Chinese cooks on large ranches were common the late 1800s and early 1900s. This is one of many stories about Chin Sin Yu, known to many as Chinaman Joe Folsom. Joe worked as the cook on the Folsom Ranch, in Willow Creek Valley, north of Susanville and now a State Wildlife Refuge during 1890s and early 1900s.  Joe  possessed many skills. As Mary Dale Folsom recounted, “It amazes me how Joe found time to do all the things he did. Not only was he the cook, but he had a garden and raised chickens and ducks. He made feather pillows from the duck and goose down. When they were shorthanded he would also get on a horse and help cowboy.” However, he was also known for his skills as a telegraph/telephone operator, that Folsom has installed at the ranch.

Mary Dale wrote: “A wealthy man from the Bay Area, I believe his name was Butters, had some cattle on the Folsom Ranch at Willow Creek. that my grandfather [M.O. Folsom] was feeding for the winter. Mr. B was an avid duck hunter and belonged to an exclusive duck club in the Bay Area. Joe was an excellent duck shot and had a well trained dog. Mr. Butters came up to the ranch at my grandfather’s invitation to hunt ducks. when he arrived, everyone was busy, so Grampy sent Joe to hunt with Mr. Butters. Afterwards Mr. Butters told Grampy he had been rather insulted to have the Chinese cook sent with him. Mr. B. had an expensive shotgun and a professionally trained purebred retriever. Joe had an ordinary shotgun and his dog was not purebred. After they had been shooting for sometime, the ducks were thick and Joe let Mr. B. do all the shooting. Mr. B. had been able only to bag a few and his dog had not worked well. Joe’s dog did most of retrieving. Joe was getting nervous as it was becoming late and he had to get back to ranch and get dinner. He started shooting and bagged a bunch of ducks to make the hunt successful. Mr. B. was completely amazed and impressed with Joe’s shooting and his dog. He asked Grampy if he could take Joe down to his duck club and show the other members what a super shot and good dog were like. Grampy was afraid the members  would make fun of Joe and hurt his feelings so he said they were too busy to let Joe go. Not long after Mr. B. sent Joe an imported English shotgun and a green English Shootingsuit. Joe was thrilled and proudly wore his suit whenever he went hunting. As I remember father [Lou Folsom] said it was quite elaborate and included knicker type breeches. He said it was too bad they didn’t have a picture of Joe in his English regalia.”

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