Hawaii | Page 457 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

September 30, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Poni Mo‘i

‘Auhea wale ana ‘oe
Pua carnation ka‘u aloha
A ke lawe ‘ia ‘ala ‘oe
E ka makani pā kolonahe

Ke aloha kai hiki mai
Hō‘eha i ka pu‘uwai
Noho ‘oe a mana‘o mai
Ho‘i mai kāua e pili

Oh, thou fairest of all flowers
Sweet carnation I adore thee
Far from me thou art being borne, my love
By the soft and gentle zephyrs

Love for you is here with me
Filling my heart with pain
When you remember our love
Come back to be with me
(Charles E King, translated by Mary Pukui)

The original birthplace of the carnation is on the coast of the Mediterranean. The popularity of the flower goes back many centuries; the Romans were already making wreathes and fresh eau de toilette out of carnations. (Flower Council)

Later, Americans began to like the carnation … “So when (a florist) finds it necessary to his business to introduce a new ‘fashionable flower’ he takes care that it shall be very expensive and that his customers shall believe it to be very rare.”

“Such a flower is the carnation. It first leaped into prominence as a ‘florists’ flower’ nearly thirty years ago and its vogue at the time was greater even than that of the chrysanthemum in its best days.”

“One day everybody was wearing a rosebud, ten or Bon Selene, (the carnation craze succeeded the ‘Boston bud’ craze); the next day everybody was wearing a carnation.”

“And with a great many people it has remained in favor ever since. This is not only because of its beauty of form and color and its spicy fragrance. The carnation seems to have been especially designed by nature for a boutonniere.”

“It sets closely and neatly to the coat lapel, it keeps fresh and unfaded for a long time, it requires no pinning in place, and it never breaks from its stem”. (Democrat and Chronicle, New York, December 4, 1894)

“Chicago has a carnation day in honor of President McKinley, whose favorite flower was the carnation. Once a year Chicago government buildings bloom with carnations and the employees wear them.” (Hawaiian Star, February 27, 1908)

For years, McKinley had worn a ‘lucky’ red carnation on his lapel; but on September 6, 1901 he decided to gift it to a little girl at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. Moments later, he was shot, and died 8-days later. (Kelly)

The carnation can be regularly seen in religious paintings, as a symbol of the Virgin Mary and as a symbol for the suffering of Christ. The Latin name for the carnation is Dianthus, derived from Dios (God) and anthos (flower) – divine flower. (Flower Council)

American Protestant missionary wives are credited with bringing the first carnations to the Islands in the mid-1800s. The first variety was a white, scented flower and it soon became the favorite for lei makers. Red carnations were introduced later. (Bird)

The Hawaiian name for carnation is poni mo‘i (that also means ‘coronation.’) The name is the result of the similarity between the words ‘carnation’ and ‘coronation.’

The major emphasis in the past has been on the production of carnations for lei flowers, and qualities demanded of cut flowers were generally ignored. Consequently, the types grown had small flowers, short stems, and bushy growths. (CTAHR)

Carnations were cultivated in the Koko Crater area on O‘ahu especially to meet the demands of the fast growing tourist industry. In 1900, gardens in Pauoa supplied lei sellers at the piers with carnations and other lei flowers.

Japanese and Korean farmers leased small parcels of land along Lunalilo Home Road and soon their ‘carnation plantations’ were familiar sights, likewise in Kaimuki and Palolo.

The white carnation lei is usually given to women and the red to the men: white being femininely pure and withdrawn – red representing masculine boldness, strength and power. (Ka Lei, Marie McDonald) Depending on the style and flower size, 50 to 100 flowers may be used.

Back in the 1950s-1970s, the fat, fragrant carnation lei was popular. Friends bestowed thick carnation lei at the airport gate, politicians regularly wore them and nightclub entertainers typically had a carnation lei.

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Eisenhower with red carnation lei-Dec 1952

Carnation Lei-1910s

Duke Kahanamoku-carnation

Martin Luther King in Hawaii-1959

Martin_Luther_King-others-wearing_lei_in_Selma

Frank Sinatra-carnation

Ernest Lovell, Royal Hawaiian Band member, and his nephew Dayton-PP-4-4-036-1935

Julia Niu entwining a carnation lei with maile-PP-33-10-007-1935

Jack_Lord-Carnation

McKinley wearing carnation

Carnation lei

Carnation lei-UH

Carnation-UH

Alfred Apaka-carnation

Andres sisters-carnation

September 29, 2016 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Lili‘uokalani to Remarry?

“There will be a marriage before long of two distinguished personages of widely separated islands in the vast Pacific ocean. One of these personages is former Queen Lili‘uokalani of Hawaii and the other is Paea Salman, prince of Tahiti.”

