Asa Thurston | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

Bingham-Thurston

November 15, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Haleakala School

Asa G Thurston, son of missionary Asa Thurston, married Sarah Andrews, daughter of missionary Lorrin Andrews and Mary Wilson Andrews, in October 1853.

“Mr Thurston soon met with severe financial reverses. In his strenuous efforts to recover himself he contracted aneurism, of which he died in the early sixties, leaving his widow and three orphan children in poverty.” (Hawaiian Star, January 16, 1899)

Sarah Andrews Thurston, became a teacher for nine years in the Royal School in Nu‘uanu Valley to support her young family after her husband’s death.

In 1868 she was offered the job of matron of a new industrial school for boys in Makawao, Maui, known as the Haleakala School, nine miles from the summit of that mountain. Her brother, Robert Andrews, had been appointed principal, and Sarah moved her family – Lorrin, his older brother, Robert, and sister, Helen – to Maui. (Twigg-Smith)

“The location is a remarkably healthy one, in Makawao, on the slope of Haleakala, the great mountain of Maui, at an elevation of some 6,000 feet above the level of the sea, in the range of the trade winds, and consequently enjoys a temperature of perpetual spring, never either uncomfortably hot or cold.”

“It is also admirably secluded, ‘far from the busy haunts of men,’ and there are no temptations for the boys to roam. The property is a valuable one for grazing and tree-culture, comprising something over 1,000 acres leased from the government by the Board of Education.”

“Belonging to the establishment is a fine herd of cattle, which under the care of Mr. Harvey Rogers, supplies a large quantity of milk, part of which is used by the scholars, and much fine butter made of the rest.”

“The school numbers at present thirty-three boarders and five day scholars, and applications are now pending from others wishing to place their boys where they can be educated.”

“The studies embrace a good common school course, with religious exercises, singing, and military drill. The discipline of the school is strictly military.”

“Flogging is abolished, and the effort is being made to bring the boys to be useful men, as well in the practical work of life as in scholarship.”

“The boys are organized as a company of Infantry, and have their officers appointed from their racks on of good behavior, study and discipline.”

“The buildings are convenient, but need enlarging if many more scholars are to be admitted. There ought to be room for seventy or eighty.”

“The scholars are expected and required to assist in the work of the dairy, in agriculture, tree-planting, and in fact, in everything that is required to be done on the place.”

“They are about being uniformed, i.e., the dress suit for Sundays and holidays made of blue flannel, and as a particular pattern must be followed, arrangements have been made so that the suits can all be made at the school. Economy and uniformity is particularly required.”

“A large vegetable garden is being enclosed, and the boys are given plots of ground to cultivate. The articles thus of raised are fairly valued, and each boy is credited on his school account with what he has thus furnished.”

“The food is abundant and good in quality; kalo, as pai-ai, poi, beef, fresh and salt potatoes, rice, milk in abundance, syrup, and hard-bread are the staples.”

“The school is flourishing, and is a credit to the Principal, Mr. F. L. Clarke, to the Matron, Mrs. Thurston, and to all concerned. (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, June 3, 1873)

“The annual examination of this school for boys, was held on Thursday, June 8, and was largely attended by an interested audience of natives and foreigners, who, by their frequent expressions of applause, shewed that they were much pleased with the exercises.”

“The school-room was crowded at an early hour, and from the beginning to the end of the examination there was exhibited on the part of the teachers an earnest endeavor to draw out the capabilities of to the scholars; and this was satisfactorily responded to by the latter in their answers to the various questions propounded.”

“We were struck with the range of topics. ‘Arithmetic’ embraced questions of practical importance not found in the books, but of first value to the resident of these Islands; ‘Geography,’ (in which super-excellence was shown) embraced a wider range than is usually seen in its study …”

“… and the questions in Orthography evinced careful study, and a sensible idea of what is demanded of the young Hawaiian. Ease of delivery, correctness of gesture, and distinctness in elocution, made the duty of listening to the selections a pleasure.”

