[17]
11. The 1881 Census of Canada. Toronto WEST, Ontario; ST. ANDREWS WARD. Note the city ward of Sam Ching's business was not as indicated on the tax assessment. Name is clearly written as Sam Ling, age 30, born China, St Andrews Ward. (West of Yonge Street; the current St. Andrews Station on the University Ave. line of the Toronto Subway is nearby.) ^[18]
12. In 1882 the proprietor of the Laundry at 9 Adelaide St. was a Sam Wing. according to the Tax Assessment Rolls. The business at 13 Adelaide St. in this Tax Assessment was again VACANT, and the building owners had changed. ^[19]
13. 1888, 1892: Laundry run by Sam Wing was moved to Queen Street, two different addresses. 1888 Tax Assessment gave Sam Wing's age as 31. ^[20]

Sam Ching's Name and Profile in WikiTree

"Sam Ching" (程 Sam) is a full name. His surname at birth was probably "Ching" (程).^[21] However, his first name as recorded was "Sam;" it is not Chinese and there is no similar Chinese name for which it is an obvious substitute; also, we have no record of his given name at birth. Therefore "Sam" is most likely an English name of convenience adopted by Sam Ching when he came to North America. This was a common practice to make it easier for western employers and customers to address him.

The Profile of Sam Ching had already been created using the English alphabet, so we will build on the work done by others and minimize the disruption. The Chinese character for "Ching", i.e. (程) will be added in the secondary field for surname.

If Sam's given name at birth is ever determined, it should be put in the "Proper First Name" field.

• For Sam Ching the recommended WikiTree fields to use are:
  • Proper First Name: Sam
  • Preferred Name: Sam
  • Other Nicknames:
  • Middle Name:
  • Last Name at Birth: Ching
  • Current Last Name: Ching
  • Other Last Name(s):

Additional Notes on Names

Some have suggested that "Sam" represented his surname and "Ching" the given name of For Sam Ching. This is entirely possible, however, we will continue with the original assumption until stronger evidence persuades us to change it.

There has been extensive discussion on the character selected here as For Sam Ching's surname: 程. Given that we have no original Chinese language document with his name on it, this discussion will continue. And for him to be willing to leave his home to travel around the world to do hard labour in a strange and foreign country, he was likely very poor and may well have been illiterate; so maybe even he didn't know what character was "the right one."

So we are making some educated guesses.

The first educated guess is that "Sam Ching is likely to be Cantonese, from Guangdong Province, and probably Taishanese, from Taishan Province, based on studies done by Dr. H. Yu of UBC." ^[22]

The dialect spoken by the greatest number of Chinese immigrants to the United States and Canada has shifted over the decades with the waves of immigration. During Sam's time, the origin of most of the immigrants was Guangdong (Canton) or from Taishan, a region within Guangdong, but with its own dialect. ^[23]

Some other words with similar pronunciation have been suggested for his surname. Some alternatives are listed here:

青 - rejected because it is not a common surname

清 - rejected because it is not a common surname

秦 - it is a common surname, but our assumption is that Sam was Cantonese, and the pronunciation of this character in Cantonese is "Chun," so this is rejected.

程 - Our current pick, since it is a common Cantonese surname (33rd most common in 2006; 60th most common in 1990) according to the results of a 2006 study published in Wiktionary. ^[24]

For more information on representing Chinese names,in WikiTree, see the guidelines for the China Project at Chinese Name Field Guidelines.

There is a vast number of sites and resources available on the internet; some of them are relevant and valid. Others can unintentionally mislead the user. The first caution is to ensure that you are dealing with the correct dialect: the most common Chinese language in the world (and the one spoken by 80% of the people living in China^[25]) is Mandarin.

Commemoration

"In 1983, the Toronto Historical Board unveiled a bilingual plaque in front of city hall commemorating Ching, a laundryman commonly assumed to be the first Chinese resident of the city. Nearly 30 years later, in 2012, the City of Toronto renamed a downtown alleyway Ching Lane." ^[6]

Excerpt from the 1983 Plaque

TORONTO’S FIRST CHINATOWN

The first Chinese resident recorded in Toronto was Sam Ching, the owner of a hand laundry business on Adelaide Street in 1878. Though immigration to Canada directly from China was restricted after 1885, Ching was eventually joined by Chinese men who migrated from western Canada after helping to build the transcontinental Canadian Pacific Railway.

Between 1900 and 1925, Toronto’s first Chinese community took shape here, around Elizabeth Street which once ran all the way south to Queen Street. “Chinatown” was a bustling commercial and residential area that included restaurants, grocery stores, and traditional clan associations. ^[6]

Toronto Globe Article, October 25th 1877 (Transcribed)

Transcribed on 9 January 2023 from scan of original article in the Toronto Globe pg 4 (Formatting added for readability.) ^[3]

Warning: The original article (and transcribed here) contains some condescending and inappropriate language as well as potentially offensive racial stereotyping.