“When asked as to the truth of the report that he would soon claim the former Hawaiian queen as a bride a broad smile enveloped the features of the prince – it was a happy smile, and there was love in his eyes, too.”

“He hesitated a moment before replying, and his mind seemed during that brief period to be occupied with pleasant thoughts of the queen. He toyed with a piece of twine and, almost bashfully said, ‘Now, really, l don’t like to discuss the matter. It is not for me to say. Affairs of the heart are not for the public. Do you think so?’” (San Francisco Call, September 29, 1907)

Two days later, Lili‘uokalani’s response was “couched in the single, sniffy word ‘No’ and Queen Lil had not the grace to cable herself. It was signed by her secretary.” (San Francisco Call, October 1, 1907)

Whoa; let’s look back …

Alexander Ariipaea Salmon (sometimes Salman,) known as ‘Pa‘ea,’ was the son of the Jewish Englishman Alexander Salmon, or Solomon, who had been Secretary to Tahiti’s Queen Pomare. His was from a rich and influential Tahitian family.

His mother, the ari‘i Taimai, was a historic personality in her own right. His sister Marau was the current queen of Tahiti, wife of their cousin King Pomare v. (Fischer)

By all accounts he was sincere, dedicated, honest and keenly interested in the Rapanui people – although his main concern, as a businessman, was always turning a profit.

Because of his native English and Tahitian, was well as rudimentary Rapanui, he served as principal informant for the British and Germans in 1882 and for the Americans in 1886. Pa‘ea Salmon would remain on Rapanui for a full decade.

Salmon inherited his father’s business interests and became co-owner with Brander of the Maison Brander copra and coconut oil plantations in Tahiti, the Marquesas and the Cooks. (Fischer)

“Prince Salman is a remarkably large man. He stands six feet two inches ‘in his stockings’, and weighs 300 pounds, all of which lie carries splendidly. He stands erect as any soldier, and, notwithstanding his great bulk, gets about as actively as a healthy youth of 18.”

“At his Island home, far away in the south seas, the prince, who has an abundance of riches and who owns extensive lands, is most popular. He is known as a ‘good fellow’ and probably the most easy-going of all the big chieftains of the islands.” (San Francisco Call, September 29, 1907)

“(W)hen the same prince visited Honolulu many years ago he made a very fine impression on the royal family as well as on local society in general.”

“His portrait, still preserved among the royal household treasures, shows him as a fine specimen of manhood. He must now be well above middle age and, from all accounts, is well preserved as well as abundantly wealthy and much traveled.”

“All Honolulu will join in the wish that his much reported intention of visiting Queen Liliuokalani may prove real through his arrival at an early date.” (Advertiser, March 3, 1907)

“The incident that occasioned the Queen the most inconvenience was when the Mariposa, running between San Francisco and Papeete, put in here for fuel oil.”

“A young man close to the Washington Place household, amidst an exciting misapprehension before the Mariposa docked that the steamer had been chartered to land the prince here, sent a wireless telegram to Lahaina to Queen Liliuokalani then there informing her of the prince’s arrival as a fact. She hastened to Honolulu only to find that it was all a mistake.”

“When the Queen was first apprised of the intended visit of the prince she began to make elaborate preparations, with no stint of expense, for his entertainment.”

“Her Waikiki beach villa was renovated and repainted from top to bottom, as well as improvements to the grounds made, the cost amounting to two thousand dollars or more.”

“It was Lili‘uokalani’s purpose to place the whole establishment at the prince’s disposal throughout his sojourn, or, if he preferred, the entire second floor of Washington Place in town which was also especially prepared for the purpose. (Advertiser, March 3, 1907)

“… of the courtship of Prince Salmon. It will, we hope, point a vigorous moral lesson on the dangers of overconfidence, the premature announcement that you have a thing cinched, or, to draw upon the old fable, of counting chickens before they have emerged from the shell.”

“So Prince Salmon, not conceiving how the queen could refuse an honorable offer from himself, which in the uniting of South Sea blood would not be without its political significance, announced that he was going to Honolulu, not to propose marriage, but in fact to marry the Queen.”

“He said nothing about it to her … but merely made a bid for an invitation to her Honolulu home.” (Town Talk, San Francisco Daily Times, October 26, 1907)

“Investigation, however, showed her that the prince had nothing in his own right; that his expedition in search for a wife had been financed by his friends.”

“Fearing that their prince might die and leave none of his blood to perpetuate the traditions of the island’s ruling house, certain of the prince’s faithful subjects … have banded themselves together to furnish funds by which a matrimonial campaign might be launched and carried on by the fat princeling.”

