Peter T Young

October 20, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Nathaniel Savory

“I, John Steel, collector of the District of Philadelphia, do hereby certify that Nathaniel Savory an American seaman aged twenty three years or thereabouts, of the height of five feet six inches, Dark Complexion, black Hair, gray Eyes, has a small scar on the upper lip, a natural reddish mark on his right wrist …”

“… Is a native of Essex County in the state of Massachusetts — has this day produced to me proof, in the manner directed in the Act entitled ‘An Act for the relief and protection of American Seamen’ …”

“… and pursuant to the said Act, I do hereby certify that the said Nathaniel Savory is a citizen of the United States of America. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal of office this fifteenth day of September 1817.”

He was born, in 1802, in the old Brook house at Byefield and “in his adventurous life, went from the cabin to the throne. He always had a desire for the sea, and embarked on his first voyage in a washtub, with a fire-shovel for his propelling apparatus, and nearly lost his life by going over a dam.”

“He was saved for greater things, however, and, after several years of successful voyaging, he made his first most notable appearance before Kamehameha III of the Sandwich Islands. He made a favorable impression on his majesty”. (Boston Transcript, August 30, 1887; Daily Bulletin, October 31, 1887)

Savory had served in some capacity on an English merchantman which in the year 1829 put in at Honolulu. He lost a finger in his right hand during the firing of a cannon salute. Having to undergo surgical treatment, his vessel left him behind at the port of Oahu.

Nathaniel Savory was serving in some capacity on an English merchantman which in the year 1829 put in at Honolulu. (Cholmondeley, Tokyo Metropolitan University) Savory had many acquaintances among the storekeepers in Honolulu, and many friends among the captains of whalers and small trading vessels to the South Seas.

From all accounts, the islands were fruitful; fish and turtle abounded; the climate was warm and genial; and the prospects of opening out some lucrative trade seemed altogether promising.

Word of the Bonin Islands had reached Hawaii, and there were already one or two of the chance residents in Oahu who were entertaining the idea of going to these newly-discovered islands and trying their fortune there as colonists. Savory, on his recovery, threw himself warmly into the project.

Plans took shape, the scheme being furthered in every way by Mr. Richard Charlton, at that time British Consul in Honolulu; and a schooner was fitted out which eventually set sail in the month of May, 1830, with Savory, Aldin Chapin, John Millinchamp, Charles Johnson, and Matteo Mazarro; they arrived on June 26, 1830. (Cholmondeley, Tokyo Metropolitan University)

Nathaniel Savory, an American citizen — but none the less under English auspices — was one of the founders of the first colony, of which he subsequently became chief, on the Bonin Islands. (Cholmondeley, Tokyo Metropolitan University)

“He described the little settlement as flourishing, stated that he had hogs and goats in abundance, and a few cattle; that he grew Indian corn and many vegetables, and had all kinds of tropical fruits; that, in fact, he could supply fresh provisions and vegetables to forty vessels annually.” (Alex Simpson, Acting British Consul for the Sandwich Islands)

After Savory established himself on the Bonin Islands, captains of whalers and trading vessels came along to see him; take news of him back to his family; become bearers of their letters to him; and it is with him that Savory’s store-keeper friends want to transact business.

Commander-in-Chief US Naval Forces, MC Perry, appointed Savory “to look after and take charge of certain live stock landed from the ship for the purpose of improving the breed of animals useful in husbandry, the pasturage of this and the neighbouring islands being abundant.”

