Reverend Eto Mamoru Papers, 1918-1991

Collection context

Summary

Creators:
Mamoru, Eto, 1883-1992
Abstract:
Eto Mamoru was born in 1883, and was a native of Taketa City, Ōita prefecture in Japan. He graduated from Kōbe First Middle School and Nihon Taiiku Daigaku. He fought in the Russo-Japanese War from 1904-05. He was an instructor at Kwansei Gakuin Daigaku from 1914-17 then came to the United States in 1917 to study physical education. He was employed as an agricultural laborer, farmer, and gardener before becoming a Christian lay minister of the First Japanese Nazarene Church in Pasadena, California. He was interned at Gila River, Arizona during World War II. Afterwards he was officially ordained as a Nazarene Church minister in 1946, and lived in Seabrook and Bridgeton, New Jersey from 1944-80 and finally settled in California from 1980-92. In 1990 he was one of the first Issei recipients of wartime reparation. The collection consists of diaries (1918-20,1976-89), incoming correspondence files, religious records and notes, and personal memorabilia, including tapes of Sunday sermons by the Reverend Eto Mamoru. Portions of the collection are in Japanese.
Extent:
15 boxes (7.5 linear ft.)

Background

Scope and content:

Collection consists of diaries (1918-20,1976-89), incoming correspondence files, religious records and notes, and personal memorabilia, including tapes of Sunday sermons by the Reverend Eto Mamoru. Correspondence includes letters in English from Mamoru's children, and letters in Japanese from Issei Christian friends and associates, as well as from immediate family members living in Japan.

Portions of the collection are in Japanese.

Extended Scope and Content

The Eto Papers consist of diaries, 1918-1920, 1976-1989; incoming correspondence files, 1916-1991; religious records and notes; and personal memorabilia, including tapes of Sunday sermons. The incoming correspondence files include miscellaneous Japanese letters from Issei Christian friends and associates, English letters from Eto Mamoru's sons and daughters, and many Japanese letters from the following immediate family members living in Japan:

  • Eto Tsutomu [characters], younger brother of Mamoru
  • Eto Mitaka [characters], wife
  • Eto Katsuyoshi [characters], son
  • Tada Yujiro [characters], younger brother of Kura
  • Tada Yoshie [characters], wife
  • Tada Akiko [characters], daughter
  • Tada Yuichi [characters], son
  • Goto Hisaka [characters], younger sister of Mamoru
  • Goto Yoshio [characters], husband
  • Goto Iwao [characters], son
  • Goto Kenji [characters], son
  • Goto Hitoshi [characters], son

Biographical / historical:

Eto Mamoru was born in 1883, and was a native of Taketa City, Ōita prefecture in Japan; graduated from Kōbe First Middle School and Nihon Taiiku Daigaku; fought in Russo-Japanese War, 1904-05; was baptized as a Christian in Japan; instructor, Kwansei Gakuin Daigaku, 1914-17; came to the United States in 1917 to study physical education; was employed as an agricultural laborer, farmer, and gardener before becoming a Christian lay minister of the First Japanese Nazarene Church in Pasadena, California; was interned at Gila River, Arizona during World War II; officially ordained as a Nazarene Church minister in 1946, and lived in Seabrook and Bridgeton, New Jersey from 1944-80; was naturalized in 1955; lived in California, 1980-92; became one of the first Issei recipients of wartime reparation, in 1990; he died in 1992.

Additional Biographical Narrative

[characters] indicates Japanese characters included in the print version of this online finding aid, available for consultation at the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections.

Eto Mamoru [characters], 1883-1992. Issei Christian minister and longtime resident of California. Native, Taketa City, Ōita Prefecture [characters]. Graduate, Kōbe First Middle School [characters], and Nihon Taiiku Daigaku [characters]. Veteran, Russo-Japanese War, 1904-1905. Baptized as Christian in Japan. Instructor, Kwansei Gakuin Daigaku [characters], 1914-1917. Married, 1914. Wife, Tada Kura [characters], 1894-1942. Ten children: Hitoko, 1915-1994; Ken, 1919; Daniel, 1920; Joseph, 1921; Mitsuko, 1923; Mary, 1926; Esther, 1928-1988; Moses, 1929; David, 1931; and Ruth, 1931. Arrived in United States, 1917, to pursue studies in physical education. Sent for wife and eldest daughter, 1918. Variously employed as itinerant agriculture laborer, farmer, and gardener before becoming a Christian lay minister of the First Japanese Nazarene Church, Pasadena, California. Wife returned to Japan, 1933, and died there, 1942. Interned, Gila River, Arizona, during World War II. Official ordination as Nazarene Church minister, 1946, and resident of Seabrook and Bridgeton, New Jersey, 1944-1980. Naturalized, 1955. California resident, 1980-1992. One of the first Issei recipients of wartime reparation, 1990, Washington, D.C. at age of 107.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Joseph Eto, 1995.
Arrangement:

Arranged in the following series:

  1. Diaries (1918-20,1976-89) (Boxes 1-3).
  2. Incoming correspondence files (Boxes 4-6).
  3. Religious records (Boxes 7-9).
  4. Personal memorabilia (Boxes 10-15).

Physical location:
Stored off-site at SRLF. Advance notice is required for access to the collection. Please contact the UCLA Library, Department of Special Collections Reference Desk for paging information.
Rules or conventions:
Finding aid prepared using Describing Archives: a Content Standard

Indexed terms

Subjects:
Diaries.

Access and use

Location of this collection:
A1713 Charles E. Young Research Library
Box 951575
Los Angeles, CA 90095-1575, US
Contact:
(310) 825-4988