History & Pioneers
Chinese-Canadian Pioneer Stories
Reading about the lives of Chinese-Canadian pioneers and their families may provide insights that will help as you explore your own family history.
At the Vancouver Public Library
This Chinese-Canadian Biographies and Family Histories link leads to a list of published items available at the Vancouver Public Library.
Online
Chang Toy (Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online)
Chang Toy came to Canada in 1874. After working in a fish cannery and sawmill, he went on to become a successful businessman and active member of the Chinese community.
Chow Dong Hoy (Canadian Museum of Civilization)
C.D. Hoy came to Canada around 1902 and established a drygoods store and photography business in Quesnel, B.C.
Chu Lai (Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online)
Chu Lai arrived in British Columbia in the 1860s, and eventually became one of the province's wealthiest Chinese merchants.
Lee Mong Kow (Lee Genealogy)
Lee Mong Kow emigrated to Canada in 1882 where he settled in Victoria and married Seto Chang Ann with whom he had 17 children. Lee Mong Kow Way in Victoria is dedicated to his memory.
Li Hong
Li Hong came to Canada in 1916, where he joined his uncles in Montreal, working in their laundry business.
Yip Sang (Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online)
Yip Sang worked on the Canadian Pacific Railway. Later, he started a business in Chinatown and became one of Vancouver's most successful merchants in the early 1900s. See also:
- A Chinese-Canadian Story: The Yip Sang Family (Canada's Digital Collections)
- The Yip Sang Correspondence Project (City of Vancouver Archives)
Photo banner: Detail from VPL Historical Photograph 1746
