Big 5 | Page 3 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

April 20, 2016 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Walker Estate

Captain Heinrich Hackfeld was an adventurer born in Dalmenhorst, in Oldenberg, Germany. He was a sea captain on the China run when he sailed into Honolulu Harbor for provisions.

He stayed; he and his brother-in-law Johann Carl Pflueger founded a dry goods store called H Hackfeld and Company in 1849 in Honolulu. In 1881, Paul Isenberg became a partner.

George Rodiek was first vice president of H Hackfeld & Co; he also served as German consul in the Islands. In 1905, Rodiek built a two-story home with a series of garden featuring ferns, rocks and orchard in Nuʻuanu.

Then, WWI came (1914-1918.) In 1918, using the terms of the Trading with the Enemy Act and its amendments, the US government seized H Hackfeld & Company and ordered the sale of German-owned shares. (Jung)

The patriotic sounding “American Factors, Ltd,” the newly-formed Hawaiʻi-based corporation, whose largest shareholders included Alexander & Baldwin, C Brewer & Company, Castle & Cooke, HP Baldwin Ltd, Matson Navigation Company and Welch & Company, bought the H Hackfeld stock. (Jung)

The German-started H Hackfeld & Co became one of Hawaiʻi’s “Big Five.” (Hawaiʻi’s Big 5 were: Amfac – starting as Hackfeld & Company (1849;) Alexander & Baldwin (1870;) Theo H Davies (1845;) Castle & Cooke (1851) and C Brewer (1826.))

In 1918, Rodiek sold his Nuʻuanu home to Alan Wilcox who remained in it until the 1930s when it was taken over by Henry Alexander Walker (Walker became president of American Factors in the 1930s – American Factors shortened its name to “Amfac” in 1966.

The next year (1967,) Alexander’s son, Henry Alexander Walker became president and later Board Chairman. Over the next 15-years, Walker took Amfac from a company that largely depended on sugar production in Hawaiʻi to a broadly diversified conglomerate. After adding so many companies, Amfac sales were $1.3 billion by 1976, up from $575 million in 1971. (hbs-edu)

After subsequent sales of controlling interests in the company and liquidation of land and other assets, in 2002, the once dominant business in Hawaiʻi, the biggest of the Hawaiʻi Big Five, Amfac Hawaiʻi, LLC (Limited Liability Company) filed for federal bankruptcy protection. (TGI)

OK, back to the house … The nearly-6-acres of grounds were originally used for orchards and vegetables although the Japanese garden was put in shortly after the house was built (thought to be the oldest formal Japanese garden in Hawaiʻi,) the stones, lamps and images specially brought from Japan for it.

Wilcox expanded the gardens, but it was not until the Walkers took over the house that the grounds were made into a showplace. (NPS)

The Walkers turned the estate into world famous orchid gardens. Una Walker (Henry Sr’s wife) maintained the estate by making the grounds available for weddings and visitors and as a movie and television set.

The Walker residence is one of the few intact estates that were built in the upper Nuʻuanu Valley before and after the turn of the century. The Classical Revival style reflects an era of gracious living that for various reasons has passed from existence except in a few isolated cases. (NPS)

In 1973, the property was listed on the National Register of Historic Places; in addition more that 20 of its trees are listed as exceptional trees. (Being on the register doesn’t mean that a private landowner cannot demolish a historic site.)

In 1989, two years after Una’s death, the house and its grounds were sold by the Walker heirs to Masao Nangaku of Minami Group (USA) Inc. His intention was to restore the original house to be used as a corporate retreat; he renovated the house.

After Nangaku experienced financial problems, Richard Fried and partners took the property over and, in 1998, asked for planning permission to build a chapel to facilitate weddings on the site.

When this was refused, the estate was sold to Holy-eye (the Hawaii business arm of Forshang World Foundation and Forshang Buddhism World Center) the same day.

In 2005, Holy-Eye listed the estate for sale. In June 2006, real-estate developer TR Partners attempted to purchase the estate and planned to demolish the building and subdivide up to 20-home sites.

In 2006, Historic Hawaiʻi Foundation listed the Walker Estate to that year’s Most Endangered Historic Site (listing there calls attention to Historic resources that are often threatened by demolition, neglect, ignorance and/or apathy.)

