Temple in Bell County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Yee Pat Ling
Photographed By James Hulse, September 28, 2022
1. Yee Pat Ling Marker
Inscription.
Yee Pat Ling (Aug. 1, 1865 - Jan. 21, 1916), a Chinese immigrant, lived as a respected businessman in Temple due to his restaurant's popularity and entrepreneurial prowess. On the 1910 U.S. Census, Ling stated that he arrived in the United States in 1898 after applying for citizenship, Ling was operating his famous restaurant by 1899. In 1903 he wed Pearl Hester Elliott, and the couple later had six daughters. Although immigration policy barred Chinese passage to the U.S. at this time, Ling's Americanization influenced his status as a community member. Asian communities' histories in Texas are often undertold but individuals like Yee Pat Ling exemplify the contributions that immigrants made in Texas despite discrimination.
Yee Pat Ling (Aug. 1, 1865 - Jan. 21, 1916), a Chinese immigrant, lived as a respected businessman in Temple due to his restaurant's popularity and entrepreneurial prowess. On the 1910 U.S. Census, Ling stated that he arrived in the United States in 1898 after applying for citizenship, Ling was operating his famous restaurant by 1899. In 1903 he wed Pearl Hester Elliott, and the couple later had six daughters. Although immigration policy barred Chinese passage to the U.S. at this time, Ling's Americanization influenced his status as a community member. Asian communities' histories in Texas are often undertold but individuals like Yee Pat Ling exemplify the contributions that immigrants made in Texas despite discrimination.
Erected 2014 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 17875.)
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Asian Americans • Immigration • Industry & Commerce. A significant historical date for this entry is January 21, 1865.
Location. 31° 6.658′ N, 97° 19.81′ W. Marker is in Temple, Texas, in Bell County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of North Front Street and East Shell Avenue. The marker is located in the southeast section of the Hillcrest Cemetery. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1873 North Front Street, Temple TX 76501, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Also see . . . Chinese. Texas State Historical Association
The Chinese were the first of the Asian immigrants to come to Texas, and until the influx of the Vietnamese in the 1970s they were also the most numerous. According to the 1980 census, the Chinese in Texas numbered 25,461, or less than two-tenths of one percent of the state's total population.
(Submitted on October 3, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.)
Photographed By James Hulse, September 28, 2022
2. Yee Pat Ling Marker and Gravestone
Photographed By James Hulse, September 28, 2022
3. The view of the Yee Pat Ling Marker in the cemetery
Credits. This page was last revised on October 3, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 2, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas. This page has been viewed 138 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos:1, 2, 3. submitted on October 3, 2022, by James Hulse of Medina, Texas.
