Bingham | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

October 2, 2022 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Binghams and Mid-Pacific Institute

“It was a little acorn, planted in missionary soil, watered by some trials and tears, nourished by the prayers and gifts of many friends, protected and blest, we trust, by one who is our Master, even Christ.”

“A vigorous oak, it is soon to be transplanted to the hills, to spread its branches under the sunshine, the showers and the rainbows of beautiful Manoa Valley.”

“May the blessing of the Lord ever rest upon it, and upon her through whose munificence it is to find its new home.” (Lydia Bingham, 1907)

“Honolulu Female Academy (is) another of the schools provided by Christian benevolence for the benefit of the children of this highly favored land. This institution will, it is hoped, supply a felt need for a home for girls, in the town of Honolulu, yet not too near its center of business.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, April 13, 1867)

“The inception of this school emanated from Mrs Halsey Gulick. In 1863, when living in the old mission premises on the mauka side of King street, she took several Hawaiian girls into her family to be brought up with her own children … The mother love was strong in that little group as some of us remember.” (Hawaiian Gazette, March 23, 1897)

The usefulness of such a school became evident; as the enrollment grew, the need for a more permanent organization was required. It became known as Kawaiahaʻo Female Seminary.

In 1867, the Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society (HMCS – an organization consisting of the children of the missionaries and adopted supporters) decided to support a girls’ boarding school.

HMCS invited Miss Lydia Bingham (daughter of Reverend Hiram Bingham, leader of the Pioneer Company of missionaries to Hawaiʻi) to return to Honolulu to be a teacher in this family school; she was then principal of the Ohio Female College, at College Hill, Ohio.

In January 1869, her sister, Miss Elizabeth Kaʻahumanu (Lizzie) Bingham, arrived from the continent to be an assistant to her sister. Lizzie was a graduate of Mount Holyoke and, when she was recruited, was a teacher at Rockford Female Seminary. (Beyer)

What is not generally known is that Lydia and Lizzie’s niece, Clara Moseley, came to Hawai‘i to help at the school.

“(B)efore I was fifteen, a wonderful thing happened to me which probably changed the whole course of my life. Two of my mother’s sisters, Aunt Lydia and Aunt Lizzie, returned to Honolulu, the home of their birth and engaged in teaching in a school for Hawaiian girls which was called Kawaiahaʻo Seminary.”

“It was located at that time on King St. just opposite the Old Mission house where the Mission Memorial Building now stands.”

“My Aunt Lydia was Principal of this school and she wrote to my mother asking if she couldn’t spare me and let me come out and teach music to her girls, knowing that I was musically inclined.”

“When my aunt wrote asking for me, she said she wanted me to have a teacher for a few months intervening before I should leave home, and she would pay for my lessons, so I took lessons … for about three months.”

“Of course my parents were willing to let me go, knowing it was too fine an opportunity for me to miss. A friend of my aunt’s, Miss Julia Gulick, was coming to the states that year so it was planned that I should go back with her.”

“I had planned to stay five years when I first went out to the Islands (however) ‘Old Captain Gelett) felt he must do something to change the course of my life. So he persuaded my aunts to let him send me away to school as soon as I had finished my third year at the Seminary.”

“Accordingly, in August, 1875, I sailed from Honolulu on the ‘DC Murray’ with a group of other young people who were going over to school. This sailing vessel was twenty one days in getting to San Francisco”. (Clara Lydia (Moseley) Sutherland)

Those weren’t the only Binghams involved with the school. Lydia and Lizzie’s brother, Hiram Bingham II, and his wife Minerva (Minnie) Brewster Bingham (she was also called Clara) lived and helped at Kawaiaha‘o Female Seminary.

Their son, Hiram III was born at Kawaiaha‘o Female Seminary. (On July 24, 1911, Hiram III rediscovered the “Lost City” of Machu Picchu (which had been largely forgotten by everybody except the small number of people living in the immediate valley). Hiram III has been noted as a source of inspiration for the ‘Indiana Jones’ character.)

In 1905, a merger with Mills Institute, a boys’ school, was discussed; the Hawaiian Board of Foreign Missions purchased the Kidwell estate, about 35-acres of land in Mānoa valley.

By 1908, the first building was completed, and the school was officially operated as Mid-Pacific Institute, consisting of Kawaiahaʻo School for Girls and Damon School for Boys.

Finally, in the fall of 1922, a new coeducational plan went into effect – likewise, ‘Mills’ and ‘Kawaiahaʻo’ were dropped and by June 1923, Mid-Pacific became the common, shared name.