CHINAMEN IN TORONTO

EXTRAORDINARY FUNERAL AT THE NECROPOLIS

The inhabitants of Toronto have become of late years pretty well familiarized with the appearance of Chinamen, and little astonishment is now created by the appearance of “John” in his uncouth dress and turned-up wooden-shoes. There are now some score of Celestials in the city, all engaged in the laundry business, out of which, it is understood, they are making a considerable profit.

They are, on the whole, good and law-abiding citizens, although, as has been found on more than one occasion, somewhat prone to make use of the knife in quarrels amongst themselves. As far as can be learned, all the Chinese in the city cling to the faith of their fathers, and the scheme has been mooted amongst them of erecting, if not a temple, at least some sort of edifice which is to be dedicated to the worship prescribed by Confucius.

It is seldom that outside barbarians get a glimpse of the social or religious practices of the Celestial Empire, but on Monday last these were rather curiously exemplified in connection with the death and obsequies of a Chinaman named Ah Lung. The person referred to was in partnership with Sam Ching, Wah Lee, and Company, doing business in Adelaide street. He was a native of Hong Kong, and resided in St. Louis for eight years, previous to coming to this city two years ago. For a twelvemonth he had been in a slow decline, and one of the firm, Chi Heng, at last getting the better of his prejudices, repaired to Dr. Cassidy, in order to obtain medical assistance. That his opinion of the “Melican man’s” power must be a singularly high one may be judged from his opening question “How much you take to cure him?” The doctor having explained that his success was not proportional to his fees, Chi Heng seemed somewhat astonished, but nevertheless invited him to attend.

Ah Lung survived till Sunday last, when he died. His friends proceeded next day to Messrs. Turner & Leamen, from whom they ordered a hearse, a waggon, and a cab. In the hearse was placed the body of the deceased; in the second vehicle, which, as they afterwards determined, was simply a cab, were placed the whole of the personal effects of Ah Lung - his bedding, furniture, & c. The clothing, it should be mentioned, was interred in the coffin along with the corpse, as well as a small satchel full of trinkets and one or two small idols. This procedure, of course, was not due to any fear of contagion, being simply a matter of tradition. In the last cab came Sam Ching, Wah Lee, Chi Heng, and another of their countrymen.

The party seemed somewhat astonished at being asked whether they would not prefer the services of a clergyman at the interment, reiterating, “We not go to church at allee [sic]” in Chorus. Arriving at the grave the coffin was lowered, and above it were placed the rest of the goods. No demonstration was made at the graveside of any sort, and the only memorial of Ah Lung is an upright board, inscribed with his name in Chinese character, at the head of one of the “single graves” in the cemetery. According to one of the Celestials a service was held over the body in Wah Lee’s house, but all that could be gleaned was that the care and blessing of the great “Jess” were invoked to attend the disembodied spirit throughout its wanderings, and that the same deity was implored soon to grant the corpse a resting place in its native land. In further replay to his interlocutor, the Celestial answered that if deceased had had any money, even that would have been buried with him. But, he continued, he had none.

All Chinamen, he stated, are returned at some time of other, whether dead or alive, to their native land. It is probable that in the present case the Chinese are simply waiting until a large enough batch has been buried to send the bodies home. It is said, indeed, that the San Francisco Trans Pacific steamers do a profitable business on the freight on celestial remains. Another custom amongst this extraordinary people is that none of them will live in the chamber of death for at least two years afterwards. The spirit, it is said, will return now and again to the scene of its last earthly experience, and is indignant if it be found occupied by another. Had the procedure practised in Chinese obsequies at home been adhered to, the friends and relatives of the deceased would have walked the street all night, howling to their deities to take compassion on the soul of the departed. Happily, however, both for the Celestials and the public, this part of the programme was not carried out.

“John” does not find much difficulty in adapting himself to the circumstances wherein he finds himself placed and it is perhaps to this feature of his character that his financial success, gained as it is in the midst of a community so diametrically opposed in all its traditions and interests to his, may for the greater part be ascribed.