“One thing struck us as peculiarly happy – the majority of the pieces spoken gave prominence to our duties and obligations to God; and as all the pieces spoken were the selections of the scholars themselves, we are lead to the inference that ‘out of the
abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.’” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, June 17, 1876)

As noted, son of the school Matron, Lorrin Thurston, was a student at the school, as were other notables, including his classmates Robert Wilcox and Eben Low.

The school facilities were later used by Maunaolu Seminary (following a fire at their facilities in 1898).

Haleakala School-Reg0603-1872-sites noted

Haleakala School-Reg0603-1872-school site noted

March 10, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Asa Thurston Turns to a Christian Life

“John Thurston came to Fitchburg from Rowley, Mass., about 1765, with his wife, Lydia, and seven children. He settled on the farm … in the easterly part of the city, and entered with enthusiasm into the pursuit of agriculture, raised the finest apples in this region, and owned a cider mill.”

“He had been a soldier in the French and Indian war, and was enrolled as a minute man in 1775. He was also one of the first deacons of the first church in Fitchburg.”

“His fifth son was Thomas (generally called Captain Tom Thurston), who grew up on the farm until he was of an age to leave the paternal roof, when his father apprenticed him to a Mr. Brown of Concord, Mass., to learn the shoemaker’s trade.”

“The homestead of Captain Thomas Thurston was … in the northwest part of Fitchburg, at the end of the Thurston road, leading from the Ashby West road”.

“Here Asa Thurston was born on the twelfth day of October, 1787, the fourth child and second son of Thomas Thurston, and here he grew up in a large family of good New England stock, in a typical New England home. His brothers and sisters were Thomas, Hannah, Elizabeth, Ebenezer, Polly, Cyrus, Sylvania, Mahala and Maria.”

“When he reached the age of fourteen years there was a change in his life. He was apprenticed for seven years to John and Joseph Farwell, scythe makers (a long curving blade to cut grass/grain), whose shop was on the south side of what is now West Main street, a short distance above the River street bridge, and he boarded with Joseph Farwell”.

“He enjoyed life and action. Always fond of active sports, he early became proficient in wrestling, and seldom was there found an antagonist who was his superior.”

“In those days wrestling was one of the principal diversions of the young men, and these trials of strength and agility were of common occurrence at the store, or after work at the shop, or at any place of general gathering.”

“As he grew older, Asa’s temperament led him into social life and made him a leader there. At dances and social gatherings he was brim full of life, and if there was any young man in Fitchburg who thoroughly enjoyed life it was probably Asa Thurston.”

“But disease and death are factors to be reckoned with in this world. In the autumn of 1805 typhoid fever was prevalent in Fitchburg, and to quite a number it proved fatal. Asa contracted the disease and for some time his life trembled in the balance.”

“It is related that his elder brother, Thomas, who was studying for the ministry, watched with him one night, and that he spent a greater part of the time in prayer. The next morning, when asked about his brother, he said: ‘Asa will get well and be a missionary, but I shall not live long.’”

“Mrs. Thurston nursed her son with a mother’s care and devotion, and he recovered, but she was taken down with the same disease and died January 19, 1806. This sad loss to him was quickly followed by the death of his brother Thomas, February 15, and thirteen days later by the death of his sister Elizabeth, both of the same disease.”

“These sad events had a powerful and lasting effect upon him. Now Asa Thurston began to feel the effect of character and environment. With a deeply affectionate disposition, fond of music, a natural lover of pleasure, and possessed of a keen sense of humor, he had also a tender conscience and a vein of strong and serious feeling.”

“For years his mind had been at times turned to the subject of religion; members of his family had urged him to profess a Christian life, and now, again, his thoughts turned in that direction, and most seriously. But it was hard for him to give up worldly pleasures and take only the will of God for his guide.” (Bailey)

Asa wrote some words of his life … “I lived almost entirely unconcerned about my precious soul till I was past sixteen years of age. I sometimes thought that religion was of importance and that I would attend to it at some future period, but I felt disposed to put off repentance to a more convenient season.”

