HP Baldwin | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

January 21, 2020 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Makawao Union Church

First known as Makawao Foreign Church and Congregation, Makawao Union Church received a charter from the Hawaiian government in 1861, although the Reverend Jonathan Green had been holding services in his Makawao home from 1857.

Reverend Green came to Hawaiʻi in 1828 with the Third Company of missionaries, and served at various locations until 1843.

He then helped the Hawaiian people in the Makawao area form the first self-supporting church in Hawaiʻi at Poʻokela. He continued to serve as the pastor of this church as well as the Makawao Union Church which was started to meet the needs of the English speaking, foreign community around Makawao.

A church was built in 1861 at the location of the present Makawao cemetery, and continued to serve the community until 1888, when a parishioner, Henry Perrine Baldwin, donated land and built a new church outside of Paia, which was closer to the population center of the district.

This church was built on the foundation of Baldwin’s former sugar mill at Paliuli, near Rainbow Gulch. This frame church was dedicated on March 10, 1889, and served the community until it was torn down in 1916 to make way for the present memorial church.

In 1914, the Pā‘ia Community House was built adjacent to the church for the express purpose of serving not only the church’s congregation, but the greater community, and was in continuous use by various island groups for plays, concerts, dances and other gatherings.

After Baldwin’s death in 1911, his family built a new stone sanctuary in his memory. The new building designed by noted architect CW Dickey is a basically Gothic design in the style of the English village church.

It combines a Norman tower with a distinctively Hawaiian roofline. With its intricate, carved-oak interior and unique pew arrangement, the sanctuary has long been noted for its exceptional structural design.

When this church building was dedicated in 1917, Harry Baldwin, eldest son of Henry Perrine and Emily Baldwin, gave the principal address and stated, “Makawao Union Church is built to provide a permanent meeting house for the people of this community and future comers for the purpose of upholding and improving the moral and religious standing of the community for generations to come.” (Maui Weekly)

“The first and second Sundays in September hundreds of Maui people were in attendance at the services of dedication of the Henry Perrine Baldwin Memorial Church of Paia. A deeper impression upon worshippers has seldom been made in this Territory than during these two Sundays.” (The Friend, September 1917)

“Our sanctuary building is a real landmark in the Pā‘ia – Makawao area – a constant reminder of the historical significance of our church and its relationship with Henry Baldwin,” said present church pastor Rev. Schlicher, during the church’s 150th anniversary celebration. (Maui Weekly)

“Besides being a pioneer in Hawai‘i’s sugar industry, Baldwin was a deeply religious man who gave of his time, wealth and services to his church, his community and the people of Hawai‘i.”

In 1843, Samuel Thomas Alexander and Henry Perrine Baldwin, sons of pioneer missionaries, 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, Inc.

By 1876, the partners had expanded their sugar acreage and begun to seek a reliable source of water for their crop. Although not an engineer, Alexander devised an irrigation system that would bring water from the windward slopes of Haleakala to Central Maui to irrigate 3,000 acres of cane – their own and neighboring plantations.

In 1883, Alexander and Baldwin formalized their partnership by incorporating their sugar business as the Pāʻia Plantation also known at various times as Samuel T. Alexander & Co., Haleakala Sugar Co. and Alexander & Baldwin Plantation.

In 1889, Baldwin was instrumental in forming the Hawaiian Sugar Company Plantation at Makaweli on the island of Kauai, and oversaw the construction of the Hanapepe ditch on that island.

In 1894, he and Samuel Alexander formed Alexander & Baldwin which operated as the San Francisco agent for their plantations.

The Articles of Association were filed June 30, 1900 with the treasurer of the Territory of Hawaiʻi. Alexander & Baldwin, Limited became a Hawaiʻi corporation, with its principal office in Honolulu and with a branch office in San Francisco. They were one of Hawaiʻi’s Big 5.

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Henry Perrine Baldwin scanned from a page from “The Story of Hawaii and its Builders” Hawaii

July 19, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Mother Baldwin

When celebrating the 100th anniversary of its founding, “Punahou pauses to pay tribute to its oldest living graduate, Mrs. Henry Perrine Baldwin (Emily Whitney Alexander) of Maui, who observed her 95th birthday in January of (that) year.”