“He abandoned his suit to win ex-Queen Liliuokalani and laid his plans to capture the heart and fortune of a daughter of the Golden West, living in Berkeley. These plans came to nothing, however, through the opposition of the parents of the young woman, and sorrowfully the prince had to report another failure. His backers became furious.”

“Then came the troubles which have of late been crowding the smile from the broad, brown countenance of his majesty. The prince had been spending the money of his leal subjects as a prince should …”

“… for dinners to prima donnas, entertainments to chorus girls by the chorus full, rental of automobiles at $5 an hour, the best of everything and lots of it. It was but the due of a scion of such an illustrious house. Only the crash was fearful when it did come.”

“Beginning with the cashing of a worthless check in payment for a dinner at the Cafe Francisco, the downfall of his royal highness has been swift.”

“Fleeing from this city to Oakland to escape the jail which the proprietor of the cafe vowed should be his, the prince sent a messenger back to the hotel to fetch his clothes. But the hotel clerk refused to permit the royal garments to be moved ‘until the prince paid his bill.’” (San Francisco Call, November 11, 1907)

Shortly after, the paper noted, “Royal Suitor Languishing in a Prison Cell … Tahitian Prince Who Would Marry Hawai‘i’s Queen Goes to Jail … (and) has been sued for hotel and automobile bills.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, November 22, 1907)

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SFO Call-Sept 29 1907

Alexander_Ariipaea_Salmon

Prince_Kuhio_with_Alexander_Ariipaea_Salmon_(PP-97-1-048)

Ariipaea_Salmon

Salmon_family_of_Tahiti,_ca._1880s

September 28, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kona’s Royal Centers

The ‘Peopling of the Pacific’ began about 40,000 years ago with movement from Asia; by BC 1250, people were settling in the eastern Pacific. (Kirch) By BC 800, Polynesians settled in Samoa. (PVS)

Using stratigraphic archaeology and refinements in radiocarbon dating, studies suggest it was about 900-1000 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.

Because each ʻohana (family) was served by a parental haku (master, overseer) and each family was self-sufficient and capable of satisfying its own needs, there was no need for a hierarchal structure.

As the population increased and wants and needs increased in variety and complexity (and it became too difficult to satisfy them with finite resources,) the need for chiefly rule became apparent.

As chiefdoms developed, the simple pecking order of titles and status likely evolved into a more complex and stratified structure.

Eventually, a highly stratified society evolved consisting of the aliʻi (ruling class,) kahuna (priestly and expert class of craftsmen, fishers and professionals) and makaʻainana (commoner class.)

Most of the makaʻainana were farmers, a few were fishermen. Tenants cultivated smaller crops for family consumption, to supply the needs of chiefs and provide tributes.

The aliʻi attained high social rank in several ways: by heredity, by appointment to political office, by marriage or by right of conquest. The first was determined at birth, the others by the outcomes of war and political process.

Power and prestige, and thus class divisions, were defined in terms of mana. Although the gods were the full embodiment of this sacredness, the royalty possessed it to a high degree because of their close genealogical ties to those deities.

The kahuna ratified this relationship by conducting ceremonies of appeasement and dedication on behalf of the chiefs, which also provided ideological security for the commoners who believed the gods were the power behind natural forces.

With the stratified social system, it was important to retain the division between aliʻi and makaʻainana. This was done through a physical separation, such as the Royal Centers that were restricted to only the aliʻi and kahuna.

Royal Centers were where the aliʻi resided; aliʻi often moved between several residences throughout the year. The Royal Centers were selected for their abundance of resources and recreation opportunities, with good surfing and canoe-landing sites being favored.

When working on a planning project in Kona, we came across references to “Royal Centers.” In the centuries prior to 1778, seven large and densely-populated Royal Centers were located along the shoreline between Kailua and Hōnaunau.

The compounds were areas selected by the ali‘i for their residences; ali‘i often moved between several residences throughout the year. The Royal Centers were selected for their abundance of resources and recreation opportunities, with good surfing and canoe-landing sites being favored.

