American Protestant Missionaries | Page 9

A man-on-the-street impression is that the Pioneer Company of American Protestant missionaries hopped off the boat in 1820 and was promoted on the spot to $$1 (navy jargon for still smasher first class).

Not so. There was a time “before the Temperance Movement engaged the loyalties of the missionaries in the Pacific.” (Greer)

It turns out, while the Pioneer Company of missionaries left the Long Wharf at Boston as scheduled, on October 23, 1819, they then lay at anchor in the Presidential Roads.

The next day, Captain Andrew Henri Blanchard, the Captain of the Thaddeus, “(O)n the passengers examining their stores, they found a short supply of that article at day light Capt. Blanchard went up to Boston at 11 am (October 24, 1819). Captain Blanchard returned from town with a supply of bread & spirits for the missionaries.” (James Hunnewell Log)

While not necessarily a booze cruise, the missionaries continued to have their alcohol. Shortly after their arrival in the Islands, anchoring April 4, 1820 at Kailua Kona, they were soon ‘treated’ with glasses of wine …

“As soon as we approached the beach we were discovered by the natives, who flocked-about the boat in such swarms that it was with much difficulty we could land and force our way to the King’s house, which was about 20 rods from the water.”

“When we arrived at the door we found the King at breakfast on his mat; we took our seats and were soon treated with a glass of wine, and invited to stay and dine. Soon after the Queens made their appearance, each attended by a servant holding a feather fly brush in their hands.” (April 7, 1820, Samuel Ruggles)

Lucia Holman referenced the same dining experience, noting, “We returned about 1 Oc. to the house of his Royal Majesty (Oreho-reho, son of the deceased King) where we dined upon roast pig, fowls, vegetables, well dressed, etc., etc. – a glass of wine crowned the dish.” (April 7, 1820, Lucia Holman)

Others supplied them with the fermented beverage … “The fourth day after our arrival, the King sent us a Mahogany (koa) round table with six drawers, which answer the place of a cupboard.”

“A few weeks after our arrival on shore we were visited by 2 English Captains (whalers) who had come to these Islands for water and provisions. From them we secured many valuable presents, such as crockery, wine, butter, and each of us a chair.” (Lucia Holman)

When Ruggles and Whitney delivered Humehume hone to his father King Kaumualiʻi on May 3, 1820, their ‘excellent’ supper was topped with brandy, gin and wine …

“A supper was soon provided for us consisting of a couple of hogs baked, whole after the American manner, several fowls and a dog cooked after the style of the Island, together with potatoes, tarro, bananas, cocoanuts, and watermelons, brandy, gin, wines, &c. The table was set in good style; our supper was indeed excellent.” (May 3, 1820, Samuel Ruggles)

Anthony D Allen (a former slave from the continent) had his home at about where the Washington Middle School is situated (including about a dozen other houses.) Several references note his property as a “resort;” “… it is a favourite resort of the more respectable of the seamen who visit Honoruru. …” (Reverend Charles Stewart) It may have been Waikiki’s first hotel.

“His plantation is two miles from the Mission House on the plain, towards Waititi. The road to it, although on the plain, is uncultivated and entirely unshaded, affords the most pleasant walk in the immediate vicinity of Honoruru.”

Allen entertained often and made his property available for special occasions. “King (Kauikeaouli – Kamehameha III) had a Grand Dinner at AD Allen’s. The company came up at sunset. Music played very late.” (Reynolds – Scruggs, HJH)

Missionaries Hiram and Sybil Bingham also visited. Sybil noted in her diary, “To avoid walking in the heat, we made ourselves ready by ten – locked up our houses and set off. A multitude had assembled by the time we were at the gate, to attend us. Our little handcart, the only wheels, I believe on the Island, served for a carriage for those for whom the walk might prove too great.”

“He set upon the table decanters and glasses with wine and brandy to refresh us”. They ended dinner “with wine and melons”. (June 24, 1820, Sybil Bingham)

As late as 1827 the Honolulu contingent ran in effect a liquor store for its members. From May 15, 1826, to May 2, 1827 (Greer):

Hiram Bingham bought on his personal account:
• 7 ½ gal. of wine
• 6 ¾ gal, 1 pt. and a bottle of rum
• 4 gal. of brandy
• 1 doz. bottles of porter, and
• 4 bottles of port

Elisha Loomis bought:
• 8 gal., 1 pt. of wine
• 1 gal. of rum, and
• 1 ½ gal. of brandy

Abraham Blatchley bought:
• 4 gal. of brandy
• 2 gal. of rum, and
• 2 gal. of gin

Joseph Goodrich bought:
• 2 ½ gal. of wine and
• 1 qt. of rum.

