Iwao Fred Yamane photograph collection

Iwao “Fred” Yamane (28 May 1914-30 December 1997) was born in Stockton, California. He was a photographer for Root Studios for forty years. His father, a farmer named Umekichi, first came to the US from Japan in June 1900. His wife, Yae Miyamoto, followed in October 1905. They had six children together: Shizuye (b. 16 December 1906), Mitsuye (b. 15 January 1910), Iwao (b. 28 May 1914), Miyuki (b. 1 January 1917), Yoshiye (b. 5 October 1919), and Tatsuo (b. 8 January 1922). All of their children were born in California, except for Tatsuo, who was born in Japan. Umekichi was the oldest son in his family and returned to Japan to care of the family property from1921-1924. Yae stayed in Japan from roughly 1921-1931 to look after Umekichi’s mother and have the children educated in Japan. Yae and the children returned to California when it was financially possible for them to do so.

After finishing his education in Japan and the US, Iwao worked as a clerk. On March 21, 1938 Iwao married Yoshiye “Maxine” Yamasaki (5 May 1919-10 June 2004), in Sacramento, California. Yoshiye born in Utah and her family later moved to California, where she would meet Iwao. Iwao and Yoshiye owned several properties, including the Lion Hotel in Sacramento, California (ca. 1933-1942), a fruit farm with rented living quarters (ca. 1952) and possibly some other apartment rentals (ca. 1950s).

During World War II, Yamane was interned with Yoshiye and their son, Hiroshi “Bob” (13 July 1939-22 August 2010), at the Tule Lake and Topaz Relocation Centers for a two year period. In 1944, the family moved to Chicago to search for work and so that Hiroshi could continue his schooling. They first lived at 866 North State Street, then 2646 N. Orchard in 1949, and finally 1410 W. Thorndale. Iwao and Yoshiye found work at Root Photography, a business founded in 1889. Hiroshi attended Alcott Elementary School (now Alcott College Prep) and Waller High School (now Lincoln Park High School). Hiroshi attended Hiroshi served in the military, having trained at Fort Leonard Wood (Missouri), an engineer training post, and was part of the MDW signal support unit. He later worked for the Chicago Shimpo.

Source: Yamane, Iwao "Fred"