“Mrs. Baldwin’s family has had many associations and connections with Punahou during its hundred years of existence.”

“Her father, the Rev. William Patterson Alexander, was one of the missionaries who signed the resolution passed at the general meeting in 1841 for the founding of the school. He was a trustee of Punahou when it was incorporated in 1853.”

“Mrs. Baldwin, then Emily Whitney Alexander, entered Punahou Preparatory, as the school was first known, in 1857, when she was eleven years old. She attended the school from 1857 to 1864 except for one year, and was graduated in 1864 at the age of eighteen.”

“Upon her graduation, she was appointed to the teaching staff of the school, and taught the subjects of geometry, algebra and American history.”

“At the time of her appointment, her brother, W. D. Alexander, was president of the school. He served as president from 1864 to 1870. and prior to that was acting president in 1859 and 1860.”

“Emily Whitney Alexander left Punahou in 1866, and in 1870 she was married to Henry Perrine Baldwin, at the beginning of his career as Maui’s foremost builder.”

“During the early years of their marriage, and throughout their life together, she was his constant helpmate and inspiration.”

“Mr. and Mrs. Baldwin’s first home was at Sunnyside, where the Rev. and Mrs. W. E. Rowan now reside. There their children, Harry A. Baldwin, Mrs. Maud Baldwin Cooke, Frank F. Baldwin, Arthur A. Baldwin. Dr. William D. Baldwin and the late Fred Baldwin, were born.”

“In later years, when they had moved to Haiku to live, they became parents of the late Mrs. Charlotte Baldwin Rice and Samuel A. Baldwin.”

“Before moving to Maluhia in the Makawao district, where Mrs. Baldwin now makes her home, the couple lived at Spreckelsville, where a great deal of Mr. Baldwin’s pioneering in the sugar industry took place.”

“Now known throughout the territory as ‘Mother Baldwin,’ Mrs. Baldwin is beloved by a large circle of friends throughout Hawaii.”

“Her interest in Punahou has continued down the years, and through her financial assistance many students who otherwise would not have been able to attend the school have been able to matriculate there.”

“During her entire lifetime Mrs. Baldwin was devoted herself to civic and community good. Her charities are legion, accomplished quietly and without publicity.”

“To worthy organizations throughout the territory she has been an unstinting friend, and to thousands of individuals she has given help and assistance. Deeply religious, she has been a devoted church woman all her life.”

“It is truly said of her that her life is a benediction, her friendship a blessing to all who know her.” (Maile Stevenson Kearns)

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Emily Alexander Whitney (Baldwin)-14 year old student at Punahou-The Friend

October 9, 2017 by Peter T Young 2 Comments

Baldwin House Settlement

In 1901, with the consent of the HP Baldwin heirs, who own the property, it was decided to use the old Baldwin homestead for the settlement work.

Mrs. Henry Perrine Baldwin and others helped newly arrived plantation workers from Japan, the Philippines and China adjust to living on Maui. Along with other members of the Baldwin family, she continued to support the kindergarten and settlement work.

“We have classes started in sewing, basket-weaving, and physical culture. In a short time lacemaking is to be taken up and also a class in music is to be opened, as many have signified their desire to learn to read music by note.”

“The reading-room on the second floor is now open twice a week, on Monday and Thursday evenings, where papers, magazines and books may be found, while games and music may be enjoyed on the first floor.”

“There is much interest shown, and we hope to accomplish much during the ensuing year in all branches of the work, and to put in new departments as the need arises.” (The Friend, December 1909)

Staffed by members of the middle class, the Hawaiian settlement house movement sought to help immigrant families adapt to the language and customs of their new country.

Behind the settlement house effort was the progressive belief in the importance of social cohesion, the belief that individuals are not autonomous but part of a web of social relationships and that welfare of any single person is dependent on the welfare of society as a whole. (Castle)

The old Baldwin homestead of coral rock and plaster was occupied by Dr DD Baldwin and family during his thirty-four years of missionary labors in Lahaina. In 1868 Dr. Baldwin was transferred to Honolulu and for some years the old home was deserted, or occupied for short periods only.