The Taiwan and US flags are flown at the entrance to the property.

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March 31, 2015 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

William Lowthian Green

“William Lowthian Green was born in Doughty street, London, September 13, 1819. He received his early education in Liverpool, which was completed at King William’s College in the Isle of Man.”

“As a boy he was fond of athletic sports. He was a famous rider and gymnast. His cleverness as well as his thoroughly reliable character made him a favorite with his teachers and school-fellows.”

“He was by profession a merchant. His family for two generations had been engaged in commercial pursuits in the north of England.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, February 21, 1900)

Green, “was a man of middle height, with delicate features, pale complexion, & broad and high forehead and curly, dark brown hair. The curls he used to scrupulously straighten when a boy; it was considered “girlish” in those days to have curly hair.”

“The hair, as well as a nervous, active temperament, he inherited from his mother, who was partly of Scottish descent. On the paternal side of his house, Mr. Green had Italian blood in his veins. This mixture of nationalities is common in the genealogies of commercial people.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, February 21, 1900)

He worked for his father’s company in Liverpool and as part of that sailed to Buenos Ayres. On his return (1843,) he got the idea of building a screw steamer and self-start some shipping in South America. That failed.

He then joined the rush to California to try his luck finding gold (some of his friends were fortunate, there.) He wasn’t.

Green’s health failed after some time in the goldfields and in 1850 he determined to go to China. The ship called at Honolulu, and Green, unable to withstand the hardships of a sailor’s life, and having letters to prominent residents of Honolulu, presented his credentials. (Nellist)

“On his arrival at Honolulu he had to attend firstly to material wants. He happened to be most kindly received by a merchant, Mr Robert Cheshire Janion”. (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, February 21, 1900)

A few years later, Green was made a partner with Janion and the firm name became Janion, Green & Co. During this period, Green took a leading part in establishing the Honolulu Iron Works.

Some years later the partnership of Janion and Green was dissolved and Green entered business on his own account. (The Janion firm later became Theo H Davies, one of Hawaiʻi’s ‘Big 5’ companies.)

In 1852, the British first opened the “Mess” rooms (a club;) it started in a one-story wooden building off of Maunakea street, which was reached by a lane leading to the rear of the premises known as Liberty Hall (also known as Bugle Alley.) Green was the head of the Mess. (Today, it is known as Pacific Club.)

But Green’s passion was not business, social or political.

“During the intervals of leisure in his several occupations as merchant, founder of the now prosperous iron works, sugar planter, Deputy British Commissioner, Senator and at times Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi, his mind, we may be certain, was fixed upon the working out of the geological theory of the conformation of the earth’s crust.”

“Independently of his business occupations he had to contend with the difficulty of pursuing his scientific studies thousands of miles distant from Europe and out of the immediate reach of books, the papers of learned societies, and, above all, of daily converse with men of kindred ideas in his own country.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, February 21, 1900)

Mr. Green is best known abroad as a geologist, having made a special study of volcanoes and volcanic phenomena. His published volumes, ‘The Vestiges of the Molten Globe,’ have attracted wide attention, and have established for him a permanent name in scientific circles all over the world. (Nellist)

“Part I of Mr Green’s ‘Vestiges of the Molten Globe’ was published by Stanford in London in 1875.” It didn’t fare well. The publisher wrote to him “that he wants to get the remaining copies of the ‘Vestiges of the Molten Globe’ out of his way. They will not realize much as waste paper, as there is not much paper about them.’”

“Part II of the “Vestiges of the Molten Globe” was printed and published in Honolulu in 1887 under Mr. Green’s own superintendence, but at a time when his health was beginning finally to give way. Only a few copies of the work reached England, and these were sent by him personally to leading scientific men.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, February 21, 1900)

“His second volume, urging his theory of hydrostatic pressure as the main uplifting force of lava columns from below, is also of great popular interest from its graphic as well as systematized accounts of the phenomena of our volcanoes of Kīlauea and Mokuʻaweoweo.”

“This eminent gentleman closed his long and serviceable life, at his home on the 7th of December (1890,) at the ripe age of 72 years, and after more than a year of physical prostration, during which, however, his mind was clear and active.”