The Bingham children involved at Kawaiaha‘o, Lydia, Lizzie and Hiram, are my GG Aunts &Uncle. Young Clara Moseley is my great grandmother. I was fortunate to have served as the president of the Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society for 3 ½ years.

July 1, 2019 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

New Musical Tradition

“Music serves to enliven many an hour of sadness, or what would be sadness otherwise. It is an expression of the emotions of the heart, a disperser of gloomy clouds.” (Juliette Montague Cooke; Punahou)

Hawaiians devised various methods of recording information for the purpose of passing it on from one generation to the next. The chant (mele or oli) was one such method. Elaborate chants were composed to record important information, e.g. births, deaths, triumphs, losses, good times and bad.

In most ancient cultures, composing of poetry was confined to the privileged classes. What makes Hawai‘i unique is that poetry was composed by people of all walks of life, from the royal court chanters down to the common man.

“As the Hawaiian songs were unwritten, and adapted to chanting rather than metrical music, a line was measured by the breath; their hopuna, answering to our line, was as many words as could be easily cantilated at one breath.” (Bingham)

The Pioneer Company of missionaries (April, 1820) introduced new musical traditions to Hawai‘i – the Western choral tradition, hymns, gospel music, and Western composition traditions. It was one of strophic hymns and psalm tunes from the late-18th century in America.

The strophic form is one where different lyrics are put to the same melody in each verse. Later on, with the arrival of new missionaries, another hymn tradition was introduced was the gospel tune with verse-chorus alternation. (Smola)

The missionaries also introduced new instrumentation with their songs. Humehume (George Prince, son of Kauai’s King Kaumuali‘i) was given a bass viol or ‘Church Bass’ (like a large cello) and a flute that he have learned to play well. He returned to the Islands with the Pioneer Company. Later, church organs, pianos, melodeons, and other instruments were introduced to the Islands.

Bingham and others composed Hawaiian hymns from previous melodies, sometimes borrowing an entire tune, using Protestant hymn styles. In spite of the use of English throughout Hawaii, the Hawaiian language continues to be used in Bible reading and in the singing of hîmeni (hymns) in many Christian churches. Himeni still preserve the beauty of the Hawaiian language. (Smithsonian)

The first hymnal in the Hawaiian language was ‘Nā Hīmeni Hawaii; He Me Ori Ia Iehova, Ka Akua Mau,’ published in 1823. It contained 60 pages and 47 hymns. It was prepared by Rev. Hiram Bingham and Rev. William Ellis, a London Missionary Society missionary who was visiting.

On June 8, 1820, Rev. Hiram Bingham set up the first singing school at Kawaiaha‘o Church. He taught native Hawaiians Western music and hymnody. These ‘singing schools’ emphasized congregational singing with everyone actively participating, not just passively listening to a designated choir.

By 1826, there were 80 singing schools on Hawai‘i Island alone . By the mid-1830s, church choirs began to become part of the regular worship. This choral tradition partially grew out of the hō‘ike, or examination, when the students being examined would sing part of their lessons.

Hawai‘i Aloha

“For more than 100-years, love of the land and its natural beauty has been the poetry Hawaiian composers have used to speak of love. Hawaiian songs also speak to people’s passion for their homeland and their beliefs.” (Hawaiian Music Museum)

Next time you and others automatically stand, hold hands and sing this song together, you can thank an American Protestant missionary, Lorenzo Lyons, for writing Hawai‘i Aloha – and his expression of love for his home.

Na Lani Eha

In 1995, when the Hawaiian Music Hall of Fame selected its first ten treasured composers, musicians and vocalists to be inducted, ‘Na Lani Eha’, (The Royal Four), were honored as the Patrons of Hawaiian music.

‘Na Lani Eha’ comprises four royal siblings who, in their lifetimes, demonstrated extraordinary talent as musicians and composers. They were, of course, our last king, Kalākaua, his sister, Hawai‘i’s last queen, Lili‘uokalani, their brother, the prince, Leleiōhoku, and their sister, the princess, Likelike, mother of princess Ka‘iulani.

In August 2000, ‘Ka Hīmeni Ana’, the RM Towill Corporation’s annual contest at Hawai‘i Theatre for musicians playing acoustic instruments and singing in the Hawaiian language, was dedicated to missionary Juliette Montague Cooke, the Chiefs’ Children’s teacher and mother.

John Montague Derby, Sr., who accepted this honor for the Cooke family, said. “(it is) with gratitude for the multitude of beautiful Hawaiian songs that we enjoy today which were composed by her many students.”

