Natsue Yogi Kobayashi Co-founder & Director of Elmira’s Second Place East Shelter

  by Judith Edson Sheasley, a volunteer at CCHS

“Strengthening the fabric of family life” was the goal of Elmira’s First Methodist Church (which stood on Baldwin Street north of West Church Street on what is now Elm Chevrolet property and was demolished in 1972) when it established its Eastside Neighborhood Ministry in 1965. It was considered a pioneering step for a church mission effort. The program’s success was credited to Natsue Kobayashi, who, in January 1965, was appointed as a part-time case worker to work with families on Elmira’s Eastside. One of her notable accomplishments was establishing a food pantry from which many people were helped.

Natsue’s approach was always to build trust by establishing rapport with her clients. She accompanied them to interviews for employment and to family or criminal court hearings and helped them obtain financial and medical assistance and babysitters and tutors for their children. And then, she gave credit to her clients for helping themselves. This endeavor marked the beginning of a lifetime dedicated to serving Elmira’s underprivileged neighbors.

Natsue Yogi Kobayashi

Natsue Yogi Kobayashi was born in Okinawa, Japan in 1934. At the age of nine she and her family, consisting of her grandmother, mother, and five children between the ages of one and nine, were evacuated to Taiwan before the expected invasion of Okinawa by U.S. forces during World War II. Her father had been drafted into the Japanese Navy two months earlier. Her family was on one of the refugee ships, escorted by other Japanese ships, moving slowly to Taiwan. She remembers vividly the pitch-dark night when everyone was ordered to gather on the deck with life jackets. “We witnessed one of the escorting ships hit a mine, explode and burst into flames before sinking. We had thought the next will be our ship. Scared, we tried to embrace, crying and praying for our safety,” she said. It was during that moment that she realized the existence of God to whom she could pray. While in Taiwan, her family survived numerous air raids, sometimes by standing in knee-high water in underground air raid shelters. One day she and her brother miraculously escaped an air attack from a plane flying so low they could see the pilot’s face as they were running toward the shelter. In a hastily set up tent hospital she also witnessed people whose arms and legs were severed. In one large warehouse in the refugee camp, she watched her grandmother, who gave up her food rations to feed her family, die from illness and malnutrition. These and other wartime experiences of suffering and hunger made an unforgettable imprint on her young mind and later became unforeseen forces in her career choice.

In 1955 Natsue came to the United States on college scholarships. She earned her Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy and Religion from Wayland University in Plainview, Texas and, later, her Master of Science in Education from Elmira College.  She was one year into her Rehabilitation Counseling Master’s degree from the University of Florida, Gainesville, but was unable to complete that degree because her husband, Dr. Teruo Kobayashi, became Assistant Professor of Political Science at Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland. She and Teruo spent three years in Chestertown and, in 1963, moved to Elmira upon his appointment as Assistant Professor of Political Science at Elmira College.

Natsue and Teruo met after she was featured in a newsletter about students from Okinawa. She was studying in Texas at the time and Teruo was working on his Ph.D. at the University of Florida. He saw the article and sent her a note congratulating her and welcoming her to the United States. That began a correspondence and eventual meeting. Shortly before Natsue planned to return to Okinawa after completing her B.A. degree in 1959, Teruo called her and proposed. He said, “Don’t go home.” “That was the turning point. I decided and went down to Florida. We got married in October that year,” she recalled.

Once settled in Elmira, Natsue set out to help others avoid the suffering she could not forget. “I realize my life was spared so that – how should I say – so that I would take this direction and help others,” she said in an interview with the Elmira Star-Gazette.

Her success with the First Methodist Church Eastside Neighborhood Ministry led to her work as a Family Outreach Coordinator, a newly created position at the Neighborhood House.

Neighborhood House

One of her accomplishments in that position was organizing a neighborhood women’s group called the Wednesday Morning Group and assisting them in establishing the “N.H. Luncheonette.” This on-site program provided work experience for women who had no marketable skills as well as part-time work for those whose family responsibilities prevented them from holding full-time jobs.