“The deceased leaves a widow, a daughter of the late Dr McKibben, and one child, the wife of Mr JNS Williams, the accomplished manager of the Union Iron Works of this city.” (The Friend, January 1, 1891)

The image shows William Lowthian Green.

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February 24, 2015 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Alexander & Baldwin Building

In 1843, Samuel Thomas Alexander and Henry Perrine Baldwin, sons of early missionaries to Hawaiʻi, met in Lāhainā, Maui. They grew up together, became close friends and went on to develop a sugar-growing partnership.

In 1869, they purchased 12-acres of land in Makawao and the following year an additional 559-acres. That same year, the partners planted sugar cane on their land marking the birth of what would become Alexander & Baldwin (A&B.)

Fast forward to 1924 … sons Wallace M Alexander and Harry A Baldwin served on the A&B board. On February 24, 1924, the board decided to purchase land and build a new home headquarters in Honolulu.

The Alexander & Baldwin Building was planned as a memorial to ST Alexander and HP Baldwin and designed as a prestige home office, with sufficient budget to insure both. A primary concern of the owners was that the building be “uniquely Hawaiian” in appearance. (NPS)

“My foremost thought architecturally was to produce a building suitable to the climate, environment, history and geographical position of Hawaii…the location of Honolulu at the crossroads of the Pacific, in close touch with the Orient, gave sufficient reason for allowing Chinese architecture to clearly influence the design.”

“…the exotic Chinese influence is so subtle that it would not be noted by a casual observer. However, it is there in every detail of the design. On the exterior it is most pronounced in the window ornamentation, in the circular “Good Luck” signs at the main entrance portico on Bishop Street and the long life signs in the column capitals.” (CW Dickey, its architect)

Founded in 1870, A&B was nearly 60 years old when the building was built in 1929. During its construction, people were fascinated with its construction. (One day, four artesian wells were tapped, spewing a flood of water.)

The cornerstone laying ceremony took place November 21, 1928. Reverend Norman C Schenck, in giving tribute to the company’s founders, stated “Out of the past come precious memories of those whose noble purposes, indomitable wills and might endeavors have laid the foundations for our beloved Hawaiʻi.” (A&B)

Originally designed with a 39-foot ceiling in the ‘public floor’ (the central first floor,) it started as a 3-story structure with basement. Two tiled murals on the mauka and makai sides, the sailing ship ‘John Ena’ at Port Allen, Kauai (mauka) and Kahului Harbor and ʻIao Valley (makai) sat 29-feet above the workers on the first floor.

In making each mural, the artist (Jessie Stanton) first painted a picture and made a full-sized rendering of it. It was gridded out at the size of the tiles; individual tiles were manufactured matching each square in the grid – then applied to the wall.

Modifications in 1959 added a mezzanine level, lowering the lower-floor ceiling to 14-feet and creating a new second level that now houses the boardroom (mauka,) offices and lunchroom (makai.)

Other renovations/remodels took place over the years. The 100,000 or so clay tiles in the roof replicated the original roof. The last renovation to the building was in 2006.

The steel-framed, reinforced concrete building has Hawaiian, Chinese and other features; most notable is the Dickey Hawaiian roof (high peak, double pitch.)

The building had its grand opening on September 30, 1929. The Star-bulletin editorial called the building “the architectural expression of triumph of human courage, ingenuity, seen and unseen, which beset the pioneers of industrial Hawaiʻi.” (A&B)

A&B was one of Hawaiʻi’s five major companies (that emerged to providing operations, marketing, supplies and other services for the plantations and eventually came to own and manage most of them.) They became known as the Big Five.

Hawaiʻi’s Big Five were: C Brewer (1826;) A Theo H Davies (1845;) Amfac – starting as Hackfeld & Company (1849;) Castle & Cooke (1851) and Alexander & Baldwin (1870.)

The historic Alexander & Baldwin building (on the State and National Register of Historic Places) remains in the heart of the core of Honolulu’s financial and business district.