Samuel Ruggles bought:
• 1 ¼ gal. of brandy and
• 2 ¼ gal. of wine.

Levi Chamberlain bought”
• 3 qts. of wine and
• 2 qts. of brandy

The Medical Department drew 4 gal. of rum. After May 1827, recorded purchases dwindled to a stop. (Mission Account Book; Greer)

We even see some references to beer (brewing and drinking) in missionary journals. On November 19-20, 1824, missionary Elisha Loomis notes, “Yesterday and today I have been engaged in making beer and vinegar from a root called tee, which grows plentifully in these islands. It is the most sweet of any vegetable I ever tasted. The juice is nearly as sweet as molasses.”

On October 31, 1832, Clarissa Armstrong (wife of Reverend Richard Armstrong) noted, “Capt. Brayton has given me a little beer cask – it holds 6 quarts – Nothing could have been more acceptable.”

“I wanted to ask you for one, but did not like to. O how kind providence has been & is to us, in supplying our wants. The board have sent out hops – & I have some beer now a working. I should like to give you a drink.”

On July 24, 1836, Clarissa Armstrong notes (during an illness:) “We had a bottle of wine of which I drank … All the nourishment I took after leaving Honolulu til we reached Wailuku was two biscuit about the size of small crackers, & a bit of dried beef.”

“Drinks were my nourishment. Limes grow at Oahu & I obtained some for the voyage, which furnished me pleasant drink. Also a little beer which I had made.”

However, they shortly got on the bandwagon against liquor and encouraged King Kamehameha III and most of the chiefs to pledge themselves to total abstinence. And, in part, became zealous preachers of temperance; the king himself frequently addressing the people on the subject. (The King and others regularly fell off the water wagon.)

In March 1838, the first liquor license law was enacted, which prohibited all selling of liquors without a license under a fine of fifty dollars for the first offense, to be increased by the addition of fifty dollars for every repetition of the offense. (The Friend, December 1887)

All houses for the sale of liquor were to be closed at ten o’clock at night, and from Saturday night until Monday morning. Drunkenness was prohibited in the licensed houses under a heavy fine to the drinker, and the loss of his license to the seller. (The Friend, December 1887)

In 1843, the seamen’s chaplain, Samuel C. Damon, started ‘The Temperance Advocate and Seamen’s Friend;’ he soon changed its name to simply “The Friend.” Through it, he offered ‘Six Hints to seamen visiting Honolulu’ (the Friend, October 8, 1852,) his first ‘Hint,’ “Keep away from the grog shops.”

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By the time the Pioneer Company arrived (1820,) Kamehameha I had died (1819) and the centuries-old kapu system had been abolished, through the actions of King Kamehameha II (Liholiho, his son,) with encouragement by his father’s wives, Queens Kaʻahumanu and Keōpūolani (Liholiho’s mother.)) Keōpūolani later decided to move to Maui.

A few years later the Second Company arrived; “On the 26th of May (1823) we heard that the barge (Cleopatra’s Barge, or “Haʻaheo o Hawaiʻi,” Pride of Hawaiʻi) was about to sail for Lahaina, with the old queen (Keōpūolani) and princess (Nāhiʻenaʻena;) and that the queen was desirous to have missionaries to accompany her”.

“A meeting was called to consult whether it was expedient to establish a mission at Lahaina. The mission was determined on, and Mr S (Stewart) was appointed to go: he chose Mr R (Richards) for his companion … On the 28th we embarked on the mighty ocean again, which we had left so lately.” (Betsey Stockton Journal)

Keōpūolani is said to have been the first convert of the missionaries in the Islands, receiving baptism from Rev. William Ellis in Lāhainā on September 16, 1823. Keōpūolani was spoken of “with admiration on account of her amiable temper and mild behavior”. (William Richards) She was ill and died shortly after her baptism.