“I also appoint you agent for the United States Squadron under my command at the Bonin Islands to look after the comfort and interests of anyone who may land at the Islands from the said Squadron and to take charge of all property belonging to said Squadron or to the United States — and you are invested with authority to act accordingly”

“One man John Smith belonging to the US Naval Service will be landed from this ship to assist you in the duties entrusted to your charge and he will have orders to refer to you for advice and instructions. I have caused your name to be placed upon the books of this ship for pay and provisions and you are consequently attached to the Navy of the United States and possessed of all the privileges and immunities to be derived therefrom.” (Perry to Savory, June 15, 1853; Cholmondeley)

“In 1854 I was elected Chief Magistrate of this Island for two years which period I served and was re-elected for three years more. I served my term and declined. Since that time we had no form of government until the present regulations published by the Commissioner the Representative of the Japanese Government.” (Savory; Cholmondeley)

“I have had the pleasure of Mr. Nathaniel Savory’s acquaintance for two months and a half during the time my vessel the Lady Lee, now condemned here, has been in this port and I can truly say that only through his kindness and influence with the other inhabitants have I been enabled to leave these Islands by having presented to me and others the vessel we trust will a take us to China.”

“He has always been ready to assist us with anything when at a loss; my wishes are that he may prosper and be happy, he is, I firmly believe, a strictly honest and upright man who will treat anyone in want of things the Islands can supply (with) strict honesty;” (William Shields, December 20, 1863)

With Walter M. Gibson, the late minister of Kalākaua, he attempted a confederation of all the Pacific islands, and failed. Returning to his kingdom, he found it had been devastated by Malay pirates, and his wife and three of his children taken prisoners. He searched the seas in vain for them, but they were not found, and he died in 1879. (Boston Transcript, August 30, 1887; Daily Bulletin, October 31, 1887)

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Map Showing Position of the Bonin Islands

Descendants of Nathaniel Savory-1927

Bonin Islands-view of the Coast

Native’s House

Japanese Men-of-War in Bonin Harbor

A Sugar Mill Shed

Bonin Islands-the Harbor

Ototijima (North Island) – Schoolhouse

Sugar Cane

The Bonin Islands

October 19, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Honoli‘i

Honoli‘i (John Honoli‘i, ‘Honoree’) arrived in Boston in the fall of 1815. He came over in a ship belonging to Messrs. Ropes & Co merchants of Boston. He was taken on board the ship by the consent of his friends, and replaced a sailor, who died before the ship arrived at Hawai‘i. He was curious and wanted to see the world.

“Another of his countrymen set out with him, but was lost on the passage. He was about to return to his own country, but was providentially found by Mr Henry Gray and other gentlemen, who interested themselves in his behalf and with the approbation of Messrs. Ropes & Co took him under their care; and as soon as an opportunity presented, they sent him to New Haven, to the care of the Hon. E. Goodrich.”

“A place was soon found for him at the Rev. Mr. Vaill’s of Guilford, where he began to learn the first rudiments of the English language. Messrs. Ropes & Co., in whose ship he came to this country, not only cheerfully released him for the purpose of being educated, but very generously gave one hundred dollars towards the expense of his education.”

“He was supposed to be about 19 years of age on his arrival, and has now been in the country about one year.”

“He was ignorant of our language. And of every species of learning or religion, when he began to study. In about six months he began to read in a broken manner in the Bible. In the mean time, he also learned to write, which cost him but little time or labour.”

“In about eleven months from the time he first-began the alphabet, he composed a letter to his honoured patroness, Mrs. Goodrich, of New Haven. In this letter he gives vent to his feelings of gratitude to his benefactors, and especially to God, for his goodness in bringing him to this country.”

“It was about the middle of May, 1816, that his mind began to be impressed with a sense of sin. … In the course of the summer, he hopefully found by faith, that Saviour of whom a few months before he had never heard. He gives very pleasing and satisfactory evidence of hatred to sin, and love to Christ.”

“No person can be more punctual in reading the scriptures and private devotion, than he has been, from the time he received his first impressions. And he appears to grow in knowledge, as his ability to read and understand the scriptures increases. He possesses a mild and affectionate temper, is uncommonly ingenious in all the imitative arts.”

