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Immigration stories are often multi-generational stories which can also span two or more countries. Zuang Teh (Z.T.) Ing, professor, diplomat, and entrepreneur, was born in Shanghai, China in 1886. He came to the U.S. to attend the University of Wooster (today Wooster College) and then Columbia University for graduate school. While in school he met and married his wife, Lota Lois Young, who was born to Chinese parents, orphaned in Portland, Oregon, and raised by an American family and the First Baptist Chinese Mission in Fresno. Z.T. and Lota eventually had four children: Elizabeth May (born in Nanking, China), Lota Lois (born in New York), Anna May (born in Nanking, China), and Robert (born in New York).
Immigration stories are often multi-generational stories which can also span two or more countries. Zuang Teh (Z.T.) Ing, professor, diplomat, and entrepreneur, was born in Shanghai, China in 1886. He came to the U.S. to attend the University of Wooster (today Wooster College) and then Columbia University for graduate school. While in school he met and married his wife, Lota Lois Young, who was born to Chinese parents, orphaned in Portland, Oregon, and raised by an American family and the First Baptist Chinese Mission in Fresno. Z.T. and Lota eventually had four children: Elizabeth May (born in Nanking, China), Lota Lois (born in New York), Anna May (born in Nanking, China), and Robert (born in New York).
Z.T. Ing's junior year portrait and signature from the University of Wooster (as it was then known) in 1912. He graduated in the class of 1913 (From "The Index," provided by the College of Wooster).
After completing his studies, Z.T. Ing worked in both the U.S. and China. While in China, his career included positions in the railroad and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but most notably an artificial ice business in Nanking. The ice business, a monopoly fed by the demand from diplomats, businessmen, and missionaries, eventually included a successful ice cream factory.
After completing his studies, Z.T. Ing worked in both the U.S. and China. While in China, his career included positions in the railroad and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs but most notably an artificial ice business in Nanking. The ice business, a monopoly fed by the demand from diplomats, businessmen, and missionaries, eventually included a successful ice cream factory.
In 1935, Ing was assigned counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. where he moved with his family. Three years later, he took an assignment in Nicaragua, serving as the Chinese Minister to Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.
In 1935, Ing was assigned counselor of the Chinese Embassy in Washington, D.C. where he moved with his family. Three years later, he took an assignment in Nicaragua, serving as the Chinese Minister to Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, and El Salvador.
Then, in 1949, Z.T. Ing became a displaced person when revolutionary leader Mao Zedong created a new communist China named the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Under the Displaced Person’s Act (1948) Mr. Ing received permanent residence in the U.S. This radical transformation of China, and the United States's suspension of diplomatic ties with that country, started the greater Americanization of the extended Ing family.
Then, in 1949, Z.T. Ing became a displaced person when revolutionary leader Mao Zedong created a new communist China named the People’s Republic of China (PRC). Under the Displaced Person’s Act (1948) Mr. Ing received permanent residence in the U.S. This radical transformation of China, and the United States's suspension of diplomatic ties with that country, started the greater Americanization of the extended Ing family.
Displaced and recently widowed, Z.T. Ing and his adult son Robert, who were both grieving the death of Lota, flew from Managua, Nicaragua, to the U.S. on a freight airplane loaded with bananas. They had little trouble re-entering to the U.S. because Z.T. had a diplomatic passport and Robert his U.S. passport. Robert reflected on this time:
Displaced and recently widowed, Z.T. Ing and his adult son Robert, who were both grieving the death of Lota, flew from Managua, Nicaragua, to the U.S. on a freight airplane loaded with bananas. They had little trouble re-entering to the U.S. because Z.T. had a diplomatic passport and Robert his U.S. passport. Robert reflected on this time:
“The advent of the Chinese Communists in China in 1949 had put all of us on a high-tension circuit – debating whether to return to the mainland or not. Would it be good for our family? Some of the relatives went back but all the Ings voted to stay in the USA.”
“The advent of the Chinese Communists in China in 1949 had put all of us on a high-tension circuit – debating whether to return to the mainland or not. Would it be good for our family? Some of the relatives went back but all the Ings voted to stay in the USA.”
Z.T. 's daughter, Anna May, had married Tennyson Chang, a professor at the Georgetown School of Foreign Services. The couple and their three daughters welcomed their relatives to their home on Johnson Avenue in Bethesda where they began rebuilding their lives. Robert remembers when they arrived that his sister's family of five made room for him and his father by “doubling up.”
Z.T. 's daughter, Anna May, had married Tennyson Chang, a professor at the Georgetown School of Foreign Services. The couple and their three daughters welcomed their relatives to their home on Johnson Avenue in Bethesda where they began rebuilding their lives. Robert remembers when they arrived that his sister's family of five made room for him and his father by “doubling up.”
Pictured: Anna May and Tennyson Chang, married at the Chinese Embassy in 1938, welcomed their displaced family members to their Bethesda home in 1949.
Anna May Hei-en Ing Chang's petition for naturalization, dated 1955. She was born in Nanking.
In the following years, the former Chinese diplomat Mr. Ing worked as a Spanish and Chinese language translator at the Library of Congress, started a chicken farm in Florida and a piano tuning business in New York (he had perfect pitch), and put his sisters, two uncles, and four children through college. Robert studied at Duke University and George Washington University and by 1955 started a career at the National Cancer Institute. He spent his retirement years at Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg. The descendants of Z.T. and Lota Ing live scattered across the United States and the world.
