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May 6, 2026 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kings and Queens

Hawaiian Dynasties

Using stratigraphic archaeology and refinements in radiocarbon dating, studies suggest it was about 1000-1200 AD that “Polynesian explorers first made their remarkable voyage from central Eastern Polynesia Islands, across the doldrums and into the North Pacific, to discover Hawai‘i.”  (Kirch)

“(I)n the earliest times all the people were alii … it was only after the lapse of several generations that a division was made into commoners and chiefs” (Malo)  Kamakau noted, in early Hawaiʻi “The parents were masters over their own family group … No man was made chief over another.”  Essentially, the extended family was the socio, biological, economic, and political unit.

The arrival of Pā‘ao from Tahiti in about the thirteenth century resulted in the establishment (or, at least expanded upon) a religious and political code in old Hawai`i, collectively called the kapu system.

Fornander writes that prior to the period of Pā‘ao “… the kapu (forbidden actions) were few and the ceremonials easy; that human sacrifices were not practiced, and cannibalism unknown; and that government was more of a patriarchal than of a regal nature.”

Until European contact, Hawai‘i was a highly stratified society with strictly maintained castes. The ali‘i (chiefs) headed the social pyramid and ruled over the land. Highly regarded and sometimes feared, the kahuna (professionals) were experts on religious ritual or specialists in canoe-building, herbal medicine, and healing.

The maka‘āinana (commoners) farmed and fished; built walls, houses, and fishponds; and paid taxes to the paramount chiefs and his chiefs. Kauwā, the lowest class, were outcasts or slaves. (NPS)

Each Hawaiian was born into a class of people, and at the top were the rulers, a small but powerful class of chiefs, known as the aliʻi and in those days, the aliʻi was the government.

Of all the people, it was the ali‘i who held the greatest respect and the one whom no one questioned.  But this class of royalty did not just consist of the chief and his family, the aliʻi or the government system was more complicated and consisted of more than what most people think of when they hear of the Aliʻi.  (Seleska)

When Kamehameha I unified the islands under a single rule, dynasties emerged and references of “King” and “Queen” were given to these new monarchies.

The Kamehameha Dynasty ruled for nearly a century from the late 1700s to the late 1800s, while the Kalākaua Dynasty ruled from 1874 to 1893.  These Ali‘i monarchs continued to rule Hawai‘i until Queen Lili‘uokalani was forced out of rule and the Hawaiian Monarchy was overthrown.

Kamehameha I, Kamehameha the Great (reign 1782-1819)

Born in North Kohala on the Big Island, Kamehameha united all the major islands under one rule in 1810.

Kamehameha II, Liholiho (reign 1819-1824)

The son of Kamehameha and his sacred wife Keopūolani, Liholiho overthrew the ancient kapu system by allowing men and women of the court to eat together.  At the same time, he announced that the heiau (temples) should be destroyed.

Kamehameha III, Kauikeaouli (reign 1825-1854)

Born in Keauhou, the younger brother of Liholiho had the longest reign.  He was not yet a teenager when he was proclaimed king in 1825 under a regency with Ka‘ahumanu, his father’s favorite queen.

Kamehameha IV, Alexander Liholiho (reign 1854-1863)

The nephew of Kauikeaouli, Alexander Liholiho was the grandson of Kamehameha I.  He ascended to the throne after the death of his uncle in December of 1854. 

Kamehameha V, Lot Kapuaiwa Kamehameha (reign 1863-1872)

Four years older than his brother Kamehameha IV, Lot would also rule for just nine years.  Lot Kamehameha did not name a successor, which led to the invoking of the constitutional provision for electing kings of Hawai‘i.

William Charles Lunalilo (reign 1873-1874)

The grandson of a half-brother of Kamehameha I, Lunalilo defeated David Kalākaua to become the first king to be elected.  He offered many amendments to the Constitution of 1864, such as abolishing the property qualifications for voting.

David Kalākaua (reign 1874-1891)

Kalākaua was the first king in history to visit the United States.  “The Merry Monarch” was fond of old Hawaiian customs, and he attempted to restore the people’s lost heritage.  King Kalākaua built ‘Iolani Palace.

Queen Lydia Kamakaeha Lili‘uokalani (reign 1891-1893)

In 1891, upon the death of her brother, King Kalākaua, Queen Lili‘uokalani succeeded to the throne.  Queen Lili‘uokalani was the last monarch of the Hawaiian Islands.