“I thought that after I had become old I should have nothing else to do but to attend to religion, but could not bear the thought of attending to the concerns of eternity so young. I thought that I was as good as many others, and that I should fare as well.”

“When I was about sixteen years old it pleased God to send his Holy Spirit to convince and convict many in this place of their sins, by which I was alarmed.”

“I began to think religion was of some importance, that I would attend to it. Seeing some of my young friends and connexions embracing the Saviour and singing the wonders of redeeming love, I thought I should like to be one of the happy number.”

“I felt somewhat anxious about being prepared for death and eternity, but I had very little if any conviction of sin by the law. I knew that I was a sinner, but I had no realizing sense of the opposition of my heart to God and holiness.”

“I knew that I must repent of my sins or perish forever, but notwithstanding all this knowledge, I soon lost all my serious impressions and anxious thoughts about myself and became as careless as ever. But I could not go on in sin with so calm a conscience as before.”

“Some of my friends and connexions that formerly had been my most intimate companions in sin became faithful witnesses against me, and in particular my sister. She would often reprove me for my folly.”

“And thus I went on in my own chosen way till at length God appeared in judgment against me and visited me with sickness, at which time few, if any, expected I should recover; but God, being rich in mercy, saw fit to for bear, and restored me to health.”

“I felt somewhat rejoiced, but had no heart to sing praises to God for his mercy. My spared life, which ought to have been devoted to God, was spent in the service of Satan. I expected I should have no more to trouble me, but I was soon arrested by a most solemn providence.”

“God was pleased to take from me a most affectionate and loving mother. This, indeed, was a most solemn scene to me. To think that but a few weeks before she was in sound health, and I, to all appearance, on the verge of eternity, and then to look back and behold the hand of God in restoring me to health, while she was called into the eternal world!”

“Twenty-two years of my precious life had been trifled away … I was brought, as I humbly hope and trust, to feel willing to say,
with my heart, to my God, ‘Glorify thyself with me, do with and for me that which shall be most for thine honor and glory.’”

“I thought I felt willing that God should take the throne that I had been long contending with him about, likewise I was willing to cast myself down at the foot of sovereign mercy.” (Thurston; Bailey)

“Asa Thurston now felt that he must become a minister of the gospel, and to that end he must obtain a suitable education. He entered Yale college in 1812. … He graduated in 1816, and immediately entered Andover Theological Seminary, from which he graduated in 1819, ready to enter upon his chosen career of a missionary.”

On October 23, 1819, Asa Thurston was in the Pioneer Company of American Protestant missionaries from the northeast US that set sail from Boston on the Thaddeus for the Hawaiian Islands. They landed at Kailua-Kona on April 4, 1820.

“After forty years of missionary work he was stricken with paralysis, and was obliged to go to California for health and rest. He was there in 1863, but soon returned to Honolulu, where he passed the remainder of his life.”

“The disease made progress, till at last it affected his brain. At times he would seem to behold crowds of people, and pointing, would exclaim, ‘Ke Aupini, Ke Aupini,’ (the kingdom, the kingdom).”

“For the last two days of his life he could not speak, and he passed quietly away on the eleventh day of March, 1868, at the age of eighty years, – a veteran in the service of the Lord.” (Bailey)

Asa_Thurston

Asa Thurston and Lucy Goodale Thurston

February 24, 2018 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

Last Letter to Lucy

Asa and Lucy Thurston had five children, Persis, Lucy, Asa, Mary, and Thomas. On August 3, 1840, Lucy Thurston set sail on a trip with her children to the continent to provide them with educational opportunities. Her daughter, Lucy, was aboard.

“August 8th. – This morning mother took a package from her desk, opened it, and presented each of us with a letter. We saw that they were written in the well-known hand of our dear father.”

“On perusing the contents of mine a tender chord was touched in my heart and my tears flowed afresh. This letter will be doubly valuable from the affecting circumstances under which it was written.”