Above text is a summary – Click HERE for more on New Musical Tradition

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December 6, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

‘A Swarm of B’s Has Come’

“A family meeting of seven brothers was held at our late Thanksgiving, and the occurrence was so peculiar and uncommon in the history of the town, that some of the citizens have expressed desire that it should be made public”.

“The ancestors of these men, both on the father and the mother’s side, immigrated from England. Joseph Bingham, their grand-sire, was born at Norwich, Connecticut where he lived to raise a family of sons and daughters: and he remained there until his children arrived to years of maturity.”

“He was a Capt. Lieutenant in a company of Provincials, as they were then called, during the French War, about the year 1756. He was a firm friend of liberty, and a determined opposer to all tyranny and oppression.”

“Soon after the close of the French from Norwich, Conn. to Charlemont, Jeremiah and Calvin came with him. Here they resided until a short time before the commencement of the Revolution.”

“About this time a few families had located themselves in this town and Jeremiah and Calvin Bingham came across the mountain and selected a farm. They soon removed with their agent father and mother, and settled upon their farm in North Bennington, and the frame of their dwelling house is the same which is now occupied by Dea. Graves.”

“When the Battle of Bunker Hill was fought, they and many of their neighbors, and others in this town, heard the roar of cannon from that battlefield.”

“When Gen. Burgoyne in August, 1777 sent Col. Baum to Bennington with a strong force of Hessians and Indians to procur provisions etc., Jeremiah and Calvin Bingham united with their fellow townsmen and others to oppose the progress of Col. Baum.”

“This officer was effectively routed and overwhelmed with the Green Mountain Boys met him ‘upon the high places of the field’, August 16, 1777.”

He went, with many others, who were aged and infirm, to Bennington Center, and while they were collected there, he proposed that while the Battle was raging they should lift up their voices and their hearts in fervent prayer to the God of Battle …”

“… that He would bless their sons, brothers and friends, who were in the Battle, fighting for their homes and for liberty; and that He would permit them to return again, and peacefully enjoy their homes.”

“After the close of the War, Jeremiah, the elder of the two brothers, removed to Cornwall, Addison County, Vermont where he trained a family of sons and daughters; and was loved and honored by his fellow citizens, to the end of his days, for his piety and every manly virtue. He lived to be almost 100 years old.”

“Calvin, the younger, remained on the farm at North Bennington, and nourished and comforted his aged father and mother while they lived. There, on that farm, was born to him 7 sons and 5 daughters, who lived to arrive to years of maturity.”

“Asa, the first born son and child, was born in Sept. 1778. He is consequently 77 yrs. old. He lived with his father until he was of lawful age, and worked on the farm as he was able. He was married, and after a few months removed to Camillua, Onondaga County, New York.”

“In process of time, his farm was subdued, and he has been greatly prospered in pecuniary things. He has been honored many years also as an officer in a Christian Church.”

“Amos, the second son, lived and worked with his father on the farm several years. His health was not very good, and he thought he would make an effort to fit himself with some other calling. He taught school some, and fitted for college.”

“He entered Middlebury College and passed through the course of studies … He studied divinity with Rev. Dr. Burton of Thetford, Vt. and was licensed and ordained as Minister of the Gospel.”

“The oppresive system of slavery in Virginia he could no longer endure. He retired to the city of Philadelphia, where he has been employed to preach to prisoners, to alms houses, by the city authorities and by benevolent societies and individuals.”

“Calvin, the third son, lived and labored chiefly on the farm with his father until he was by law permitted to act for himself. He then left his native place, and took up a piece of wild land adjoining the farm of his eldest brother, about 9 miles from Syracuse.”

“While living on and subduing this land, he had some marvelous escapes from sudden death. Several of his children are living in Michigan, one of whom is now Governor of that State.”

“Luther, the fourth son, when he had lived nearly to mature years, commenced the study of medicine. He studied a part of the time, and practiced some with Dr. N. Swift of this town. He commenced medical practice for himself near Burlington , Otsego County, N.Y.”

“He afterwards located in Oaondaga County, near his older brothers; and followed his profession in connection with farming. He spent a few years there, and sold out and removed to Genesee County.”

“He purchased a farm near Batavia, where he still resides. He has for many years been distinguished for his opposition to the
system of American slavery.”

“Hiram, the fifth son, before he arrived to manhood was selected by his parents to remain with them to be their protector and
comforter during their reclining years.”

“About this time, however, he experienced a great change in his feelings, and notwithstanding his parents were depending on him, yet he felt it to be his duty to prepare for the work of the Gospel Ministry.”