British Royalty

The origins of kingship in England can be traced to the second century BC when Celtic and Belgic tribesmen emigrated from continental Europe and settled in Britain, displacing or absorbing the aboriginal inhabitants. The settlers established a number of tribal kingdoms.

Celtic Britain moved through the Roman invasion to the Norman Conquest of 1066 and the establishment of the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and the coming of Christianity and the unification of England.  (National Portrait Gallery)

Fast forward to 1701, the British Parliament passed a law called the Act of Settlement. The law stipulated that only a Protestant could be king or queen of Britain. Roman Catholics were removed from the line of succession.

Then came the house of Hanover, a British royal house of German origin. The dynasty descended from George Louis of Hanover (a region of Germany), who succeeded to the British crown as George I in 1714.

The dynasty also provided the monarchs George II, George III, George IV, William IV, and Victoria. The six Hanoverian monarchs ruled Great Britain between 1714 and 1901. The dynasty was succeeded by the house of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, which was renamed in 1917 the house of Windsor.

George II (reign 1727-1760)

George II was the son of George I. George II became known for his bravery during military conflicts, such as the War of the Spanish Succession. George II played a key role in military engagements, including the French and Indian War, where British successes shaped a pivotal era in British history. His reign also witnessed significant advancements in the economy, culture, and the establishment of cabinet government, balancing the powers of the Crown and Parliament.

George III (reign 1760-1820)

George III succeeded his grandfather, George II, in the midst of the Seven Years’ War/French and Indian War (1756–63).  Having ascended to the throne at just 22, George III’s dramatic reign included the American Revolution, the Napoleonic Wars, and expansion of the British Empire.

However, his reign is often most remembered for the illness that plagued his later life. He was declared unfit to rule in 1810, when his son George IV – one of 15 children – became Regent. (Britannica)

George IV (reign 1820-1830)

Son of George III, George IV was known for his extravagant spending, gambling and womanizing. Once married in secret to a Roman Catholic, his only legitimate heir with his second wife Caroline, Princess Charlotte, died in 1817 while he was still on the throne.

William IV (reign 1830-1837)

The brother of George IV, William never expected to become king. As a young man he served in the Royal Navy during the American War of Independence, and as king he oversaw major parliamentary reform. He was determined to live long enough to see his niece, Victoria, reach her majority, ensuring she would accede the throne directly.

Victoria (reign 1837-1901)

Niece of William IV, Victoria inherited the throne through her father Edward, the fourth son of George III. Victoria’s was the second longest reign in British history. (Queen Elizabeth II was longest over 70 years, 214 days.) Remembered for her strict moral values, she oversaw further expansion of the British Empire and the Industrial Revolution, and with her beloved Prince Albert.

For an expanded discussion, including interactions between the Hawaiian and British monarchs, go here: https://imagesofoldhawaii.com/wp-content/uploads/Hawaiian_and_British_Royalty.pdf

© 2026 Ho‘okuleana LLC

Filed Under: Ali'i / Chiefs / Governance, Prominent People Tagged With: British Monarchy, Kings, Queens, Hawaii, Hawaiian, British, Hawaiian Monarchy

April 29, 2026 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

By Horse, Car & Plane

EH Lewis looked to a variety of ways for folks to see the Islands: horseback, automobile and airplane.

Lewis was a “dashing (polo) player, who was always on the ball.” (Evening Bulletin, August 5, 1909) Early newspaper ads, note Lewis as Proprietor of Stockyards Stables where you can “Get your friends together and enjoy a tally ho ride” in a 6-horse drawn wagon. (Evening Bulletin, August 3, 1904)

“EH Lewis, will open on April 1 a riding school at Athletic Park; 25 stylish saddle horses will be used. Hours from 9 to 11 and 3 to 5, dally. Prices will be $1 per lesson, or twelve lessons for $10. We guarantee to make a good rider of you for $10. Lewis Stables, Tel. 41” (Evening Bulletin, March 24, 1910)

Lewis introduced automobiles to Hawai‘i, “Probably the finest cars on the streets of Honolulu, are the two new Pierce-Arrows which have recently arrived. Both are now installed in the rent service.”