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February 20, 2015 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

C Brewer

C Brewer & Co, Ltd began at a distant date under a different name, and is a result of the growth through the changes of time and circumstances rather than of any one definite act. (Thrum)

The following are the various names which the firm was known: James Hunnewell, Hunnewell & Peirce, Peirce & Hinckley, Peirce & Brewer, C Brewer & Co, SH Williams & Co, C Brewer 2d, C Brewer & Co Ltd. (The Friend, January 1, 1867)

In its early years, the following are the names of those who have been connected with this firm as partners: James Hunnewell, Thomas Hinckley, Henry A Peirce, Charles Brewer, JFB Marshall, Francis Johnson, William Baker Jr, Stephen H Williams, Benjamin F Snow, Charles Brewer 2d, Sherman Peck, CH Lunt, HAP Carter and I Bartlett. (The Friend, January 1, 1867)

If an exact date and a single act are to be assigned, it was on Monday, December 8, 1817, when James Hunnewell, officer of the brig Bordeaux Packet, agreed with Andrew Blanchard, master, to remain at Honolulu after the sale of the vessel. (Thrum)

He would dispose of the balance of her cargo and invest and forward the proceeds. This was the beginning of the long business career of Hunnewell connected with the Islands, and his first act in settling there. (Thrum)

Hunnewell first came to the Islands aboard the ‘Packet’ in October 1816. He agreed to stay (December 8, 1817) and traded his boat and cargo for sandalwood, “We were the only traders on shore at Honolulu that had any goods to sell.” There was no currency at the time, so they generally traded for sandalwood. (Hunnewell, The Friend)

At first, business was generally in small transactions and by barter. American goods of nearly all sorts were received and sold on consignment. (Thrum)

After trading sandalwood in China and then back to the northeast, Hunnewell returned to the Islands in 1820 on the ‘Thaddeus,’ “This was the memorable voyage when we carried out the first missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands.” He stayed … “it was urged by some of the chiefs that knew me on my previous voyage that I should remain instead of a stranger to trade with them.” (Hunnewell)

Later, in 1825, he negotiated with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, “to take the missionary packet out, free from any charge whatever on (his) part for sailing and navigating the vessel – provided the Board would pay and feed the crew, and allow (him) to carry out in the schooner to the amount (in bulk) of some forty to fifty barrels”. (Hunnewell)

Then in 1826, with a stock of merchandise, he then purchased the premises of John Gowen (to which he added some land by exchange in 1830.) “As soon as I secured this place, I landed my cargo, and commenced retailing it…” (Hunnewell)

In October, 1828, Captain Marcus T Peirce, an old and intimate friend of Hunnewell’s, arrived in the brig Griffin from the north-west coast. He gave up the command of his vessel to Captain MW Green, he preferring to return home.

In doing so, he requested that Hunnewell to take charge of his younger brother, Henry A Peirce, who had been a clerk with him. Young Peirce first worked for $25 per month and board until September, 1830; after that he was given a share in the profits.

Hunnewell decided to return home on the continent (November 20, 1830) and left Peirce in charge; Hunnewell thought he would come back to the Islands, but never did. Hunnewell decided to remain at home, and Peirce accepted his offer to loan him funds enough to enable him to carry on the business himself and take the establishment at an appraised value.

“The name … James Hunnewell was early associated with the commercial interests of these Islands, and his long and useful life was marked by such constant goodwill to my kingdom, that I shall always cherish his memory with sincere regard.” (Kamehameha V to Hunnewell’s son; Thrum)

Peirce took Hinckley as a partner; but Hinckley retired due to his health. Next, Charles Brewer arrived (on his third voyage to the Islands,) just before Hunnewell left for home. (Hunnewell, The Friend) For a while, Brewer commanded Peirce’s vessels on their voyages to China and the Russian possessions.