“He is industrious, faithful, and persevering, not only in his studies, but in whatever business he undertakes. He is at present with his comrades, at South Farms, in Litchfield, under the instruction of the Rev A Pettengill, expecting to join the school for heathen youth, as soon as it shall be established.” (Five Youths, 1816)

Honoli‘i became a valuable Hawaiian language instructor because, having come at a later age, he still had good command of his native tongue. He also won praise for his considerable vigor and intellect and his discreet and stately deportment. (Kelley)

Having joined the Pioneer Company to return home; on March 30, 1820, Honoli‘i was the first to see the Islands, “March 30th, 1820. – Memorable day – a day which brings us in full view of that dark pagan land so long the object of our most interested thoughts. Between twelve and one this morning, the word was from Thomas who was up watching, ‘land appears’.”

“When the watch at four was called, Honoree came down saying, ‘Owhyhee sight!’”

“There was but little sleep. When the day afforded more light than the moon we were all out, and judge you, if possible, what sensation filled our breasts as we fixed our eyes upon the lofty mountains of Owhyhee! O! it would be in vain to paint them. I attempt it not.”

“A fair wind carried us by different parts of the island near enough to discern its verdure, here and there a cataract rushing down the bold precipice—some huts, natives and smoke. I would I could put my feelings, for a little season, into your bosoms. No boats coming off as usual, Capt. B (Blanchard) thought it advisable to send ashore to inquire into the state of things, and where he might find the king.”

“Our good Thomas (Hopu) and Honoree, with Mr. Hunnewell and a few hands, set off. Our hearts beat high, and each countenance spoke the deep interest felt as we crowded around our messengers at their return.”

“With almost breathless impatience to make the communication, they leap on board and say, Tamaahmaah is dead! The government is settled in the hands of his son Keehoreeho-Krimokoo is principal chief—the taboo system is no more–men and women eat together! – the idol gods are burned!!” (Sybil Bingham Journal)

Honoli‘i, shuttling between his home island of Hawaii and Maui, labored for the Church longest of all his companions. He proved an important assistant at Kailua, Honolulu, and briefly at Kauai, during those early days while the missionaries were still acquiring their later expertness in the Hawaiian tongue and faithful to the Christian training, he walked irreproachably with his church.

Adjoining the Ka‘ahumanu Church in Wailuku is Honoliʻi Park. It is believed that John Honoliʻ is buried in an unmarked grave in the Kaʻahumanu Church cemetery. (Honoliʻi died in 1838.)

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John_Honoree- (Honolii)-Samuel_Morse

October 18, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Captain Cook

Around the 1400-1500s, the land was broken down into ahupuaʻa, ʻili and other physical subdivisions. All of the land was owned by the ruling chief. Each ahupuaʻa in turn was ruled by a lower chief, or aliʻi ʻai. He, in turn, appointed an overseer, or konohiki. (The common people never owned or ruled land.)

Each ahupuaʻa had its own name and boundary lines. Often the markers were natural features such as a large rock or a line of trees or even the home of a certain bird. An ahupuaʻa in a valley usually used its ridges and peaks as boundaries.

In ancient Hawaiʻi, there were no “towns,” “villages” or “cities,” in the modern context. Over the years, communities across the Islands grew. Here, the focus is on an area of South Kona on the Island of Hawai‘i.

Kealakekua translates as ‘pathway of the gods’ and is one of the most significant historic and cultural places in Hawaiʻi. It was selected by the aliʻi as one of the seven royal centers of Kona in the 1700s, because of its sheltered bay and abundance of natural resources.

Kaʻawaloa (meaning ‘the distant ʻawa plant’ and another Royal Center) has a flat, fan-shaped lava peninsula near sea level, which rises gradually to the edge of the 600-ft Pali Kapu O Keoua. These forty acres of land define the northwest side of Kealakekua Bay. It was where Cook was killed.

An obelisk monument commemorating Captain Cook was constructed in 1874, near the spot where Cook died. (Contrary to urban legend, the monument site is not owned by the British Government; ownership is in the name of the British Consul General (the individual) – a representative would check in with DLNR, from time to time.)