The tenth ABCFM Company arrived in the Islands on September 24, 1842 on the Sarah Abagail from Boston. On board were Rev George Berkeley Rowell (1815-1884) and wife Malvina Jerusha Chapin (1816-1901) and Physician James William Smith (1810–1887) and wife Melicent Knapp Smith (1816–1891.) They were assigned to the station on Kauai.

Born in Stamford, Connecticut in 1810 to a farm family, James William Smith became a school teacher at 17, and had a religious conversion at 19. He studied religion for about 3-years until he became ill in 1834 and was unable to complete his studies to enter the ministry.

Their son, William Owen Smith, born at Kōloa, Kauai, was educated at Rev David Dole’s school at Kōloa, later attending Punahou School in Honolulu; Smith left school to go to work on a sugar plantation for three years to learn the sugar industry, working in the boiling house in winter and in the fields in summer.

Smith was Sheriff of Kauai for two years and Maui for two years. He later became a lawyer and state legislator.

On April 24, 1873, while serving as Sheriff on Maui, WO Smith planted Lāhainā’s Indian Banyan to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the first Protestant mission in Lāhainā.

After settling in, the tree slowly sent branches outward from its trunk. From the branches, a series of aerial roots descended towards the earth. Some of them touched the ground and dug in, growing larger until eventually turning into trunks themselves.

Over the years, Lahaina residents encouraged the symmetrical growth of the tree by hanging large glass jars filled with water on the aerial roots that they wanted to grow into a trunk. In time, what was once a small sapling matured into a monumental behemoth.

It now stands over 60 feet high, has 16 major trunks in addition to the massive original and shades nearly two-thirds of an acre. Maui County Arborist Committee carefully maintains the health and shape of this majestic tree.

It is the largest banyan tree in the entire United States. In recent times, the courthouse square was renamed ‘Banyan Tree Park’ in its honor. Lāhainā Restoration Foundation takes care of the park grounds. (Lāhainā Restoration Foundation)

An interesting side note to Queen Lili‘uokalani’s legal matters relate to the role and relationship she had with WO Smith.

During the revolutionary period, Smith was one of the thirteen members of the Committee of Safety that overthrew the rule of Queen Liliʻuokalani (January 17, 1893) and established the Provisional Government.

He then served on the executive council of the Provisional Government and was sent to Washington DC when the proposed Organic Act for the Government of Hawaiʻi was pending before Congress.

When not filling public office, Mr. Smith had been engaged in private law practice and was affiliated with various law firms during his long career.

Smith and his firm wrote the will for Princess Pauahi Bishop that created the Bishop Estate. As a result of this, Pauahi recommended to Queen Liliʻuokalani that he write her will for the Liliʻuokalani Trust (which he did.)

On the November 30, 1915, Jonah Kūhiō Kalaniana‘ole, on his own behalf filed a bill in equity averring mental weakness on the part of Queen Lili‘uokalani. (Hawaii Supreme Court)

WO Smith represented the Queen in the case. The case made it to the Hawai‘i Supreme Court; the Supreme court held that the presumption of competency prevailed in favor of the Queen.

The Supreme court also found, “We think it is clear, therefore, that Kalaniana‘ole, as sole complainant, may not maintain the suit since he has no interest in the subject-matter.” The queen won the case.

Speaking of his relationship with the Queen, Smith said, “One of the gratifying experiences of my life was that after the trying period which led up to the overthrow of the monarchy and the withdrawal of Queen Liliʻuokalani, the Queen sent for me to prepare a will and deed of trust of her property and appointed me one of her trustees”. (Nellist)

Smith was also a trustee of the Bernice Pauahi Bishop Estate from 1884-1886 and 1897-1929, the Lunalilo Estate, the Alexander Young Estate and the Children’s Hospital.

The land that Kūhiō made claim to helped to form the Lili‘uokalani Trust, “a private operating foundation founded in 1909, for the benefit of orphan and destitute children with preference given to Native Hawaiian children.”

“A diversified portfolio of real estate, marketable securities and private investments provides the resources to support mission-related programs and activities.” (Lili‘uokalani Trust)

Author Evelyn Cook noted in a newspaper interview related to the book she wrote about WO Smith’s father, ‘100 Years of Healing: The Legacy of a Kauai Missionary Doctor’, “Today, the prince is worshipped, and WO Smith is vilified. But who is the hero and villain? People don’t know their own history.” (Command)

Click HERE for more Information on the Lāhainā Banyan Tree.

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