“Ever will it be my joy and aim to regard the parting advice and instruction of an absent parent, and conform my actions to his wishes.” (Lucy G Thurston)

The following is the last letter to Lucy, from her father …

“Honolulu, July 14th, 1840, My Dear Daughter Lucy, The time has come that we must separate. Nay, we have separated for a season – perhaps for life – perhaps for ever. We may no more meet on earth.”

“We shall both be in the great assembly at the judgment day, either at the right or left hand of the judge. We may not both be among the blessed, who shall enter heaven with songs and everlasting joy. Would we enter heaven we must be prepared for that place while here on earth.”

“See to it that you are prepared. Be careful lest you be led away by the glare and fascinations of this world. Ten thousand temptations will assail you, and if you are not on your guard you may yield to some of them.”

“Beware of the three great enemies of your soul, the world, the flesh, and the devil. Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.”

“Read your Bible daily with prayer and meditation. Live near to God, walk with God, and let it be seen by all around you, that you are indeed a disciple of Jesus; that you bear his image, and that you are determined to follow him, whatever may be the consequences, whatever others may say of you.”

“Regard not the maxims, customs, or opinions of the world, if in their tendency, they lead you away from Christ, and from heaven. Let the love of Christ dwell in you richly, in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.”

“‘Know thyself’ is an injunction of great importance to the well being of the soul.”

“This you cannot know without frequent and careful self-examination. Examine yourself daily, and once a week let the work be done with more care and scrutiny than usual.”

“There are seasons when this duty is rendered peculiarly appropriate – the close of the day – the close of the week – the close of the year.”

“Previous to a season of communion, as it is enjoined by the apostle ‘Let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup.’ There are many other seasons when the duty of self-examination is peculiarly appropriate.”

“Never let these seasons pass away without finding you engaged in your appropriate duties. Be not ashamed of Christ and his cross – take up your cross daily and follow him, and let it appear to all, with whom you associate, that you are a disciple of the meek and lowly Jesus.”

“Forget not to labor and pray for the heathen, and prepare yourself by mental cultivation, as well as Christian discipline to labor among them; if the providence of God shall favor it.”

“Write a letter at least once a year to some of your scholars on Hawaii; and forget not to pray for the children and youth of the Sandwich Islands. Pray for the church and people of Kailua, and pray for your father, who is still laboring for their salvation.”

“God Almighty bless you, my daughter Lucy. – Farewell. – We may meet no more on earth. Shall we meet in heaven? ‘Your Father.’” (The Missionary’s Daughter)

“Mrs Thurston’s stay … in the United States was saddened by the death of her daughter Lucy, who died in Brooklyn, NY, February 24, 1841, at the age of seventeen years. She died at the home of Mr AP Cummings, editor of the New York Observer”.

“She was a lovely and interesting girl, and a great favorite with every one who knew her. Mrs. Thurston left two children to be educated in this country, when she started on her return October 24, 1842.”

“She was received with joy by her husband and the natives, and found a church of eighteen hundred members – three times as many as when she went away.” (Bailey)

(Mrs Cumings wrote a book, The Missionaries Daughter, that relates the life of young Lucy G Thurston – it includes entries from Lucy’s journal and extracts of letters she wrote. It is well worth reading.)

View of Kailua-Thurston

February 23, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Going to “the land of our fathers”

“The Flora, is a barque of about two hundred and ninety-three tons burden, nearly a hundred tons smaller than the ‘North America’, and in many other respects is her inferior. She is a merchant vessel, and arrived at Honolulu a short time since, with stores for the Exploring Expedition (Wilkes Expedition).”

“The Flora, is chartered by one of the mercantile houses at Honolulu, and is principally freighted with sugar and molasses, novel exports from the Hawaiian Islands to the United States, a distance of eighteen thousand miles. …”

“There are twenty passengers in all, who, with the exception of two or three that are to be left at the Society Islands, are to constitute a community by ourselves for many a month, while roving the ocean, in the long voyage to our native land. …” (Olmstead)

Among the passengers were Hiram and Sybil Bingham (and family); Mrs Lucy Thurston and children; and Caroline Armstrong, 9-year-old daughter of missionaries Richard and Clarissa Armstrong).