The Hawaiian court was mobile within the districts the aliʻi controlled. A Chief’s attendants might consist of as many as 700 to 1000-followers, made of kahuna and political advisors; servants which included craftsmen, guards, stewards; relatives and others. (NPS)

Aliʻi often moved between several residences throughout the year. There was no regular schedule for movement between Royal Centers. In part, periodic moves served to ensure that district chiefs did not remain isolated, or unsupervised long enough to gather support for a revolt. (NPS)

Kamakahonu – At Kailua Bay, this was occupied by Kamehameha I between 1813 and 1819. This was Kamehameha’s compound after unifying the islands under single rule. The first missionaries landed here, just after the death of Kamehameha I.
Hōlualoa – Three major occupation sequences: Keolonāhihi, A.D. 1300; Keakamahana (mother) and Keakealaniwahine (daughter,) A.D. 1600; and Kamehameha I, A.D. 1780. It was split into two complexes when Ali‘i Drive was constructed in the 1800s: makai (seaward and west) designated Keolonāhihi State Historical Park; mauka (inland and east) is referred to as Keakealaniwahine’s Residence.
Kahaluʻu – Complex of Lonoikamakahiki ca. 1640-1660, and the oral histories specifically note its use by Alapa‘inui, Kalani‘ōpu‘u and Kamehameha — successive rulers from mid-1740s. The focus of this center was Kahalu‘u Bay, a sand fringed bay, with a complex of multiple heiau (many recently restored.)
Keauhou – Noted for the largest hōlua slide in Hawai‘i (the volume of stone used in its construction dwarfs that of the largest known temple platforms, making it the largest surviving structure from ancient Hawai‘i.) This is also the birthplace of Kauikeaouli; stillborn, revived and went on to become Kamehameha III (ca. 1814-1854), last son of Kamehameha I to rule Hawai‘i.
Kaʻawaloa – Home of Kalani‘ōpu‘u, ruling chief in power when Captain Cook sailed into Kealakekua Bay. Between Ka‘awaloa and Napo‘opo‘o is Pali Kapu O Keōua, a 600′ pali (cliff). Named for the ali‘i Keōua, who ruled in the mid-1700s, the pali was kapu (off limits) as a sacred burial area.
Kealakekua – Hikiʻau Heiau was dedicated to Lono (god of agriculture and prosperity.) Kamehameha rededicated Hikiau, “the most important heiau in the district of Kona.” This is where Opukahaʻia had trained to be a kahuna after being orphaned in Kamehameha’s wars. Opukahaʻia fled Hawaiʻi, spent nine years in New England and inspired the first missionaries to come to Hawaiʻi (he died before being able to return with the missionaries to Hawaiʻi.) When Captain James Cook landed in Kealakekua, he was received by the Hawaiians and honored as the returning god Lono.
Honaunau – Early in the area’s prehistory, a portion of land on the southwest side of the bay was declared a pu‘uhonua (sanctuary protected by the gods – almost every district in the islands had at least one pu‘uhonua in it.) There kapu breakers, defeated warriors and criminals could find safety when their lives were threatened if they could reach the enclosure before their pursuers caught them. This way of life began disappearing with Cook’s arrival in 1778 and, ultimately, Liholiho (Kamehameha II) abolished the kapu system in 1819.

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Kamakahonu map by Rockwood based on Ii-Rechtman

Keauhou_to_Kailua-Aerial

Kamakahonu-Kailua_Bay-HerbKane

Kamakahonu-Kailua_Bay-Choris-1816

Kamakahonu-Kailua_Bay-Landing-Map-Wall-Reg2560 (1913)-Kamakahonu_site_on_left

Holualoa_Bay-Looking_At_Keolohahihi-1890

Holualoa Royal Center

Holualoa_Royal_Center-Kekahuna_Map-Bishop_Museum

Kahaluu-Hapaialii-Keeku-Heiau

Kahaluu-Makolea_Heiau

Kahaluu_Royal_Center-Kekahuna-map

Keauhou-Holua_Slide-(KeauhouResort)

Keauhou-Heeia-Historical_Notes-HenryEPKekahuna-SP_201865

Kealakekua Bay from the village of Kaʻawaloa in the 1820s, from Hiram Bingham I’s book

Kealakekua-John Webber art-1779

Kaawaloa, Kealakekua Bay. A copperplate engraving from a drawing by Lucy or Persis Thurston about 1835

Kaawaloa_(KonaHistoricalSociety)

Kaawaloa-Kalakaua_at_Kealakekua_Bay

Honaunau, engraving by J. Archer after Rev. William Ellis, 1822-1823. Built by Keaweikekahialiʻiokamoku.

Honaunau_Sunset-(HerbKane)

Honaunau-Puuhonua_o_Honaunau-Keokea-Map-1750

September 27, 2016 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)

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Rycroft Coffee (Guava) Mill- Pohoiki-Bertram

Rycroft Pohoiki guava mill-CTAHR

Puna_District-DAGS-1808-1893-portion

Puna-DAGS_Reg2191-Cooke-1902-portion-noting Rycroft

Rycroft guava jar-CTAHR

Rycroft-Fountain Mineral & Soda Works-Ad-PCA-Sep_28,_1901

Rycroft-ginger beer bottle

Rycroft-seltzer bottle

Robert Rycroft-CTAHR

Walter Rycroft-CTAHR

September 26, 2016 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Damon Memorial

In 1887, Samual C Gale wrote a letter to the Holden town officials stating: “I am now able to say, that unless prevented by some misfortune, I shall commence the present season to erect upon the Chenery lot a building adapted to both High School and Library purposes.”

