Joe Mansion
Joe Mansion (born June 15, 1896 in Canton (Guangzhou), China; died February 27, 1954), also known as Diaho Mansion, was a first-generation owner of Joy Young Restaurant in downtown Birmingham.
Joe's family members first emigrated to Alabama from Canton (Guangzhou), China through the port of Mobile in the 1880s. He came to the United States a youth and lived in Georgia before arriving in Birmingham in 1919. Joe and three other partners, including Loo Bing, Loo Choy and Choi Sai opened the King Joy Inn restaurant on 3rd Avenue North in downtown Birmingham that year. Joe subsequently opened the landmark Joy Young Restaurant on 20th Street North in 1922. Joe was a mamber of the Birmingham Restaurant Association and the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce.
Joe and his wife, Lee, resided at 333 Carr Avenue in Homwood. They had one son, Wing Soon, and five grandchildren: Henry, Suelin, George, John, and Jimmy.
Joe had an opportunity to make a three-month visit to his homeland in 1948. He died in 1954 and was buried at Elmwood Cemetery.
References
- Lake, Clancy (December 14, 1948) "Canton Native, Back From Trip, Urges U.S. End Aid To China." The Birmingham News, p. 31
- "Joe Mansion, owner of Joy Young's, dies after short illness." (February 28, 1954) The Birmingham News, p. 35
External links
- Mansion Joe at Findagrave.com