In December, 1835, a co-partnership was formed by Peirce and Brewer. Under this partnership, the firm of Peirce & Brewer conducted a general merchandise and commission business at Honolulu. (Peirce)

“Mr. Peirce had been absent from home twelve years, and was anxious to go back and visit his family. He made me an offer to join him as a partner in business, which offer I accepted, and in one month from that time, Mr. Peirce left Honolulu for Boston, where he remained a year or more, returning by the way of Mexico and South America.” (Brewer)

“When I was received as a partner in business with Mr. Henry A. Peirce, I continued the firm name of Peirce & Brewer until Mr. Peirce retired, in 1843. I then continued the business as C Brewer & Co., with my nephew C Brewer, 2d, until the year 1845.” (Brewer)

That year, there was a merger with the firm of Marshall & Johnson (established in 1841 by James B. Marshall and Francis Johnson.) Brewer returned to Boston. “We arrived in Boston on March 26, 1849, and from that time, my sea life may be said to have ended.” (Brewer)

This association ended in 1847 and the business was taken over by SH Williams & Co, composed of Stephen H Williams, James B Marshall, William Baker Jr, and, a year later, Benjamin F Snow.

It was not until 1859 that the firm again and finally resumed the name of C Brewer & Co, when in September of that year, Charles Brewer II, a nephew of Captain Brewer, engaged in partnership with Sherman Peck and took over the business. (Nellist)

The second Brewer retired in the summer of 1861, but the business was continued under the Brewer name. At about this time the sugar industry was making its first strides and C Brewer & Co became agent for a plantation at Makawao, Maui.

In 1863, it had acquired holdings in Wailuku plantation, in 1866 Brewer became agent for Waiheʻe plantation. In 1869 a son of Charles Brewer, John D Brewer, and IB Peterson were admitted as partners. A man who was destined to make C Brewer & Co. famous, Peter Cushman Jones, was admitted to partnership on Jan. 1, 1871.

C. Brewer & Co., Ltd., was incorporated on Feb. 7, 1883, with Peter Cushman Jones as president and manager; absorption of William G Irwin & Co. by C. Brewer & Co., Ltd., followed E. Faxon Bishop’s elevation to the presidency. (Nellist)

The Brewer company grew, as did a handful of others – primarily in businesses associated with the booming economy. Since the early/mid-1800s, until relatively recently, five major companies emerged and dominated the state’s economic framework. Their common trait: they were founded in agriculture – sugar and pineapple.

They became known as the Big 5: Amfac – starting as Hackfeld & Company (1849;) Alexander & Baldwin (1870;) Theo H. Davies (1845;) Castle & Cooke (1851) and C Brewer (1826.)

The decline in agricultural mono-cropping and a changing economy to the visitor industry, Brewer and the others lost their dominance. Longtime Brewer Chair, JWA ‘Doc’ Buyers, bought out the company and moved its headquarters to Hilo (2001.) The company, at the time Hawaiʻi’s oldest continuously operating company, dissolved in 2006.

A lasting legacy of the company is the C Brewer Building, constructed in 1930, the last and smallest of the ‘Big Five’ home office buildings to be built in downtown Honolulu.

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August 18, 2014 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Charles Brewer

Charles Brewer was born in Boston in 1804. His father was Moses Brewer, his mother Abigail May Brewer. After his father died in 1813, his mother moved to her family home in Jamaica Plain, where she remained until she died in 1849 at 79 years.

“At a very early age (he) had a strong desire to be a sailor, but, being an only son, (his) mother strongly objected, and sent (him) to a woman’s school at East Sudbury. (He) remained there two summers. During the year following (he) attended the East Sudbury Academy.” (Brewer; Reminiscences)

Then, “One day, my mother, without my knowledge, called on several of her old friends to consult with them about my going to sea … each of whom had been a sailor in his youth, and afterwards had been engaged in shipping business from Boston for many years.” (Brewer)

“Their advice … was that, if I was so anxious to become a seaman when I was twenty-one, she had better give her consent for me to go when I was seventeen, so that perhaps I might become an officer by the time I was twenty-one.”

“Their advice proved good, for (he) was second officer of the ship” Paragon” when (he) was twenty-one, and first officer of the same ship when was twenty-two.” (Brewer)

After some sailing experience, Brewer had an interest in going to the Sandwich Islands. “(He) learned that the ship ‘Paragon’ was going to the Sandwich Islands and to China, so (he) made application at once, and was shipped on board as an ordinary seaman at eight dollars a month.” (Brewer)

They left Boston on February 23, 1823 with two passengers, Thomas Crocker. Esq., US consul for the Hawaiian Islands, and Robert Elwell, consul’s clerk. Second officer (and also acting sail-maker) on board was John Dominis (father of John Owen Dominis who was later the husband of Queen Liliʻuokalani.)