“He soon commenced to fit himself for college. He entered and passed through a course of college studies at Middlebury where he graduated with honor to himself and to his instructors.”

“He soon entered the Theological Seminary at Andover, Massachusetts. He passed through a three-year course of study. He offered himself to the Board of Missions at Boston as a Missionary to the Sandwich Islands.”

“H. Bingham lived and preached on these Islands about 20 years when he found it necessary to return to his native land in consequence in illness of his wife. His wife and faithful helper did not remain very long in her native land, but wasted away by disease and soon rested from all her labors, cares and sorrows.”

“Her husband still lives, and at the present time is connected with a second wife and with her is engaged in teaching a boarding school for young ladies in New Haven, Connecticut. He also preaches occasionally as he has opportunity.”

“Stephen, the sixth son, lived and labored on the farm with his father until he was 21. He was requested by his parents to stay with them and take charge of the farm during their declining years. “

“This service he endeavored to perform; and probably he was instrumental in relieving them from many anxious cares, and in making them more happy and comfortable while they lived, though perhaps in their pecuniary point of view, at the expense of a rising family.”

“He has always lived and labored among his fellow citizens of this goodly town. At present he is entrusted with the superintendence of the common schools as he has been for several years past.”

“David, the seventh son, remained with his parents until by the statutes he was permitted to act for himself. Soon after this he went to Camillus, and commenced clearing a piece of land adjoining the farms of his older brothers.”

“He thought his health was not sufficient for that business, and he sold his land to his oldest brother, and commenced the study of medicine. He completed his medical studies at the College of Physicians and Surgeons at Fairfield, Herkimer County, New York and soon after entered into practice at Norway, in the same county.”

“(The) history of these seven brothers has it has been extended over a period of more than 50 years. During this long period they had not been permitted to meet all together at one time. Their lives had been mercifully and wonderfully preserved, by sea and land, through dangers and death on every side, until their united ages amounted to 484 years and 9 months. Average age, 69 years one month and 13 days.”

“And here, perhaps, the inquiry may be made, ‘can any reason be given why the lives of these men have been protracted through this long period? … They are all men of temporate and industrious habits, and no one of them ever contracted the habit of using tobacco in any of its forms, or indulged in the use of intoxicating liquors as a beverage.”

“Some of the older sons felt very anxious that a meeting should be held; and by correspondence, it was finally arranged that each one would make strenuous exertions to be in his native town on the 6th of December – Thanksgiving Day.”

“On that day, those who lived out of town, enjoyed the privilege of meeting with some of their old fellow townsmen, and others, in the Center Church, and with them were permitted to render Thanksgiving and praise to Him who rules upon the sea and land; who watches the fall of the sparrows, and who had sustained them through all their wonderings.”

“In the afternoon the seven were all at the house of their sister … and with her and another sister and some young friends, they sat down to a bountiful supper, prepared for the occasion while many of the transactions of their youthful days were vividly brought to their recollection.”

“The next day they rambled over the old farm where their youthful days had been spent. They tranversed the fields, the pastures, the meadows. They observed the trees, the rocks, the fence, the orchard, the locus and other trees around the house and then they came around the old well, which is 60 ft. deep.”

“The proprietor (Dea. Graves) observing them, came out, when one of them observed to him ‘a swarm of B’s has come.’”

“They were invited and welcomed into the old house where they first saw the light. This they had opportunity critically to examine and here, for a short time … the scenes of their youth were lived over afresh.”

“What feelings crowded in rapid succession upon the mind! The father and mother who taught their infant feet to walk and who guided their wayward youth! That aged grandfather and grandmother, who sat in the ‘the old arm chairs.’” (Vermont State Banner, Bennington, December 28, 1855)

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Hiram, Stephen, David, Asa, Amos, Calvin, Luther Bingham-Bennington Museum-1860

July 5, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

“Call the little baby Kīna’u.”

“I was born in the ‘Old Mission House’ in Honolulu on the 5th day of July, 1831. When I was but a few hours old, ‘Kīna’u,’ the Premier, came into the bedroom with her crowd of ‘kahus,’ took me into her arms and said that she wanted to adopt me, as she had no girl of her own.”

“My mother, in her weak state, was terribly agitated, knowing that the missionaries were unpopular and entirely dependent on the good-will of the natives, so feared the consequences of a denial. They sent for my father in haste, who took in the state of affairs at a glance.”