In the aftermath of the Flood of 1972 and Elmira’s Urban Renewal Program, Natsue found herself distanced from the people she was serving as many families around the Neighborhood House (with the exception of Jones Court) moved farther east in Elmira.  As she surveyed the entire city, she saw a need for a site dedicated to serving the people of the Eastside. The following year, with funding made available from Geneva Human Development of Presbytery, Natsue and Mrs. Marilyn Wellington of Lake Street Presbyterian Church co-founded an outreach service center of the Elmira Neighborhood House and Natsue became the director.

Located at 759 East Second Street and aptly named “Second Place East,” the center provided emergency help, including food, clothing, and counseling for the poor in Elmira. With the avid interest and active involvement of community volunteers, known as “The Friends of Second Place East,” it was in a true sense a grassroots organization.  These volunteers provided furniture and household goods to those leaving the shelter for homes of their own. By 1975, Second Place East services had expanded and the facility had become too congested and difficult to maintain. Thus, it was relocated to 500 Sullivan Street where it continued to offer the same services.

During this time, and especially after the 1972 flood, Chemung County began to experience a bleak economic climate due mainly to the closure of major industries such as Remington Rand in Elmira and the A&P Food Processing Plant in Horseheads. In addition, the Elmira City Rescue Mission and the YMCA, which were housing single males who had no other place to live, closed their doors. Those closings created a large service gap for single males in Elmira and Chemung County which lead to an increase in homelessness. Responding to this urgent community need, in 1987 Second Place East added a shelter to its services with the budgetary support of the Chemung County Human Services Department. Initially, women and children were housed at the shelter and single men were placed in a two-room apartment rented from John Travers Real Estate. For its excellence, Second Place East was recognized that year with one of the Eleanor Roosevelt Community Service Awards by New York State Governor Mario Cuomo.

That same year the Neighborhood House closed due to financial reasons and Second Place East came under the umbrella of the Economic Opportunity Program (EOP) of Chemung and Schuyler Counties. In the ensuing years, the number of homeless grew and the need for a larger facility became obvious.  In 1991, the shelter was relocated to Unit 5 of Jones Court. Thirteen apartments were fully-furnished by The Friends. In 2002, when Jones Court was deemed structurally unfit, Chemung County ordered EOP to hand the shelter program over to Catholic Charities. The facility was moved to 605 College Avenue where it operated as Second Place East and The Friends continued their support.

The following year, The Friends incorporated as a separate entity, which they named “Second Place East, Inc.,” thus maintaining the long-standing connection between The Friends and the shelter. Natsue, now retired, was a founding member and an officer on their Board of Directors.

In 2010, Second Place East, Inc. separated from Catholic Charities and opened The Help for the Home Shop in Our House of Prayer Eternal Church (formerly Christ United Methodist Church) on the corner of West Church and Columbia Streets. In addition, they expanded their outreach to serve clients by referral from churches and other human services agencies in Chemung County. In addition to her Board position, Natsue volunteered faithfully in The Shop.

By providing household goods and personal care items for homeless families who are moving into homes of their own, the organization continues to fulfill its mission of assisting their homeless neighbors. Through these efforts over the past twenty-one years and with the continuing support of churches, hundreds of families have been prevented from returning to homelessness.

In the course of her long and distinguished career Natsue Kobayashi was the recipient of the Chemung County Family Debts Counseling Volunteer of the Year Award (1985), was named a Woman of Distinction by the New York State Senate (1998), and was honored with the Elmira YWCA Lifetime Achievement Award (2011). She also received the Ernie Davis Jr. High School Student Council Community Services Award and was named Woman of the Year by Chemung County Church Women United (1970s).

Natsue’s personal life in the Elmira area included membership in The Society of Friends (The Quakers), flower gardening, cooking, playing tennis and the piano, listening to music and reading books.

From her first appointment in 1965 until her return to Okinawa as a widow in 2021, Natsue worked tirelessly to fulfill her mission.  One small step, a knock on the first door in the first poor neighborhood she visited, marked the beginning of her long and remarkable impact on the Community of Elmira.  Always soft-spoken, humble and kind, but with steadfast determination and never losing sight of her mission, Natsue provided welcome help to those who needed it.

In an interview in 1966 Natsue stated that if she were to apply a verse of Scripture to her work, it could be the words from Acts 3:6: “Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give thee.”

The author extends heartfelt appreciation to Natsue Kobayshi, Cheryl Butler, and Kathryn Tolbert for their contributions and invaluable editing skills.