“This building and ground, together with some books which we hope to add, my wife and I will present to the Town of Holden as a free gift …”

The result of this wonderful gift is the Damon Memorial Building, built in 1888, in honor of his wife Susan Damon Gale. Susan was the daughter of Colonel Samuel Damon.

The building was designed to house both the Gale Free Library and the Holden High School. The first floor was the library with the high school on the second floor. The Worcester architect Stephen C Earle designed the Romanesque style building.

The Damon Memorial was the second high school in Holden. The first opened in 1880 as part of the second floor of the Center School.

The Damon Building served as the high school until Holden High School opened on Main Street in 1926. In 1954 Wachusett Regional High School opened as the first regional high school in Massachusetts. (Assumption College)

One of the model public buildings of the towns of central Massachusetts is the Damon Memorial of Holden. It is architecturally an ornament to the village. The Memorial stands near the Common.

From the tower wall a rough boulder projects, bearing the words ‘Damon Memorial, 1888.’ The building is trimmed with brownstone, uncut as far as possible. The clock tower is an attractive feature of the building. Inside the arrangements for school and library have been made with great care and foresight.

The Memorial was appropriately dedicated August 29, 1888. In his address Mr. Gale, the donor, said: “Thirty-four years ago I came to this village to teach school. The frame school house, still standing and in use, was then new and was a subject of much interest and pride.”

“The only instruction I received from the school committee as to the management of the school was that I should keep the scholars from marking and scratching the new school house.”

“I entirely neglected my duty in this respect. At the end of the winter, marks and scratches were very abundant; and I knew it was all my fault, for no school master ever had better boys and girls.”

“After thinking over my offense for thirty-five years I concluded that the only suitable recompense that I could make was to give the town a new school house, which I accordingly have done.”

“I do not say, however, that there were no other and more serious considerations for the enterprise. Here my wife was born and reared, and this, in the opinion of at least her husband, entitles the place to monumental honors.”

“May I also especially mention her brother, the late Dr Samuel C Damon, a resident of Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, a greathearted and broad-minded man, with a deep affection for his native town. He it was who first suggested to me the idea of aiding to establish here a public library.”

“It is in memory of him and of her other kinspeople and friends dear to us both, whose homes have been here in this and other generations, that we have sought to do this town some good thing, so important and permanent that the inhabitants will always kindly remember us.”

Charles E. Parker, who accepted the gift in behalf of the town, assured the donors that the simple conditions of the gift would be gladly observed.

At a town meeting, September 26, 1888, Holden formally accepted the gift and tendered its thanks and appreciation of the Memorial to the generous donors.

In addition to the building Mr. Gale added $3,000 for books, and John Wadsworth, of Chicago, sent $100 ‘as a slight recompense to Holden for having furnished him a wife.’

The Holden Library Association presented its library of fourteen hundred volumes to the town and the library opened in December, 1888, with forty-five hundred volumes, to which large additions have since been made. (Crane, Historic Homes, 1907)

Samuel Chenery Damon, son of Colonel Samuel Damon, was born in Holden, Massachusetts, February 15, 1815. He was graduated from Amherst College in 1836, studied at Princeton Theological Seminary in 1838-39, and was graduated at Andover Theological Seminary in 1841. He was an American missionary.

He was preparing to go to India as a missionary and was studying the Tamil language for that purpose, when an urgent call came for a seaman’s chaplain at the port of Honolulu in the Hawaiian Islands. He was ordained September 15, 1841, and he decided to accept the position at Honolulu.

He married Julia Sherman Mills of Natick, Massachusetts on October 6, 1841. Their children were: Samuel Mills, born July 9. 1843, died June 2, 1844; Samuel Mills, born March 13, 1845, who later was minister of finance under the monarchy in Hawaii; married Harriet M Baldwin, daughter of Rev. D. Baldwin, and their son (Samuel Edward Damon, born June 1, 1873) …

… Edward Chenery, born May 21, 1848; Francis Williams, born December 10, 1852; William Frederick, born January 11, 1857, died October 23, 1879.

Samuel Chenery Damon died February 7, 1885, at Honolulu, and his funeral the next day was attended by a very large congregation, including King Kalākaua and his ministers.

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