Eiichi Onishi

Eiichi Onishi

He is also named in the file by the Office of the Custodian as Kiichi Onishi; however, Onishi writes in a piece of correspondence that he goes by the name George Eiichi Onishi. He was born on 11 November 1913. The file lists that he was a hotel keeper but also that he had been working in a sawmill, employed by Pacific Pine Company Limited, New Westminster, BC, since December 1941. His family includes Sada Onishi (mother), Kijiro Onishi [possibly Eijiro Onishi] (father), Mariko Onishi (wife; nee Mariko Magamatsu), Esther Onishi [also listed as Sachiko Onishi] (daughter; born on 30 July 1940), and Michael Onishi [also listed as Takeo Onishi] (son; born on 14 June 1942). He lived at 335 Ewen Avenue, New Westminster, BC and 307 Ewen Avenue, New Westminster, BC. He was forcibly uprooted to Tashme, BC, Harris Farm, New Denver, BC, and Lower Middle Road, Rural Route No. 1, Oakville, ON. His listed seized property includes ten acres of land on Clow Road, Surrey, BC [related to the Veterans’ Land Act]; a shack; household belongings; radios; a sewing machine; and a bicycle.

Metadata

ForenameEiichi
SurnameOnishi
Regularized NameEiichi Onishi
Custodian Identification Number1652
NationalityCanadian born
Residence (after uprooting)Tashme, BC
Residence (after uprooting)New Denver, BC
Residence (after uprooting)Oakville, ON
Residence (before uprooting)New Westminster

Collections

Custodian Case Files (1)

Terminology

Readers of these historical materials will encounter derogatory references to Japanese Canadians and euphemisms used to obscure the intent and impacts of the internment and dispossession. While these are important realities of the history, the Landscapes of Injustice Research Collective urges users to carefully consider their own terminological choices in writing and speaking about this topic today as we confront past injustice. See our statement on terminology, and related sources here.