War Brides

By Rachel Dworkin, Archivist

 

During and shortly after World War II, American servicemen married approximately 60,000 European women, plus another 4,000 from Australia and New Zeeland. At the time, the Immigration Act of 1924 imposed a strict limit of 165,000 immigrants per year with quotas based on country of origin. Asian immigration was entire prohibited. In December 1945, Congress passed the War Brides Act which allowed the foreign wives of American servicemen and their children to enter the United States as non-quota immigrants. The act originally applied to only European and Chinese wives, but was later amended to include Filipino, Japanese, and Korean women as well.

After the bill’s passage, the State Department established special offices in London and Paris to expedite the immigration process for the approximately 50,000 British and French war brides, and their 30,000 children. At first, the brides were responsible for arranging their own transportation to the United States. From January through November 1946, however, the U.S. government transported war brides on former troop transport ships. The ships were retrofitted with cribs and playrooms for the children. Red Cross volunteers provided bride classes and helped arrange transportation to get the brides to their intended destinations. The ships left weekly from Southhampton, England; Naples, Italy; and La Havre, France for ports along the east coast. Several railroad companies offered free war bride trains to get the brides to points further inland.

Over twenty Chemung County men married war brides. The women came from Australia, Britain, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Japan, and Poland. The first of them to arrive in the United States came from England in late January 1946 along with her four-month-old daughter. The others began to trickle in over the following months and years.

On June 10, 1946, Mrs. Robert Barr, who herself had been a war bride following World War I, hosted a group of nine war British brides for lunch at the Mark Twain Hotel. The original group included one Australian, four English, one Irish, and three Scottish brides. Together, they established the British War Brides Club of Elmira & Vicinity. As more and more war brides arrived, their numbers swelled to 15. For the next several years, the group met regularly for luncheons, summer-time picnics, and an annual Christmas party. In 1948, they reorganized as the International War Brides Club and began accepting members from everywhere. They continued to host the regular events and participated in community events like the International Festival at the Jewish Community Center on March 3, 1952.

So, who were some of these women who chose to leave their homelands for love?

 

Elizabeth Punzo & Eugene Sabatini, 1964

 

Elizabeth Mitchell Punzo was born in Ivergordon, Scotland. During World War II, she was living and working in London where she met Sgt. James A. Punzo of Elmira. They were wed on October 23, 1943 at Westminster Cathedral. After the war, she and their daughter Margaret moved to Elmira in 1946. She was one of the founding members of the British War Brides/International War Brides Club. She and her husband were officers in the Italian American Veterans Club and Women’s Auxiliary. Despite the distance, she stayed close with her 15 siblings and even hosted her niece, Jacqueline Gough, when she came to attend American high school in the 1950s. She died on October 23, 1970 on her 27^th wedding anniversary.

 

Etta and Arnold Jerome, ca. 1940s

 Etta (Maria Antoinetta) Starace Jerome (1906-1999) was born in Naples, Italy. She studied Foreign Languages at the University of Naples and later nursing with a specialization in pediatrics. In Italy prior to World War II, she worked as a nurse with both the Red Cross and Italian Army. She met Arnold Jerome of Elmira while he was serving as an Army MP stationed in Naples. They married in 1946. Here in Elmira, she helped to organize the International Club of Elmira, as well as several aid organizations for people in Italy and France. A skilled painter and photographer, she participated in various local art shows and clubs including Camera Club and Art Club where she won several awards for her work over the years. She volunteered in pediatric department of St. Joseph’s Hospital and taught Italian at the Elmira Free Academy adult night school for 20+ years. She was heavily involved in Our Lady of Lourdes Church and Mt. Savior Monastery, where she was eventually buried.

  

Hiroko & Samuel Tolbert, 1952

Hiroko Furukawa Tolbert O’Connor (1930-2021) was born in Japanese-occupied Korea while her father was stationed there with the Japanese Imperial Army. Her family returned to Japan where she graduated from Mizukaido High School and served as captain of the girls’ basketball team. During the American occupation of Japan following World War II, she took a job working for the PX. That was where she met Sgt. Samuel Tolbert of Golden Glow Heights. The two were married in 1952 and went on to have four children together. She helped him run the family poultry farm and owned Tolbert’s Market. She organized reunions for Japanese women living in the area and participated in the YWCA International Club where she gave lessons on Japanese food and culture. After her divorce from her first husband, she remarried in 2009. She is one of the women featured in the Smithsonian Traveling Exhibit Japanese War Brides: Across a Wide Divide, on display at the Chemung County Historical Society December 2025 through February 2026.