Sources

1. ↑ Lai, David Chuenyan Lai and Jack Leong. "Toronto Chinatowns 1878-2102" Chinese Canadian Heritage Fund (sfu.ca : accessed 18 January 2023).
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} "Canada, Ontario Tax Assessment Rolls, 1834-1899", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZJ6-F993 : 22 June 2022), Sam Ching, 1879.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3} CHINAMEN IN TORONTO: EXTRAORDINARY FUNERAL AT THE NECROPOLIS - The Globe (1844-1936); Oct 25, 1877; ProQuest Historical Newspapers: The Globe and Mail pg. 4 (Warning: inappropriate old-time racial language.) https://imgur.com/a/Tidb2nR
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1} Might & Taylor (author and publisher): Toronto Directory, for 1878 containing an Alphabetical Directory of the Citizens, and a Street Directory, with Classified Business Directory, and a Miscellaneous Directory. Corrected to January 1st, 1878. pg 51. Available online from Toronto Public Library at (https://digitalarchive.tpl.ca/objects/239343) or on FamilySearch.org
5. ↑ ^{5.0 5.1 5.2} Editor. "The first Chinese man in Toronto," Jean Lumb Foundation, 3 October 2018. Viewed 22 December 2022 on JeanLumbFoundation.ca.
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4} Panneton, Daniel. "Who were Toronto’s first Chinese newcomers?," TVO Today, 20 January 2022. As viewed on TVO.org 22 December 2022.
7. ↑ "Canada, Ontario Tax Assessment Rolls, 1834-1899", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZBT-GRD2 : 24 June 2022), Sam Ching, 1881.
8. ↑ ^{8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3} Chan, Arlene. "The Chinese in Toronto from 1878:" (Toronto: E book, 2011), pp. 40-41.
9. ↑ Chan, Arlene. "The Chinese in Toronto from 1878 From Outside to Inside the Circle" (Dundurn Press Toronto, Ontario 2011) Pages 11, 34, 41 Google Books
10. ↑ 1881 Directory: "Canada, City and Area Directories, 1819-1906," database with images, Ancestry Sharing Link - (https://www.ancestry.com : accessed 11 January 2023), Name: Sam Ching & Co Laundry; Residence Year: 1881; Street Address: Adelaide St Toronto; Residence Place: Toronto, Ontario; Occupation: agent; Publication Title: Toronto City Directory, 1881.
11. ↑ Museum of Toronto. “Arlene Chan : Sam Ching,” YouTube video, 2:10, Jan 13, 2021, URL.: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ki8Wisutfp8Video Interview with Arlene Chan on Sam Ching.
12. ↑ Gary Lam (林远明) (Lam Yuen Ming). Emails and messages with Alan Boyce on 8 Jan 2023 et seq. Gary is originally from Hong Kong and is able to speak, read, and write speak Cantonese and Hakka.
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1 13.2} Loucks, Don. "Modest Hopes" (Toronto: Dundurn Press, 2021), pp. unnumbered)
14. ↑ "United States City and Business Directories, ca. 1749 - ca. 1990", database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QHV-J3DY-5D83?cc=3754697 : 18 July 2022), > image 1 of 1.
15. ↑ Yip, Linda. Getting Started in Chinese Genealogy: A Family Historian’s Guide (even if you don’t speak or read Chinese). Second Edition published February 2022. Includes index. ISBN: 978-1-7775601-3-3. Written, edited, and designed by Linda Yip. pp 40-41.
16. ↑ 1881 Census of Canada. Toronto Centre, Ontario; St. James Ward. (https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1881/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=3522098) Pg. 101, Lines 11 & 12
17. ↑ 1881 Census of Canada. Toronto Centre, St. James Ward: https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1881/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=3518405) row 8 second page.
18. ↑ 1881 Census of Canada. Toronto WEST, Ontario; ST. ANDREWS WARD. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1881/Pages/item.aspx?itemid=3536182
19. ↑ "Canada, Ontario Tax Assessment Rolls, 1834-1899", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZRJ-CMPP : 22 June 2022), Document Image: (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-C39K-H9FK-3?i=113&cc=4130007).
20. ↑ "Canada, Ontario Tax Assessment Rolls, 1834-1899", database, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6ZB1-5Z5Y : 24 June 2022), Sam Wing, 1888.
21. ↑ Other characters have been suggested for Sam's surname. Most can be rejected. More later. [AB]
22. ↑ Linda Yip in emails and messages with Alan Boyce on 6 Jan 2023 et. seq.
23. ↑ Yip, Linda. op. cit. pp 80-81.
24. ↑ Wiktionary contributors, "Appendix:Chinese surnames," Wiktionary, The Free Dictionary, https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Chinese_surnames (accessed January 10, 2023)
25. ↑ Zhao E'nuo, Wu Yue. Article: Over 80 percent of Chinese population speak Mandarin in People's Daily Online (China) Website, accessed on 10 January 2023. http://en.people.cn/n3/2020/1016/c90000-9769716.html

See also:

• References on the profiles of Chi Heng, Ah Lung, and Wah Lee
• Chinese Name Field Guidelines