Yon Ng Bak was born about 1895 in China and appeared in the 1930 U.S. Federal Census as a resident of Plattsburgh, Clinton County, New York. At thirty-five years old, Yon was married and listed as the head of his household living at 130 Margaret Street, where he rented his home for fifty dollars per month.
The census recorded that Yon did not own a radio, a modern household item becoming increasingly common during the period. Although he had not attended formal school, he was able to read and write. His primary language was Chinese, but he also spoke English, reflecting his adaptation to life in the United States after immigrating from China. Yon was not yet a U.S. citizen.
Yon worked in the laundry industry, specializing in washing and ironing, and was employed on his “own account,” meaning he operated independently rather than working for another employer. Living with him was a lodger, Fun Ng San, a thirty-one-year-old fellow Chinese immigrant.
Though only briefly documented in census records, Yon Ng Bak’s story reflects the experiences of Chinese immigrants who established small businesses and built lives within North Country communities during the early twentieth century.