 

Unexpected History: Henry Keene's Flag

by Susan Zehnder, Education Director

This fall, I’ve been teaching students about the American flag. Almost 400 Elmira City School District first grade students have colored the United States flag and created a flag that represent themselves, and they are now hanging in our entry way. I encourage you to drop by to see them before we change exhibits in early January.

During my research into our museum's flag collection, I came across a flag that dates to the mid-19th century.

At first glance, it’s not very remarkable. The blue field of 34 stars is haphazardly printed, while the red and white stripes have been sewn together by hand. Any repairs, of which there are a few, are hand-stitched. What caught my attention was the story that goes along with it—the story of a man who experienced major parts of American history, from the Civil War to westward expansion and the building of railroads, before settling in Elmira, where he would be a prominent citizen for over forty years. 

 

The flag belonged to Henry L. Keene, born in 1847 in Erie, Pennsylvania, the son of Galen D. Keene and Anna B. Tierney. When he was young, his family moved to Buffalo, NY, where Henry attended public school. He was thirteen years old when the Civil War broke out, and at fifteen, he joined the 16^th New York Volunteer Calvary. Throughout the war, his unit fought alongside the Army of the Potomac and saw action in more than twenty notable battles, including Gettysburg. They also helped to pursue and kill John Wilkes Booth, President Abraham Lincoln’s assassin. Members of the same regiment later stood guard at the prison where others connected to the president’s assassination were held. It was spring 1865.

 

In August of that year, Henry, now 18, was discharged from the Army. He returned to Buffalo and took a job with the American Express Company, then in the business of moving freight. In 1873, he married Catherine E. Dorst. When the westward push into the continent began, American Express, along with the Wells Fargo Express Company, put considerable effort into enlarging the country’s railroad system. Henry was sent to Kansas, where he worked on expansion and construction of a rail line between Kansas City and Denver. Some of Henry’s duties involved handling land skirmishes and “Indian fighting.”

 

During this period, he spent time at Cheyenne, Wyoming, and at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio. It was at Fort Hayes that Henry became acquainted with General George Armstrong Custer and other U.S. military leaders. In 1876, the year Custer died at the Battle of the Little Bighorn (also known as the Battle of the Greasy Grass), Henry returned to Buffalo. In 1877, his and Catherine’s son Frederick was born, the first of their six children.

 

In 1887, Henry was appointed city agent for the Elmira, Cortland and Northern Railroad (later renamed the Lehigh Valley Railroad) and moved his family to Elmira. They lived at 550 West Washington Avenue.  

When he retired from the railroad, Henry took a job as chief clerk of records at the Reformatory, working under Zebulon R. Brockway, the institution’s influential superintendent. In this capacity, he worked with clerks at the Nappanock and Auburn prisons. His reputation for trustworthiness became widespread and well known. 

 

Henry was appointed Supreme Court crier for Chemung County, in charge of court business and order. He proudly served in the position until the political administration changed. 

 

He also maintained ties to the military and other veterans. He worked actively with the Grand Army of the Republic and served as the commander for the Baldwin Post, No. 6.  He was appointed trustee of the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Home in Bath, NY, and served as president of the home for more than five years. In 1924, he was elected commander of the Department of New York’s annual encampment at Schenectady, an honor he called one of his greatest achievements.

Henry and Catherine had been married for fifty-one years when she died in 1924. Four years later, Henry, now 81, died from surgical complications. His daughter, Edna Keene Goodwin, held his funeral at her home at 262 Lyon Street in Elmira. It was common practice at the time to put the dead on display in the parlor for friends and family to pay their respects. The Rev. Albert Cornwell of The Park Church officiated, and Henry L. Keene was buried next to his wife in Woodlawn Cemetery. The newspaper noted the loss of one of Elmira’s prominent citizens.

 

The flag in question was donated to the Chemung County Historical Society in 1989 by a relative, H. Frederick Goodwin. While it is somewhat tattered, the story connected to its owner is remarkable.