“One … is a beautiful gray, owned by EH Lewis (the other was owned by Henry Hughes.) These two cars show in their every line that they are the last word in automobile construction. (Star-Bulletin, December 6, 1913)

“Tally-ho driving parties, instituted by EH Lewis about a year ago for the special entertainment of tourists are growing in popularity. Within the past few weeks a number of excursions of this character, taking strangers to the many interesting points within a wide radius of the city, have been given.” (Paradise of the Pacific, February 1905)

He took his touring and promotion to the continent, “Mr and Mrs E Lewis of Honolulu recently toured the Yosemite in their big American limousine and on the way and back showed themselves good promotionists by flying a Honolulu pennant and booming the islands as an attractive resort for tourists.” (Star Bulletin, July 31, 1915)

Then, he got into airplanes. Even though Lewis didn’t learn to fly until he was 60, he became an enthusiastic promoter of the industry, owning and flying more than a dozen airplanes. (Star-Bulletin)

“When ‘Bud’ Mars, back in December of 1910, brought an unwieldly biplane called the “Skylark” to Honolulu and managed to get it into the air long enough to make several short exhibition flights from Moanalua Polo Field, the die was cast for Hawai‘i’s interest in and use of aircraft.” (Kennedy; Thrum, 1936)

One regular visitor to every early flight in the islands was businessman Edwin Lewis. He was the primary sponsor of Bud Mars’ first flight at Moanalua Polo Grounds, and he also established the first real airport in Hawaii, called Ala Moana Field.

“Spectacular as these flights were, at the same time island men were going ahead in a quiet manner, laying the foundation for commercial aviation here. Ed Lewis, operating automobile tours on Oahu, early saw the possibilities of airplanes for sightseeing.” (Star-Bulletin)

“Announcing his desire to have permanent airplanes in our islands within sixty days of him stepping once again on Hawaii nei, EH Lewis landed in Honolulu nei on the morning of Friday of this past week with two pilots who will fly the two planes he purchased in America.”

“These men brought by Lewis are experts. The planes did not arrive with Lewis, but according to him, should there be no complications, the planes will arrive in Honolulu within 60 days.”

“The crafts can carry ten passengers at a time, and these will be the planes that fly regularly between Honolulu and Hilo and from Hilo back to Honolulu nei.” (Alakai o Hawai‘i, November 5, 1928)

“Touring the islands by air dates back to 1927, when Edwin Lewis founded Lewis Air Tours. The company lasted only three years, but other tour services proved more successful. Interisland travel really picked up in the 1950s with the introduction of package tours, all-inclusive vacations that often included trips to Oahu’s neighbor islands.” (Smithsonian)

“Lewis’ greatest contribution, however, was the establishment of Lewis Air Tours in the late 1920s. Flying a Standard biplane named Malolo – ‘flying fish’ …”

“… that sported an enclosed cabin for passenger comfort, tourists and locals alike were treated to views of the islands unimaginable just a few years before. (Star-Bulletin)

“For several years he operated ‘Lewis Air Tours’ with a number of small open cockpit planes flying from Ward airport on Ala Moana.” (Kennedy; Thrum, 1936)

However, some were concerned with his flying – repeated entries in minutes of meetings of the Territorial Aeronautical Commission complain of Lewis and his flying. Such as:

“(L)ast Sunday Mr Lewis’s plane was flying over the Aloha tower and the city at a very low altitude. Other complaints have also come to us about Mr Lewis’s activities. It was decided that a letter be addressed to Mr Lewis prohibiting the use of Ward Airport for any but emergency landings.” (Territorial Aeronautical Commission, April 29, 1930)

“(T)he type of flying done by Lewis Tours (mostly sightseeing flights) is very risky not only because of the condition of the field but also because many more landings would be made daily than a transport plane operating for John Rogers Airport.” (Territorial Aeronautical Commission, February 18, 1929)

Reportedly, EH Lewis flew his first solo flight on his 60th birthday, and was said to be the oldest student pilot at the time. (Archives, mid-1930s)

© 2026 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Filed Under: Economy, General, Prominent People Tagged With: EH Lewis, Ward Airport, Stockyards Stables, Lewis Air Tours, Hawaii

April 28, 2026 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

John Rollin Desha

John Rollin Desha (commonly known as ‘Jack’) was born on January 22, 1887 at Nāpoʻopoʻo, South Kona, Hawaiʻi to Senator and Reverend Stephen Langhern Desha Sr and Mary Kaʻalopua (Kekumano) – a descendant of the Desha family of Kentucky.

He was graduated from the Kamehameha Manual Training School in 1903 and from Oʻahu College (Punahou) in 1906. While at Oʻahu College, Jack was a favorite amongst the faculty and administration.