In the following years, the former Chinese diplomat Mr. Ing worked as a Spanish and Chinese language translator at the Library of Congress, started a chicken farm in Florida and a piano tuning business in New York (he had perfect pitch), and put his sisters, two uncles, and four children through college. Robert studied at Duke University and George Washington University and by 1955 started a career at the National Cancer Institute. He spent his retirement years at Asbury Methodist Village in Gaithersburg. The descendants of Z.T. and Lota Ing live scattered across the United States and the world.
Two of Z.T. Ing’s grandchildren, Meris Chang and Lily Ing, still live in Montgomery County. Their stories are given below.
Two of Z.T. Ing’s grandchildren, Meris Chang and Lily Ing, still live in Montgomery County. Their stories are given below.
Meris Chang, the daughter of Tennyson and Anna May Chang and granddaughter of Z.T. Ing, recalls that her parents were one of the first Chinese to buy property in Montgomery County. They bought the Bethesda house on Johnson Ave. in 1948. From elementary school through the second year of high school, Meris was the only non-white student in her schools. She reflected on her parent’s advice about this:
Meris Chang, the daughter of Tennyson and Anna May Chang and granddaughter of Z.T. Ing, recalls that her parents were one of the first Chinese to buy property in Montgomery County. They bought the Bethesda house on Johnson Ave. in 1948. From elementary school through the second year of high school, Meris was the only non-white student in her schools. She reflected on her parent’s advice about this:
“When we moved to Bethesda, [my parents] said to me that Maryland was a segregated state. I didn’t know what it meant at the time but to me was amazing. And they said to me, you know, if people say things to hurt your feelings or if they make fun of you because you are Chinese or you do different things than they do, feel a little pity for them because they are ignorant people. They have not had a very broad experience in the world and if you can, you have an opportunity to educate them. And you should take that opportunity.”
“When we moved to Bethesda, [my parents] said to me that Maryland was a segregated state. I didn’t know what it meant at the time but to me was amazing. And they said to me, you know, if people say things to hurt your feelings or if they make fun of you because you are Chinese or you do different things than they do, feel a little pity for them because they are ignorant people. They have not had a very broad experience in the world and if you can, you have an opportunity to educate them. And you should take that opportunity.”
Images from Meris's 1957 yearbook, her senior year. She is pictured with her all-white classmates (lower left) and as a member of her class's Student Government Association (back row, third from left).
Meris Chang graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in 1957, three years after the Supreme Court ruled that segregated education in the United States was illegal. Montgomery County Public Schools did not complete desegregation until 1961, seven years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision (1954).
Meris Chang graduated from Bethesda-Chevy Chase High School in 1957, three years after the Supreme Court ruled that segregated education in the United States was illegal. Montgomery County Public Schools did not complete desegregation until 1961, seven years after the Brown v. Board of Education decision (1954).
Meris continued her education at the University of Wisconsin and has worked throughout her life to improve civil rights.
Meris continued her education at the University of Wisconsin and has worked throughout her life to improve civil rights.
Lily Ing, the daughter of Robert Ing and granddaughter of Z.T. Ing, was born in the US because the political and revolutionary war events of China displaced her grandparents. Her father did spend his childhood (1927-1936) in China, a time he recalls with great fondness:
Lily Ing, the daughter of Robert Ing and granddaughter of Z.T. Ing, was born in the US because the political and revolutionary war events of China displaced her grandparents. Her father did spend his childhood (1927-1936) in China, a time he recalls with great fondness:
“We had a large yard—enclosed—to play in, a tennis court, lots of fruit trees and a hot house… For pets, we had cats and dogs, an aviary, and rabbit hutches. Oh, yes, we also had our own grove of bamboos. All the fresh bamboo shoots we wanted to eat… For us teenagers, there were lots of things for us to do – climb Purple Mountain, boating at Lotus Lake, horseback riding, parties at home and at the International Club… I dream of these happy carefree days in Nanking.”
“We had a large yard—enclosed—to play in, a tennis court, lots of fruit trees and a hot house… For pets, we had cats and dogs, an aviary, and rabbit hutches. Oh, yes, we also had our own grove of bamboos. All the fresh bamboo shoots we wanted to eat… For us teenagers, there were lots of things for us to do – climb Purple Mountain, boating at Lotus Lake, horseback riding, parties at home and at the International Club… I dream of these happy carefree days in Nanking.”
[from Robert Ing’s family history: Ing family archives]
Lily also fondly remembers her childhood in the new suburbs of Montgomery County in the 1950s and 1960s. Perhaps to an outsider, she would have stood out as the Asian kid on her street, but among her friends she was just one of them, playing outside until the street lights came on. Some of these early friendships have endured for more than sixty years.
Lily also fondly remembers her childhood in the new suburbs of Montgomery County in the 1950s and 1960s. Perhaps to an outsider, she would have stood out as the Asian kid on her street, but among her friends she was just one of them, playing outside until the street lights came on. Some of these early friendships have endured for more than sixty years.
Pictured:
1 - Michael Ing, Gloria Tonneman, and Lily Ing celebrating Gloria's birthday
2 - Gloria and Lily playing in a backyard pool
3 - Lifelong friends Gloria Tonneman and Lily Ing with their daughters in 1988.
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