“’We don’t give away our children,’ he said to Kīna’u. ‘But you are poor, I am rich, I give you much money,’ replied the Chiefess. ‘No, you can’t have her,’ my father answered firmly. Kīna’u tossed me angrily down on the bed and walked away, leaving my poor mother in a very anxious frame of mind.” (Wilder; Wight)

“She accordingly went away in an angry and sullen mood, and was not heard from until the infant was being christened a few weeks later, when she again appeared, elbowed the father to one side, and exclaimed in the haughtiest of tones, ‘Call the little baby Kīna’u.’”

“Fearing that a second refusal would result disastrously, the parents agreed, and the child was accordingly christened Elizabeth Kīna’u Judd.” (The Friend, May 1912)

Kīna’u “seemed somewhat appeased after the (christening) ceremony, and, as I was the first white girl she had ever seen, deigned from that time on to show a great interest in me, either visiting me or having me visit her every day.” (Wright, Wight)

Kīna’u, daughter of Kamehameha I, became a Christian in 1830. She succeeded her aunt Kaʻahumanu as Kuhina Nui upon the latter’s death in 1832.

She acted as the Regent for her brother Kauikeaouli when he became King Kamehameha III, from June 5, 1832 to March 15, 1833. She would rule with him until her death. She was responsible for enforcing Hawaiʻi’s first penal code, proclaimed by the king in 1835.

Gerrit and Laura Judd were in the 3rd Company of missionaries. In 1839, at the request of King Kamehameha, Judd, a physician, looked after the royal children in the Chiefs’ Children’s School.

Judd left the mission in 1842 and for the next 10+ years served the Kingdom in various positions, including translator, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Minister of Interior and Commissioner to France, Great Britain & US.

The Judd’s child was not the only missionary child named for Hawaiian Chiefs or Chiefesses.

Maria Kapule Whitney was born October 19, 1820 to the Pioneer Company missionaries/teachers, Samuel and Mercy Whitney. She was “the first haole girl to be born in the Hawaiian archipelago,” and named for Kauai Chiefess Kapule, wife of Kauai’s King Kaumualiʻi.

Maria went to the mainland at the age of six to be educated; she returned to the Islands with the 11th Company. She married bachelor missionary Reverend John Fawcett Pogue of the 11th Company.

Reportedly, the daughter of Samuel and Nancy Ruggles (missionaries/teachers of the Pioneer Company) born on December 22, 1820, was named Sarah Trumbull Kaumuali’i Ruggles. (Some suggest her Hawaiian name was Ka‘amuali‘i.)

The Whitneys and Ruggles escorted Humehume (Prince George,) King Kaumuali‘i’s son, back to Kauai, where they set up a missionary station.

Lucia Kamāmalu Holman was daughter of Thomas and Lucia Ruggles Holman of the Pioneer Company (Lucia was Samuel Ruggles sister.) Holman was the mission’s first physician and was stationed in Kona. She was born March 2, 1821 on Kauai and named after Queen Kamāmalu, King Kamehameha II’s wife.

Elisabeth “Lizzie” Kaahumanu Bingham was born March 8, 1829 in Honolulu to Reverend Hiram and Sybil Bingham, leaders of the Pioneer Company of missionaries. She was named after Queen Kaʻahumanu, favorite wife of King Kamehameha I and a friend of the mission.

In 1840, Lizzie returned to the mainland with parents and, after graduating from Mount Holyoke, taught on the continent. Lizzie returned to Hawai‘i in 1868 to work at Kawaiahaʻo Seminary (until 1880.) She died November 27, 1899 in Honolulu.

Mary Kekāuluohi Clark was born to Ephraim and Mary Clark (from the 3rd Company of missionaries) on September 20, 1829. She was named for Kekāuluohi, who later became Kuhina Nui (as Kaʻahumanu III;) Kekāuluohi was mother of King Lunalilo.)

Harriet Keōpūolani Williston Richards was born in 1829 to Reverend William and Clarissa Richards of the 2nd Company of missionaries. (Harriet was sent to the continent and lived with the Willistons; when her father died, she was adopted by the Willistons and took their name.)

Harriet was named for the mother of King Kamehameha II and III. When the 2nd Company arrived in the Islands (1822,) Richards and others escorted Keōpūolani to Lahaina where Richards was stationed. William Richards left the mission in 1838 at the request of King Kamehameha III to become the King’s translator, counselor and political advisor.

Douglass Hoapili Baldwin was son of Reverend Dwight and Charlotte Baldwin of the 4th Company of missionaries. He was born in 1840 and died in 1843; Hoapili was Governor of Maui and lived in Lahaina (where the Baldwins were stationed at the time of Douglas’ birth.

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