About 40-years after Cook’s death, the American Protestant missionaries arrived and established one of the earliest mission stations in Hawai‘i at Kaʻawaloa in 1824.

In the early 1830s it took one year or more for mail to reach the Islands from the continent, coming by way of Cape Horn. When the transcontinental railroad was built, it took about a month.

Prior to 1854 there was no regular mail service on the Islands. Letters were forwarded by chance opportunities. With expanding mail volumes, post offices were set up, often in a central store or business in the community. With growing communities, there was some uncertainty over postal facility names, apparently creating some confusion.

In the mauka area of Kealakekua and Ka‘awaloa, coffee started to thrive. “Coffee … since there weren’t very many other opportunities, was hung on to desperately by the farmers”. (Sherwood Greenwell – A Social History of Kona)

Coffee plants came to Kona via Hilo. In 1825 an English agriculturist named John Wilkinson, who in his younger years had been a planter in the West Indies, arrived at Honolulu on the frigate Blonde – along the way, he left some plants in Hilo. (Kuykendall)

Wilkinson planted coffee in Mānoa Valley in the vicinity of the present UH-Mānoa campus; from a small field, trees were introduced to other areas of O‘ahu and neighbor islands.

In 1828, American missionary Samuel Ruggles took cuttings from Hilo and brought them to Kona. Henry Nicholas Greenwell grew and marketed coffee and is recognized for putting “Kona Coffee” on the world markets.

At Weltausstellung 1873 Wien (World Exhibition in Vienna, Austria (1873,)) Greenwell was awarded a “Recognition Diploma” for his Kona Coffee. (Greenwell Farms)

Writer Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain) seemed to concur with this when he noted in his Letters from Hawaiʻi, “The ride through the district of Kona to Kealakekua Bay took us through the famous coffee and orange section. I think the Kona coffee has a richer flavor than any other, be it grown where it may and call it what you please.”

Then, “Captain Cook’s name has received a new honor. The Captain Cook Coffee Company, of Kealakekua, Hawaii, has filed articles of incorporation, with capital stock of $60,000, of which $50,000 are subscribed.”

“Accompanying the articles is a list of property of WW Bruner acquired by the new corporation, in which the copyrighted name of “Captain Cook Coffee” Is set forth at a valuation of $2,000.”

“The company consists of W. W. Bruner, president and treasurer; AWT Bottomley, WL Stanley, WT Lucas, Thomas A. Honan, secretary, and M. R. Jamieson, auditor; all being stockholders except the latter.”

“Bruner owns 2196 of the 2500 shares subscribed and the rest own one each. The Bruner property, including a coffee ranch, etc, is taken over at a valuation of $50,000 including the $2,000 Captain Cook trademark.” (Hawaiian Star, July 22, 1905)

Captain Cook Coffee Co Ltd is one of the oldest existing coffee companies in Hawai‘i. Since the 1880s, Captain Cook has been growing and processing raw green Kona coffee. (CCCC)

Captain Cook Coffee Co. Ltd and H Hackfeld and Co. (later American Factors, Amfac) acted as the “middle men” or factors between the local farmers and the world coffee market.

American Factors advanced farm necessities and foodstuffs through affiliated stores (mostly operated by Japanese merchants) under the condition that farmers were to pay for their merchandise in coffee once the harvest was complete.

All this coffee was processed at company mills, American Factors’ in Kailua and Captain Cook’s at the mill on Napo‘opo‘o Road. In this way, two companies dominated the industry with the farmer having no control over the value of his crop. (Kona Historical Society)

Back to mail … “And the mail used to be quite an excitement. The old post office used to be – when I was a kid – in the old People’s Bank of Hilo building which is where the Bank of Hawai‘i is today. … And everybody would come to the post office to get their mail. Mail was quite an experience….”