In a letter of recommendation to Secretary John G. Hart at Harvard University, President Arthur F. Griffiths of Oʻahu College wrote:

“The boy comes of the best Hawaiian stock. He is a graduate of the Kamehameha Schools and of Oʻahu College. In his senior year at Oʻahu College, by a vote of the Faculty and Trustees, he was awarded the Punahou Roll of Honor. This honor goes annually to the student in the school who, during that year, has done the best for the school.”

Griffiths continued: “For a boy with Hawaiian blood to win this in a ‘white’ school, was a single distinction. Moreover, the award was popular among all the students of the school.” (Aki; OHA)

Desha was president of his senior class and president of Hui Pauahi, “a newly organized society for social service among the students and teachers of Oahu College.” (Evening Bulletin, February 3, 1908)

He also captained the baseball team for three years and played football. He excelled in both academics and sports during his time at Oʻahu College.

Desha received his BA degree at Harvard University in 1912; at Harvard Desha was prominent in athletics, being a member of the baseball team from 1911 to 1912. He later attended the George Washington Law School.

He married Agnes Ready at Medford, Mass.; they had two children: Evelyn and Jacqueline.

Desha began his career as secretary to Prince Jonah Kūhio Kalanianaʻole, delegate to Congress, holding this office from 1912 to 1917.

Returning to Honolulu from Washington, he entered the law office of Thompson & Cathcart and was admitted to practice in all of the courts of the Territory in July, 1918.

The following year he became deputy city and county attorney, holding this position from January to June, when he started a law practice in Hilo with his brother, Stephen L Desha, Jr., under the firm name of Desha & Desha.

On April 28, 1920, Desha was appointed second district magistrate of South Hilo. In 1921, he was appointed judge of the Circuit Court by President Warren Harding, taking office in January of 1922 for the first of two four year terms; he would be reappointed to the second by Calvin Coolidge.

Upon completion of his final term in 1927, he returned to private practice. From 1927-1948, Jack held a number of positions in the public and private sectors, eventually returning to public office as second assistant to the public prosecutor in 1946, and acting public prosecutor in 1948.

Throughout his life, Jack “was devoted to Hawaiʻi and to various organizations which kept alive the ways of old Hawaiʻi.” He served as Aliʻi ʻAimoku (supreme head) of the Royal Order of Kamehameha and was also a past president of the Hawaiian Civic Club. (Aki; OHA)

John Rollin Desha died March 11, 1958.

© 2026 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Filed Under: Prominent People Tagged With: Hawaii, John Rollin Desha

April 27, 2026 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Rycroft

Robert Henry Rycroft (April 27, 1843 – February 3, 1909) emigrated to the United States from Leeds, England, when he was 16 years old. After serving 16 months in the U.S. Cavalry during the Civil War, he arrived in Honolulu.

He first went to work in the Honolulu Iron Works and afterwards went into the plumbing business, which was his profession. He was also proprietor of the Fountain restaurant and Temperance saloon on Fort Street in an old one story frame building

Failing in the restaurant and saloon business on Fort Street in Honolulu he went to Brisbane, Australia, to establish an ice works and was nearly successful in establishing his system on steamers to carry frozen mutton to Europe.

“(H)e erected an ice machine at Brisbane, which was the first ammonia machine there using a pump to compress the gas. After remaining, there about two years he returned to Honolulu and soon after removed to the Island of Hawaii in 1877.”

“There he went into the ‘awa shipping business. The trade in ‘awa at that time was so large that many tons were handled each year, much of it going to foreign ports, mostly to the United States, for medical purposes.”

“About the year 1881 Mr. Rycroft went into the cattle business, having purchased the Pohoiki and Keahialeka tracts in Puna, Hawaii, containing about nine thousand acres.”

“He also erected a large saw mill at Pohoiki and furnished the Government with all of the hard wood used in the public works. He also furnished the wood supply of Honolulu for several years by the Allen & Robinson line of schooners. The ties of the O. R. & L. Co. came from this mill.”

“Soon after things were running smoothly Mr. Rycroft again branched out and was one of the first, if not the very first, who went into the systematic cultivation of coffee, upon a large scale.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, March 9, 1900)

Rycroft launched a boom in coffee production during the late 19th century; between 1896 and 1906, most of the 300 land grants made to speculators were for coffee.

