Grandfather Yeo Cheow Kaw was born in the late Qing Dynasty and died in the Republic of China. He experienced the political tides before and after the Xinhai Revolution and left records of his activities in history. In 1913, he was appointed as the Director General of the Fujian Provincial Industry Department in China. In 1924, he became a member on the Chinese Advisory Board for the colonial government in Rangoon. These political engagements proved the esteem he received in the community.