“Eventually it was found that it would be practical or be convenient for the people up here to have another post office and so a post office was (opened) in the Captain Cook Coffee Company building. And the postmaster was the bookkeeper of Captain Cook Coffee Company.”

“And the name became Captain Cook (post office) because it was in Captain Cook Coffee Company’s building and was run by Captain Cook Coffee Company.”

“It could have been called Ka‘awaloa (post office) if they wanted to name it the name of the land.” (Sherwood Greenwell – A Social History of Kona)

It’s like “Up in Waimea, it’s called ‘Kamuela’ because the post office is called ‘Kamuela’ (even though) the place is called ‘Waimea.’ But (the post office) couldn’t be called ‘Waimea’ when they put a post office in because there was already a Waimea post office on Kauai.” (Sherwood Greenwell – A Social History of Kona)

By the 1930s there were more than 1,000 coffee farms and, as late as the 1950s, there were 6,000-acres of coffee in Kona. But in the mid-1950s, Captain Cook Coffee Co and American Factors got out of the coffee business.

Several coffee cooperatives formed to market Kona’s crop, among these being Sunset Co-op , which took over operations at the Napo‘opo‘o Mill, which is currently run by Kona Pacific Farmers Co-op. Mountain Thunder Coffee took over Captain Cook Coffee’s building in Kainaliu. (Kona Historical Society)

So, what is now known as the community of ‘Captain Cook’ was named for its post office, in the premises of the Captain Cook Coffee Co. Ltd. (The only place in the United States where coffee is grown commercially is in Hawaiʻi.)

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Captain Cook Coffee Company-KHS-1920

Kona Coffee-PP-17-1-002-00001

Farm land of Kona, Hawaii Island-PP-30-1-008-1930s

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Honaunau_USGS_Quadrangle-Honaunau-1924-portion

October 17, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Fishing

Hawaiians had five methods of fishing: spearing, hand-catching, baskets, hook and line and nets.

There were two kinds of spearing fish, below and above water (above-water spearing was very rarely used.) Below water was the most important; the spear used by the diver was a slender stick, 6 to 7 feet long, made of very hard wood and sharply pointed on one end.

Some fishermen dive to well-known habitats of certain fish and lobsters and, thrusting their arms under rocks or in holes, bring out the fish one by one and put them into a bag attached for the purpose to the loin cloth. Women frequently do the same in shallow waters, and catch fish by hand from under coral projections.

There are two ways of octopus fishing. In shallow water the spear is used. Women generally attend to this. Those caught in shallow waters vary from 1 to 4 feet in length, but the larger kinds live in deep water always and are known as blue-water octopus.

Deep-water octopus are caught with cowries; one (or more) of these shells is attached to a string with an oblong pebble on the face of the shell. A hole is pierced in one end of the back of one of the shells through which the line is passed. A hook whose point stands almost perpendicular to the shaft or shank is then fastened to the end of the line.

The fisherman having arrived at his fishing-grounds first chews and spits on the water a mouthful of kukui (candle-nut) meat which renders the water glassy and clear; he then drops the shell with hook and line into the water and swings it over a place likely to be inhabited by an octopus.

The octopus, when in its hole, is always keeping a lookout for anything eatable that may come within reach of its eight arms. The moment a cowry is perceived, an arm is shot out and the shell clasped; one arm after the other comes out.

Finally, the whole body is withdrawn from the hole and attaches itself to the cowry, which it closely hugs, curling itself all around it.

It remains very quiet while being rapidly drawn up through the water, till, just as its head is exposed above water it raises it, when the fisherman pulls the string so as to bring its head against the edge of the canoe and it is killed by a blow from a club which is struck between the eyes.

Torch-light fishing is practiced on calm dark nights. The fish are either caught with small scoop-nets or are speared. Torch-light fishing is always done in shallow water where one can wade (walking without a splash, that would disturb the fish.) The torches are made of split bamboos secured at regular intervals with leaves, or of twigs of sandal-wood bound together.