“Mr. and Mrs. (Asa) Thurston, who thought it their duty to convey their children to the United States, myself, and Mrs. B(ingham), with health much impaired had permission to visit our native land. Mrs. B. was too much worn out to go without her husband.”

“Mr. T(hurston) chose to stand at his post at Kailua, and send his family with mine, and trusted the arrangement for their children with Mrs. T., the Board, and private friends. Mr. Armstrong took my post at Honolulu.” (Hiram Bingham)

“Time passes rapidly on, and brings near the day of our departure from the land of our childhood. Our family, which has so long lived together, is soon to be separated.”

“Probably we shall not all meet again on earth; but it will be but a short time before we shall meet in a better, brighter world, if prepared. Our passage is engaged in the Flora, Captain Spring, bound to New York. The Captain is a pious man, and we are much pleased with him.”

“I hope you will write us whenever you can. We shall desire very much to hear from the Sandwich Islands. We shall always think of you with interest; and shall long remember the many pleasant visits we have made at your house, and the many kindnesses we have received at your hands. The Lord reward you for them all.”

“We shall often think of the many friends we leave behind, when far away. Pray for us. I hope you will often visit Kailua, and comfort our father in his lonely home at Laniakea.” (Lucy G Thurston to Mrs Forbes, July 29, 1840)

“Mrs. Thurston, with her family, arrived in New York on the 4th of February, 1841. She delayed going immediately on to the home of her kindred, in the eastern part of Massachusetts, in order to have the company and protection of a friend who was expecting to make the same journey.”

Upon arrival, young Lucy writes, “Brooklyn, Feb. 16th, 1841. “My Dear Father, We learn that a vessel is to sail for the Sandwich Islands in about a week, and I take my pen to inform you of our safe arrival in the land of our fathers.”

“We were six months and one day from the S. Islands to this place. Stopped a fortnight at the Society Islands, and three days at Pernambuco. We have been remarkably favored in our passage, and all enjoyed good health.”

“The captain has been as a father to us, and by his kind attentions we have felt your loss much less than we otherwise should have done.”

“Mr. B(ingham) has very kindly invited our whole family to remain at his house till we leave the place. We feel under great obligations to him for his kindness. ….”

“We have been thronged with visiters, who call to see us from morning till night. Mother has a trunk of curiosities, which she shows them, and thus excites a good deal of interest in the mission.”

“P(ersis) has several times dressed herself in native style, and marched about the room, much to the amusement of the company. We have received more kindness than we expected – far more than we deserved. …”

The Thurston children reached the continent, a new and different place – as written by young Lucy Thurston, ‘the land of our fathers’ – having left ‘the land of our childhood’.

Shortly after arriving, young Lucy Thurston ‘was taken sick.’ She noted in a letter she was drafting “… We visited the City Hall – a splendid building, where in the Governor’s room, we saw the full length portraits of all the Governors of the State of New York. They were elegant paintings; In the evening –”

Her sister Persis wrote to their father thereafter, explaining the abrupt ending of the letter “… Company calling, she was interrupted in the middle of a sentence, and never again resumed her pen.”

“Lucy was in most vigorous health; but she was seized with inflammation on the lungs just two weeks after their arrival, and on the morning of her coming to the family with whom she passed the last week of her life – the only week of physical pain and distress she ever experienced.”

“She told her mother, a day or two after the commencement of her illness, that she had no choice about its result. … ‘Mother, dear mother,’ many, many times repeated, still continued, and ‘Father, father,’ were the last that fell upon the ear.” Young Lucy Thurston died February 24, 1841.

“At the age of seventeen, she landed upon our shores, with the expectation of enjoying, for a season, the advantages of the society and institutions of Christian America; but within three weeks after the time of her arrival, she found a place in our sepulchres.” (Thurston) A book was written, her memoir, ‘The Missionary’s Daughter or Memoir of Lucy Goodale Thurston’.