In the Puna District in 1880, Hawaiians maintained small-scale traditional farms, and other settlers invested in commercial properties like coffee plantations on approximately three dozen land grants. (ORNL)

He constructed a coffee mill in 1891 to process the coffee then being planted in Puna. However, for some unknown reason, the coffee boom ended in 1899, leaving the mill basically without a product to process. Then, probably, the Rycrofts had to find an alternate crop to process in the new coffee mill.

Presumably, then, the Rycroft guava business in Puna was started in about 1900 to use the coffee mill, and possibly was abandoned after 1910.

Rycroft and his son, Walter, should be credited with the first commercial production of guava at Pohoiki in Puna; they produced guava jam and jelly in the ‘coffee mill.’ (Shigemura & Bulloock)

Rycroft also funded improvements at Pohoiki Landing to support his commercial ventures, although the original landing was destroyed by a tsunami in August 1885. (DLNR)

The Pohoiki area has remained mostly undeveloped except for the 23-year period of commercial development under Robert Rycroft. Rycroft’s ventures between 1877 and 1899 included ‘awa, cattle, sawmill, coffee and guava. The Pohoiki commercial activity appears to have ended when Rycroft moved to Honolulu in 1899. (DLNR)

When he sold out in 1899 he had in lower Puna sixty-five acres and in Ola‘a 170 acres of bearing coffee. This venture, however, did not prove as profitable as most of Mr. Rycroft’s enterprises. Messrs. H. Hackfeld & Co purchased his Olaa property.

“Last year upon the formation of the Puna Sugar Co. an offer was made Mr. Rycroft for his 9,000 acres of land in lower Puna and he determined to sell out and remove to Honolulu.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, March 9, 1900)

Rycroft returned to Honolulu in 1899, starting the Fountain Soda Works. “Since coming to Honolulu Mr. Rycroft has purchased six lots in the old base ball ground, where he is now erecting a fine residence, which will be competed as rapidly as the work can be done.”

“Mr. Rycroft will go into business in Honolulu and will become a permanent resident. He has not as yet thoroughly settled upon his future plans, but will make his debut in business circles in the near future.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, March 9, 1900)

For some years his eldest son conducted the soda business (in the vicinity of what is now Rycroft Street) while Rycroft attended to his investments in general. (Hawaiian Star, February 3, 1909)

“Robert Rycroft, one of the oldest residents of the Hawaiian Islands, died of heart trouble early this morning at his home on Wilder avenue. He leaves a wife, three sons, Henry, Mark and Walter, and two daughters Sophia and Gladys. Mrs. Rycroft is a sister of AN Campbell, Treasurer of Hawaii, and was married to Mr. Rycroft in 1872.” (Hawaiian Star, February 3, 1909)

© 2026 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Filed Under: Economy, Place Names, Prominent People Tagged With: Robert Rycroft, Pohoiki, Guava, Hawaii, Puna, Coffee, Hawaii Invasive Species Council

April 26, 2026 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

‘Killed By Indians’

“The red skins are on the war path, and are amusing themselves with scalping Black Hills immigrants. On May 6 they made (their) appearance near Fort Laramie.”

“Upwards of 35 head of cattle were driven off. Massacres have been committed in Red canon, and three fights have occurred, in which the Indians were repulsed. The Black Hills miners have something to do besides digging gold.” (Northern Tribune, May 20, 1876)

“The Indians run off thirty-one head of horses and mules from Hunton’s ranche, belonging to Col. Bullock, of Cheyenne, and Mr. John Hunton, yesterday.” (Nebraska Advertiser, May 11, 1876)

“A courier has just arrived at this post from Hunton’s ranch with news that the body of James Hunton had been found. It is completely riddled with bullets, and moccasin and pony tracks in the vicinity of where he was found show that the victim was chased some distance by twenty-five Indians and finally surrounded and was shot at leisure.”

“Mr. Hunton was a prominent and highly esteemed frontiersman, and the murder causes great excitement. Scattering bands of hostile Sioux have even come within four miles of the fort the past few days, and we expect more of their bloody work at any moment.” (Cincinnati Daily Star, May 8, 1876)

His headstone simply says, “James Hunton – Killed by Indians – May 4, 1876 – Aged 24 yrs”.

