Repatriating Russians

September 13, 2005 8:19 PM

Poignant Passports. At the beginning of the 20th century Hawaii sugar plantation owners began to recruit laborers of European background. Perhaps as many as 2,000 Russians and Ukrainians came to Hawaii. After the February Revolution in Petrograd some of these Russians were repatriated. [more inside]
posted by tellurian (2 comments total)

Here are two to get you started.
Sidorov Sergei Stepanovich. Born 1873. He was a peasant in the village of Nezhino in Nikol'sk- Ussuriisk uezda Primor'ye oblast. In Vladivostok he signed a contract with a Japanese owner of a fishing business in Kamchatka and worked there. He had to travel to Japan to see this owner to receive his salary. In Japan he lived six years as an acrobat in a circus and cinemas. In 1910 he joined a group of Russian emigrants who stopped in Kobe and came to Hawaii. He worked on plantations on all islands, but eventually became a tramp.
Sugakov Il'ia Gerasimovich. Born July 20, 1889. From a peasant family in the village of Rylovichi Chernigov guberniia. He worked as a butcher in the CER station Man'chzhuriia. On April 1, 1910 on the ship Siberia he came to Hawaii. He worked in the Young Hotel as a plasterer ($4.50 day). He married Avgusta Alekseevna (nee Barlina), b. 1899. He said to Trautshold: "I want to return to motherland and serve in the army." Application was not complete. He had family troubles--had accused his wife of infidelity; suspects Stein; seems to suffer from delirium tremens. Note in pencil says: passport returned.
posted by tellurian at 8:19 PM on September 13, 2005

Quite interesting reading, thanks!
posted by numlok at 9:09 PM on September 13, 2005