This second period of service at the old homestead began in 1900, when Miss Nancy Malone decided that Lahaina needed a kindergarten. She appealed to HP Baldwin; he approved her idea and offered to put up a building if others in the community would supply the furnishings and Pioneer Mill Co. would contribute to the current expenses.

The building was erected on the grounds of the Baldwin homestead, almost on the very site of that early Seaman’s Chapel, where Dr Sereno Bishop held services for so many years and where little Henry P Baldwin, at the early age of seven, began to lead the singing and to play hymns on the melodeon at morning and evening prayer.

When the kindergarten building was ready for use, Mrs HP Baldwin decided to start settlement work also. Accordingly, in 1901, she engaged both a kindergarten teacher and a settlement worker.

Since that beginning, workers have come and workers have gone but the work has never halted. The Pioneer Mill Co have faithfully kept their agreement to assist in current expenses

Mr DT Fleming of Baldwin Packers, has been a friend of the Settlement and has generously assisted when repairs or improvements were needed. Whatever Baldwin House has accomplished has been due to her wise and motherly guidance.

The present activities may be grouped in six departments, three of which are distinctly educational (the Kindergarten, the Library and the Evening School) and three of a more or less social nature.

Lahaina has no public hall suitable for small gatherings, and so when school hours are over, the bright, airy kindergarten room is metamorphosed into a free community hall. Here the Girl Scouts have drills; here various committees transact their business; and here are held all kinds of evening entertainments.

Lahaina has no boarding place comfortable for single women. Accordingly, Baldwin House has, in late years, offered its extra rooms to young business women, who join the family and carry on co-operative housekeeping. This is proving a pleasant arrangement for all concerned and is an added form of community service.

Perhaps the most popular feature of the Settlement is the playground, with its beautiful old shade trees, its fresh green grass, its rings, swings, see-saws, horizontal bar and sand box; its gay hibiscus flowers and its bubbling drinking fountains.

“Here, where once sweet Mother Baldwin dispensed open-hearted hospitality and gathered her Hawaiian friends about her for songs and for instruction in heavenly graces, the people of the neighborhood now come and go from dawn to dark, day after day …”

“… as freely as if they owned the place, and the Girl Scout leader assembles her troop for songs and for instruction in modern efficiency.” (Gossin, The Friend, December 1, 1922)

“One of the summer festivities was a garden party for which the Settlement children made really beautiful butterflies. On these were printed the words : ‘Keep Lahaina Clean.’ At the back of the butterflies the children pasted small burrs, which stuck when the butterflies were thrown at people.”

“One afternoon a week the sewing girls have been taught cooking. Simple food which they could make in their own homes, boiled rice, potatoes, cocoa, coffee, baked custard, gingerbread, muffins, pan-cakes, etc. Much emphasis has been laid on the preserving of Hawaiian fruits, papaia marmalade, guava marmalade and jelly, mango pickles and mango sauce, all with a view to the fact that sometime this could be made an industry for Lahaina girls.”

“The kindergarten is composed of several nationalities— Japanese, Chinese, Hawaiian, Portuguese, German, and Spanish. We find the homes of the children much cleaner and more sanitary this year than ever before, as each year the people are becoming more and more educated along hygienic lines, which is indeed encouraging. We are planning work for the coming year, which we hope will be helpful in all ways in teaching the children to care for themselves and others.” (HEA Annual Report, 1912)

“How appropriate that these activities are being conducted under the auspices of the descendants of the very missionaries whose beautiful lives consecrated this home to unselfish service.”

“How satisfactory it is that all departments of the work are crowded to capacity and that the Settlement, though small in scope and modest in endeavor, seems to have made a place for itself in the lives and hearts of the community it aims to serve.” (Gossin, The Friend, December 1, 1922)

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Baldwin-House (Lahaina Restoration Foundation)-400

June 5, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Baldwin High School

It’s situated on the sand dunes midway between Wailuku and Kahului on the main highway … it was named and renamed four different times: Wailuku Junior High School (1928) … Wailuku Intermediate (1932) … Wailuku High School (1936) … Baldwin High School (1939.)