“Prior to the spring of the year 1867, there were no white inhabitants living within the area of what is now Platte County, Wyoming, except a few, less than ten, along the Oregon Trail from the Platte river valley east of Guernsey”. (John Hunton)

“In the spring and early summer of 1868 the Government, having induced the Indians to consent to be moved to White Clay River, near Fort Randall on the Missouri River; then to concentrate into one large camp east of Ft Laramie about 8-miles”. John Hunton)

Tension between the native inhabitants of the Great Plains and the encroaching settlers resulted in a series of conflicts … this eventually led to the Sioux Wars.

The most notable fight, fought June 25–26, 1876, was the Battle of Little Big Horn (Lt Col George Armstrong Custer lost – Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and others won.)

Most native Americans were confined to reservations by 1877. In September 1877, Chief Crazy Horse left the reservation and General Crook had him arrested. When Crazy Horse saw he was being led to a guard house, he resisted and was stabbed to death by a guard. (Denardo)

In the fall of 1877, Sitting Bull headed north to Canada; life there was tough and in 1881 he surrendered to the US. In 1889 Sitting Bull was shot by Police. (NPS)

OK, back to Hunton and a connection (although indirect) to the Islands.

“James Hunton, a brother of John was killed (and scalped.) His body was found eight miles from the ranche, at Goshen Hole, and brought into the ranche last night, by JH Owens, of Chug spring’s ranche, and Little Bat, a hunter and scout.” (Nebraska Advertiser, May 11, 1876)

His brother John provides a description of what happened, “James Hunton, my brother, left Bordeaux, my home, on the afternoon of that day (May 4, 1876) to go to the ranch of Charles Coffee on Boxelder Creek about 14 miles east of Bordeaux, to get a horse he had traded for.”

“While going down through ‘the Notch’ in Goshen Hole, about half way between the two places, he was waylaid, shot and killed by five Indian boys who were out on a horse stealing expedition.”

“The Indians then went to my ranch at Bordeaux after night and rounded up, stole and drove off every head of horse and mules (38) I owned except my saddle horse, which I had with me at Fort Fetterman, where I received the news by telegraph the evening of the 6th.”

“The horse my brother was riding ran and the Indians could not catch him and the next morning was seen on top of the bluff east of the ranch. Blood in the saddle told the tale and a searching party found the body that afternoon.” (John Hunton)

The Sioux Wars military campaign provisioned at Fort Laramie, prior to heading north to South Dakota and Montana. John Hunton was fort sutler (providing provisions out of the camp post.)

John Hunton lived with/was married to LaLie (sister to fellow scout (and half-breed) Baptiste Garnier (Little Bat – the scout who helped bring James Hunton’s body back to the Hunton ranch.))

(I don’t mean to be repetitive, I just want you to remember that LaLie was Little Bat’s sister.) LaLie later left Hunton and married Frank Grouard – that marriage didn’t last either, and she left Grouard, too.

The Grouard family lived in Utah; Frank ran away from home and at the age of nineteen, ended up a Pony Express mail carrier … “out West” through hostile Indian Country (between California and Montana.) (Trowse)

Kuakoa tells us the Hawai‘i/Polynesia link … “A Hawaiian by the name of Frank Grouard (Standing Bear) is living as a scout in the American Army under General Crook, fighting Sioux Indians.”

“During one of his trips on a lonely trail (Grouard) was captured by Crow Indians and taken prisoner. The Crows took him many miles from the road, and in a lonely forest, stripped off his clothes and possessions, then released him to wander alone.”

“He wandered, cold and hungry, a piece of fur for clothing, eating grasshoppers and other bugs for food. When he had given up hope of surviving, he was discovered by a group of Sioux Indians. Because of his expressions of aloha, they took a liking to him.” (Kuakoa, September 30, 1876; Krauss)

He learned the landscape, customs and traditions – all the while constantly on alert to escape captivity. Around age 26, he eventually escaped from his Indian captors. Then, Grouard (Standing Bear) became an Indian Scout in the American Army under General George Crook, fighting Sioux Indians.

Almost every summer for nearly a dozen years, Grouard was in the field as a scout, commanding as many as 500 scouts and friendly Indians with all the Indian fighters who made reputations in subduing the Indians. He was wounded many times, suffered almost incredible hardships, saved small armies on several occasions and often saved the lives of individual men and officers.

OK, one other bit to this story … John and James Hunton are Nelia’s Great Great Uncles.

 © 2026 Hoʻokuleana LLC

Filed Under: General, Prominent People Tagged With: Frank Grouard, Sitting Bull, Sioux, Crazy Horse, John Hunton, Indian Wars, James Hunton, LaLie, Hawaii, Fort Laramie

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