“Horace Gates Crabbe [Papai, Kuokoa] was born in Philadelphia March 2, 1837. … When he was about sixteen years of age, his father, Captain Crabbe of the United States Marine Corps, was attached to the yards at New Orleans.”
“[Crabbe’s father] was ordered to California and took passage in a sailing vessel and came around Cape Horn. The vessel carried United States stores which were consigned to the naval forces at Monterey.”
“Young Crabbe undertook the journey as clerk to his father. They remained in California for a short time when Captain Crabbe was sent to Honolulu. [Captain Crabbe] was a representative here of the United States for some time, when he resigned and went into business for himself.”
“Horace Crabbe remained with his father, acting as his clerk. He afterwards went into business for himself.” (Sunday Advertiser, Dec 6, 1903)
In 1857 Crabbe married Elizabeth ‘Betsy’ Meek, daughter of Captain John Meek. (John Meek (Nov. 24, 1791 – Jan. 29, 1875) came to Hawaii from Massachusetts in 1809 along with his brother Captain Thomas Meek, who was engaged in the Northwest trade.)
“While Col WF Allen was Collector of the Port Horace Crabbe occupied a position in the Customs House and in a subsequent regime he was the acting Surveyor of the Port.” (Sunday Advertiser, Dec 6, 1903)
Following the death of Kamehameha V, William Charles Lunalilo ascended the throne by election in 1873. “Lunalilo was a Congregationalist and ‘well liked by haole who considered him democratic.’” (Renaud)
Lunalilo appointed conservative haoles to his four-member cabinet: Charles Reed Bishop (husband of Lunalilo’s cousin, Pauahi – Minister of Foreign Affairs), Edwin O Hall (Minister of Interior), Robert Stirling (Minister of Finance) and Albert Francis Judd (Attorney General).
With a depressed economy, Bishop’s economic program was simple and straightforward: trade a Hawaiian harbor to the US for a naval base in return for a treaty that admitted Hawaiian sugar to the US duty free. (Dye) (What became known as the Treaty of Reciprocity was ultimately adopted during Kalakaua’s regime.)
The newspaper also announced Lunalilo’s appointment of Chamberlain. (The Chamberlain was an officer of the royal household appointed by the monarch and confirmed by the Privy Council. He was responsible for the royal household and the private estates of the monarch. (Hawai‘i State Archives))
“We are pleased to learn that His Majesty has bestowed the honorable and somewhat onerous post of Chamberlain upon Mr. Horatio G Crabbe. …”
“He is well qualified for the position, and the fact that he is married to a native of the country and has a family here, is a proof that His Majesty recognizes the justice of the policy of advancing those who have identities themselves with his own people, and who are otherwise competent.” (PCA, Jan 18, 1873)
Lunalilo never married, but he had “mistress Eliza Meek, who was the part-Hawaiian daughter to Captain John Meek, the harbor master.” (Kanahele) Their relationship was apparently more of a love-hate relationship. (Renaud) Eliza was sister-in-law to Crabbe.
A Kamehameha through his mother Kekāuluohi, Lunalilo proclaimed the royal family to consist of himself, his father Kanaʻina, Dowager Queen Emma and Keʻelikōlani. His official royal court included these four, along with the king’s treasurer, HG Crabbe. (Nogelmeier)
Lunalilo died February 3, 1874, after only serving about 1-year as King. Crabbe “then went to Leilehua Ranch which he partly owned. The drought came and the ranch was almost stripped of its live stock. He returned to Honolulu and successively engaged in the draying and hay and grain business.”
“While in the grain business he was elected a noble on the National Reform ticket during the reign of Kalakaua and served his term in the legislature.”
“In later years he was connected with the police station under Marshal Parke, and was also with the Oahu Railway. In recent times he retired from active participation in business or affairs.”
“Horace Gates Crabbe one of the white kamaainas longest in these islands died at 10:30 o’clock Saturday evening [December 6, 1903] at his residence on Nuuanu avenue following a stroke of paralysis suffered about a week before.” (Hawaiian Star, Dec 7, 1903)
“He leaves surviving him five children: De Courcy W, John M, Clarence L [the President of the Hawaiian Senate], Horace N, and Mrs Lydia R Allen.” (Sunday Advertiser, Dec 6, 1903)

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