Let’s look back …

In December of 1924 a resolution was introduced by Supervisor R. A. Drummond to establish a new high school in or near Wailuku.

While Maui High School was available for students pursuing a secondary school education (back then, it was located in Pā‘ia,) the supervisors felt that it was too far and inconvenient for students to travel to Hāmākuapoko and that a high school should be located near the population center of the island.

But it took a while for the High School to be built. First, in 1928, Wailuku Junior High School was constructed. Situated in the heart of Wailuku, it drew students from Waiheʻe, Kihei, Waikapu and Wailuku.

Enrollment skyrocketed from 225-students in 1928 to 498 in 1931. The next year the school name changed to Wailuku Intermediate. After four years the name changed again, to Wailuku High School.

By 1937, Maui High School was becoming crowded and a new school was needed to relieve pressure from the school. However, building a new high school was not a unanimously approved plan.

As reported in the Maui News (June 5, 1937): “Talk of building a new high school found Supervisor HL Holstein asking the question as to whether the school was being built so as to thrust another batch of white collar job hunters on the market or whether a vocational school was being built that would teach a man a trade so he could earn a living.”

The supervising principal, Richard E Meyer, pointed out that only 25% of students who began the first grade finished the twelfth and that the new school was to be a senior high school with some shop and vocational work.

The community received news that on October 6, 1937 the legislature provided funding for the new school construction. Fifty acres of land were purchased below the sand hills.

A number of Honolulu architects submitted their applications to the Department of Education, including CW Winstedt and CW Dickey.

However, as a cost saving measure, plans and specifications were prepared by Department of Public Works architect Henry Stewart and County architect Noboru Kobayashi.

Bids for the first unit, the Cafeteria, were called on November 1938. Construction for the shop unit began in December. Then bids for the last four units, which were the largest, administration, homemaking, science and utility buildings, were awarded.

In April 1939, Harry Baldwin, president and manager of Maui Agriculture Company, turned up the first shovel of earth, marking the beginning of the construction of these units.

On October 27, 1939, ceremonies were held celebrating the final inspection and acceptance of the administration and classroom unit. The school then received its lasting name, Henry Perrine Baldwin High School. Later that year the auditorium was built.

Students and teachers moved furniture and equipment into the new buildings before beginning the 1939 Christmas vacation and after vacation, January 8, 1940, students started at their new school.

The school’s namesake, Henry Perrine Baldwin (born August 29, 1842 in Lahaina,) was a son of Dwight and Charlotte Fowler Baldwin, early American Protestant missionaries to Hawai‘i.

He and Samuel Thomas Alexander, another son of American Protestant missionaries (William Patterson Alexander and Mary Ann McKinney Alexander,) grew up together, became close friends and went on to develop a sugar-growing partnership – Alexander & Baldwin (A&B.)

In 1883, Alexander and Baldwin formalized their partnership by incorporating their sugar business as the Pā’ia Plantation also known at various times as Samuel T Alexander & Co, Haleakala Sugar Co and Alexander & Baldwin Plantation.

By spring of 1900, A&B had outgrown its partnership organization and plans were made to incorporate the company, allowing the company to increase capitalization and facilitate expansion.

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.)

What started off as partnership between two young men, with the purchase of 12-acres in Maui, has grown into a corporation with $2.3 billion in assets, including over 88,000-acres of land.

(In 2012, A&B separated into two stand-alone, publicly traded companies – A&B focusing on land and agribusiness, and Matson on transportation.)

A&B is the State’s fourth largest private landowner, and is one of the State’s most active real estate investors. Its portfolio includes a diversity of projects throughout Hawaiʻi, and a commercial property portfolio comprising nearly 8-million square feet of leasable space in Hawaiʻi and on the US Mainland. (Lots of information here is from Baldwin HS, NPS and A&B.)