There were four kinds of basket fishing. One had a bonnet shape, woven from the ‘ie‘ie vine/shrub; it was used to catch shrimp in streams. The second is with a small basket made from the vines of morning glory. A light framework of twigs is first tied together and then the vines, leaves and all, are wound into a basket about 3-4 feet in circumference and 1 and a half deep.

Pounded shrimp and cocoa-nut fiber are occasionally placed at the bottom of the basket for bait, but usually the scent of the bruised and withering leaves seems to be sufficient.

Women always attend to this kind of fishing. They wade out to suitable places, generally small sandy openings in coral ground or reef, and let the baskets down suitably weighted to keep them in position, and move away to let the fish enter. She then grabs the basket and deposits the caught fish into a gourd, and sets the basket in a fresh place.

The third kind of basket is shallow, of about the same size as the above but wider mouthed, used in deep water for catching a small, fiat fish called ‘uiui’ that makes its appearance at intervals of from ten, fifteen, or twenty years. In these baskets cooked pumpkins, half-roasted sweet potatoes, or raw ripe papayas were placed for bait.

The fourth kind of basket is the largest kind used in fishing by the Hawaiians. These are round, rather fiat baskets, 4 to 5 feet in diameter by 2½ to 3 in depth, and about 1½ Ii across the mouth. A small cylinder or cone of wicker is attached by the large end to the mouth and turned inward towards the bottom of the basket.

The fishermen generally feed the fish (coarse, brownish-yellow alga, ripe bread-fruit, cooked pumpkins, half-roasted sweet potatoes and papayas) for a week or more before taking any, using a large basket of the same kind, without the inverted cylinder and wider in the month, to allow the fish free ingress and egress.

After a week or two of feeding they become tame, and baskets full of fish can be drawn up in the taking basket without in the least disturbing those that are still greedily feeding in the feeding basket.

For fishing with rod, hook and line the bait most liked is shrimp; earthworms are sometimes used and any obtainable fry of fish.

The fisherman takes a handful of shrimps, baits his hooks, and then, bruising the remainder and wrapping it up in cocoa-nut fiber, ties it with a pebble on the line and close to the hooks. The bruised matter spreads through the water when the line is dropped and serves to attract fishes to the vicinity of the hooks.

For hook-and-line fishing practiced in deep water, bonitos and lobsters are the usual bait; for lack of these any kind of fish is used. For deep-sea fishing the hook and line are used without rods, and our fishermen sometimes use lines over 100 fathoms in length.

There are two general divisions of the kinds of nets in use here, the long nets and the bag or purse nets. The finest of the long nets has a mesh one-half inch wide. It is generally 1½ fathoms in depth and from 40 to 60 fathoms in length.

It is used to surround and catch the small mullets and awa in shallow waters for the purpose of stocking fish ponds. Small pebbles, frequently ringed or pierced, are used for sinkers; pieces of hibiscus and kukui tree for the floaters. Nets of 1 to 2 inch mesh are used for the larger mullet.

The finest of all kinds of nets (nae) has only one-fourth inch mesh. The ‘pua’ net is for young mullet fry for stocking ponds or for eating.

This net is generally a piece, a fathom square, attached on two sides to sticks about 3 feet in length and fulled in, the bottom rope being shorter than the upper one and forming an irregular square opening to a shallow bag, which is supplemented by a long narrow bag about 3 or 4 inches wide and 2 feet deep. (All of the information here is from Hawaiian Fishing Implements and Methods of Fishing, Emma Metcalf Beckley Nakuina)

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October 15, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Thomas Nettleship Staley

“The voyage (from San Francisco to Honolulu) was one of pleasure throughout, the weather beautiful, and our passage only thirteen days.”

“We had choral service morning and evening every day, which served as a practice for the future Honolulu ‘cathedral;’ and the passengers always gladly attended, without exception.”