After arriving in Honolulu and ongoing attempts to gather sandalwood for trade, the King asked to charter the Paragon for the funeral of Queen Keōpūolani.

“The king, with all his officers, together with all the foreign consuls, was on board the ‘Paragon.’ On the arrival of the fleet at Lāhainā, minute-guns were fired, and it was continued all the day.”

“There were nearly 12,000 natives at the landing at Lāhainā to witness the funeral; and they expressed their deep grief and sympathy for the king by a loud wailing and wringing of hands. The next day the fleet returned to Honolulu.” (Brewer)

After serving on several other ships trading between the Northwest, Hawaii and China, Brewer headed for Honolulu (on his third voyage for the Islands,) arriving in November, 1830.

Part of the cargo was plants, including night-blooming cereus. They looked dead and he was ordered then thrown overboard; one looked survivable and he nursed it back and when they arrived in Honolulu the flowers were in full bloom and “was a great curiosity.”

“When I was at Honolulu in 1879, I found the plant no longer a curiosity, for the walls in many parts of the town were covered with it.” (Brewer)

(Punahou School’s dry stack rock wall along Punahou Street was constructed in 1834. The night-blooming cereus (known in Hawaiʻi as panini o kapunahou) that today continues to cover the Punahou walls (that back in 1924 was noted to have “world-wide reputation and interest”) was planted by Sybil Bingham (Hiram’s wife.))

As Brewer was sailing back and forth to the Islands, James Hunnewell was doing the same. On one trip, on the Thaddeus, Hunnewell returned to the Islands in 1820.

“This was the memorable voyage when we carried out the first missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands (including Hiram and Sybil Bingham.”) He stayed … “it was urged by some of the chiefs that knew me on my previous voyage that I should remain instead of a stranger to trade with them.” (Hunnewell)

Later, in 1825, Hunnewell negotiated with the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, “to take the missionary packet out, free from any charge whatever on (his) part for sailing and navigating the vessel—provided the Board would pay and feed the crew, and allow (him) to carry out in the schooner to the amount (in bulk) of some forty to fifty barrels”. (Hunnewell)

He then purchased the premises of John Gowen for the sum of $250, to which I added some land by exchange in 1830. “As soon as I secured this place, I landed my cargo, and commenced retailing it…” (Hunnewell) This was the beginning of a company that would later carry the Brewer name.

Hunnewell first partnered with Henry A Peirce. Peirce then took Thomas Hinckley as a partner; but Hinckley soon retired due to his health. Next, in steps Brewer; he commanded Peirce’s trading vessels on their voyages to China and the Russian possessions.

In December, 1835, a co-partnership was formed by Peirce and Brewer. Under this partnership, the firm of Peirce & Brewer conducted a general merchandise and commission business at Honolulu. (Peirce)

“When I was received as a partner in business with Mr Henry A Peirce, I continued the firm name of Peirce & Brewer until Mr Peirce retired, in 1843. I then continued the business as C Brewer & Co., with my nephew C Brewer, 2d, until the year 1845.” (Brewer)

After various partnerships and name changes, it was not until 1859 that the firm again and finally resumed the name of C Brewer & Co., when in September of that year, Charles Brewer II, a nephew of Captain Brewer, engaged in partnership with Sherman Peck and took over the business. (Nellist)

Brewer returned to Boston. “We arrived in Boston on March 26, 1849, and from that time, my sea life may be said to have ended.” (Brewer)

However, “I continued my business alone for about one year, and then joined with Mr. James Hunnewell and Mr. Henry A. Peirce in the Sandwich Islands and East India trade, as well as general freighting in various parts of the world. Our Partnership consisted only in our ships, and we were one third owners each of our several vessels.” (Brewer)

In reminiscing of life in the Islands, Brewer noted, “My life at the Sandwich Islands during a period of nearly twenty-six years was a very pleasant one, and I shall always remember with gratitude the kindness I received from the many friends in Honolulu, and especially from his majesty King Kamehameha III, who, from his boyhood to his death, was always my firm friend.”

The image shows Charles Brewer.

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