“On Friday, October 10th (1862,) we sighted, first, Molokai – a most picturesque island, with bold precipitous rocks to the sea down which glided many a waterfall, and broken by ravines and caverns; then Maui appeared in view, and at daybreak on Saturday we were off Oahu.”

“Our voyage was now at an end, and we offered up our hearty thanksgivings to Him who had borne us in safety, health, and comfort to our new island-home.” (Thomas Nettleship Staley Journal; AnglicanHistory, 1863)

Let’s look back …

Thomas Nettleship Staley was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, on January 17, 1823, the son of Rev William Staley. Staley entered Queens’ College, Cambridge in 1840, earned his BA in 1844, his MA in 1847 and his DD in 1862.

From 1844-1850 he was tutor at the Training College of St Mark, Chelsea; from 1851-1861 he was principal at Wandsworth collegiate school, and Chaplain Wandsworth Union.

The Revd William Denton, parish priest at St Bartholomew Cripplegate London, recommended the appointment of Staley as 1st
Bishop (appointment of a missionary bishop was deemed possible under the legal ruling delivered in support of the appointment of missionary bishops to territories outside the reach of British rule.)

In November 1861, Staley was not consecrated as announced, as his appointment lacked necessary legal status which would have been provided by a (British) Crown license – which was ‘not available.’

Queen Victoria’s license for the consecration of Staley on December 11, 1861 empowered John Bird, Archbishop of Canterbury, to make him “Bishop of the United Church of England and Ireland in the Hawaiian or Sandwich Islands, and all other the dominions of the King of Hawaii.” (Mammana)

From 1862‐1871 the Sandwich Islands diocese was legally incorporated as ‘the Hawaiian Reformed Catholic Church;’ Staley was the first Bishop for missionary district of Honolulu (which included Hawaiian islands, Guam, Okinawa, Taiwan and Kwajalein.) (Blain)

Staley set to work in building a diocese from scratch along strong Anglo-Catholic lines. He began the use of eucharistic vestments and established daily worship; he wore a cope and mitre on episcopal occasions — acts that would have been all but impossible at the time in England. (Mammana)

(Back in Europe the ‘Great Church Crisis’ was going on and Roman Catholic ritualism, including vestments) in the Anglican Church was frowned upon by many. (Tanis))

He baptized Queen Emma and confirmed her along with King Kamehameha IV. Staley laid the foundation of what is now the Cathedral Church of St Andrew in Honolulu.

He oversaw the printing of the king’s translation of the Book of Common Prayer into Hawaiian. He advised the royal family on educational matters, and recruited the Anglican nuns of the Society of the Most Holy Trinity (the Devonport Sisters) to open a school for girls.

The nascent Diocese of Honolulu became a brief test-case for the viability of a missionary model that planted a complete diocese on foreign soil. (Mammana)

But Staley’s stay in the Island was not without conflict – Rev Rufus Anderson, a Congregationalist minister and foreign secretary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions referred to him as a ‘ritualist.’

But it wasn’t just the members of the ABCFM that were concerned, the king’s promotion of dancing and traditional customs (and Staley’s tolerance of that) outraged the Catholics and Mormons, as well. (Blain)

Even journalist and novelist Mark Twain weighed in, describing the Anglican diocese of Honolulu as ‘a pinchbeck thing, an imitation, a bauble, an empty show. It had no power, no value for a king.”

“It could not harry or burn or slay… It was an Established Church without an Establishment; all the people were Dissenters”. Twain attacked Staley in a newspaper article, noting …”

“… Staley has shown the temerity of an incautious and inexperienced judgement, rushing in here fresh from the heart and home of a high civilization and throwing down the gauntlet of defiance before a band of stern, tenacious, unyielding, tireless, industrious, devoted old Puritan knights who had seen forty years of missionary service.” (Twain, 1866)

“Mr. Staley, my Lord Bishop of Honolulu – who was built into a Lord by the English Bishop of Oxford and shipped over here with a fully equipped “Established Church” in his pocket – has frequently said that the natives of these islands are morally and religiously in a worse condition to-day than they were before the American missionaries ever came here.”

“It is easy to see, now, that the missionaries have made a better people of this race than they formerly were; and I am satisfied that if that old time national spree were still a custom of the country, my Lord Bishop would not be in this town to-day saying hard things about the missionaries.”

“For forty years before the Bishop brought his Royal Hawaiian Established Reformed Catholic Church here the kings and chiefs of this land had been buried with the quiet, simple, Christian rites that are observed in England and America, and no man thought of anything more being necessary.” (Twain, 1866)

If I may speak freely, I think this all comes of elevating a weak, trivial minded man to a position of rank and power – of making a Bishop out of very inferior material – of trying to construct greatness out of constitutional insignificance.”

“He gossips habitually; he lacks the common wisdom to keep still that deadly enemy of a man, his own tongue- he says ill-advised things in public speeches and then in other public speeches denies that he ever said them …”

“… he shows spite, a trait which is not allied to greatness; he is fond of rushing into print, like mediocrity the world over, and is vainer of being my Lord Bishop over a diocese of fifteen thousand men and women (albeit they belong to other people’s churches) than some other men would be of wielding the world-wide power of the Pope …”

“… and finally, every single important act of his administration has evinced a lack of sagacity and an unripeness of judgment which might be forgiven a youth, but not a full-grown man – or, if that seems too severe, which might be for given a restless, visionary nobody, but not a Bishop. My estimate of Bishop Staley may be a wrong one, but it is at least an honest one.” (Twain, 1866)

Staley defended his actions in an 1865 New Year’s Pastoral Address, noting, “The bitter hostility which ‘the American Board’ displays to our mission is doubtless accounted for, in part, by the fact that the two bodies of which it is composed, have ever been the most relentless in their hatred to the Anglican Church, whether in England or in America.”

“We have read many discussions of late on the action of the royal supremacy in matters spiritual in the English church. But our Puritan friends in America seem to stretch its prerogatives to the very furthest conceivable limits …”

“… when they suppose that the Primate of the church is under a ‘political necessity’ to consecrate, whenever he is ordered to do so by the British Government! …”

“… while the British Government is under a ‘political necessity,’ to grant whatever favours the King of Hawaii may choose to ask! It would therefore seem possible, that the supremacy of the English Crown over the church, might, under given conditions, be found flowing from the sole will ‘of the Hawaiian Monarch, a view which has, at least, the recommendation of novelty.”

“I shall not condescend to follow the author (Rufus Anderson) through his remarks on the ritual and teaching of the Church in these islands. Suffice it to say that they are strictly in conformity with the laws and usages of the Church in England and America, and that no where can be found services heartier, more devotional, and more regularly frequented. “

“Let me Say Once For All, That On No Occasion Whatever Have I Ever Offered His Majesty Political Advice, Or Influenced His Measures in the slightest.”

“I will say further, that were I to attempt to use the sacred relation in which I stand to the King as a means for political intrigue, or for influencing his Government in any way, I should lose whatever respect or weight that relation now carries in the estimation of his Majesty.”

“The only serviced which I render to the State in the Privy Council, are as its acting Chaplain and as a member of the Bureau of Public Instruction, the King having been pleased to make use of my familiarity with the subject of popular education, acquired in England. (Staley, Pastoral Address, January 1, 1865)

Staley was frustrated with the politics and sought to resign; he hoped to be replaced by an American Episcopal bishop, but none could be found.

The bishop left Honolulu for the last time in mid-1870, leaving behind a diocese with High Church-Low Church fault lines that would continue to crack well through the beginning of the 20th century and the annexation of the Hawaiian Islands by the United States. (Mammana) He was replaced by Alfred Willis.

Staley retired with his large family to England, where he served a succession of parishes. He resided in Croxall and never returned to Hawaii. Staley died on November 1, 1898, at Bournemouth.

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