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Maui-Baldwin-HS-frontlawn

Baldwin High School

Maui-Baldwin-HS-gym

Baldwin High School

Maui-Baldwin-HS-auditorium

Ku Kila Kila-3 tiers-grandparent (past)-parent (present)-youth (future)-Baldwin High School

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Baldwin_High_School NPS

Maui High School vs. Baldwin High School. Katsugo – Kahului Fairgrounds (nisei-hawaii-edu)

Henry Perrine Baldwin

August 29, 2016 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Henry Perrine Baldwin

Henry Perrine Baldwin, the most successful sugar producer of the Hawaiian Islands (Mid Pacific, February 1912,) was born on August 29, 1842 in Lahaina, Maui.

His father was American missionary Dwight Baldwin (1798–1886), and his mother was Charlotte Fowler Baldwin. (He was named after Matthew LaRue Perrine (1777-1836), a professor at Auburn Theological Seminary, from which his father had graduated shortly before his departure to the Hawaiian Islands.) (Davis)

After receiving his education at Punahou School, HP Baldwin undertook the management of a rice plantation, but the venture was not successful and in 1863 he turned his attention to the cultivation of sugar cane, working first for his brother, Dwight Baldwin, Jr, who was engaged in planting at Lahaina.

Christopher H Lewers founded Waiheʻe sugar plantation on Maui. It the mid-1860s it was managed by Samuel Thomas Alexander. Henry Perrin Baldwin took a ‘Luna’ (foreman) job with Alexander. (HP Baldwin and Alexander grew up together as kids in Lāhainā and became close friends.)

It was Mr. Baldwin’s intention – he was then but 21 years of age – to earn enough money to enable him to go to Williams College to take a medical course. (His father was a physician.) His youthful ambition to be a doctor was never realized.

Once launched in the sugar industry he continued in it, an increasingly important figure, for the remainder of his life. Baldwin was particularly successful as an agriculturist, a developer of plantations.

He left to his associates the office and administrative details of his widespread interests but almost to the day of his death continued to take a personal and active interest in the basic level of the sugar industry, the cultivation and production of sugar. (Orr)

In 1869, Baldwin and Alexander became business partners and bought 12-acres in Hāmākuapoko (an eastern Maui ahupuaʻa (land division.)) (They later formed Alexander & Baldwin, one of Hawai‘i’s ‘Big Five’ companies – and the only Big Five still in Hawai‘i.)

“The early years of the partnership of Alexander & Baldwin, represented a continual struggle against heavy odds. Haiku plantation had to have water.”

“Straining their financial resources almost to the breaking point, the young partners succeeded in bringing to completion the Hāmākua-Haiku ditch, the first important irrigation project in the islands.”

“The eventual enormous success of this enterprise made possible the great future of Alexander and Baldwin. Pā‘ia plantation was started and other extensive acreages were added to the partners’ holdings.” (Orr)

“As a pioneer in the construction of big irrigation ditches, Mr. Baldwin laid the foundation for his great fortune. In the latter 70s he caused other planters to gasp by his daring ventures in ditch construction, risking sums of money that were considered very large in those days in enterprises that were believed to be impossible to consummate because of the great gulches and ravines that had to be crossed in the irrigation projects.”

Then tragedy happened … “In 1876, while engaged in adjusting machinery at the sugar mill at the Pā‘ia plantation. Mr. Baldwin almost lost his life by being drawn between the rolls.”

“The engineer fortunately witnessed the accident and reversed the engine, but not before the right arm had been fearfully mangled almost up to the shoulder blade. The amputation was not followed by any serious results, but the handicap was a severe one to so energetic a worker as was Mr. Baldwin all his life.” (Mid Pacific, February 1912)

“When Mr. Alexander removed to Oakland, Calif., in 1883, because of failing health, Mr. Baldwin assumed full direction of their affairs in Hawaii, and for almost thirty years thereafter he was a leading figure in the industrial expansion of the islands.” (Orr)

“A heavy expansion of Alexander and Baldwin came with the acquisition of control of the Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. of Puʻunene, Maui, formerly operated by the late Claus Spreckels.”

“Mr. Baldwin took personal charge of this plantation in 1902 and made it one of the most successful and productive estates in Hawaii. Today it ranks as one of the world’s finest and most modern sugar plantations.” (Orr)

“As manager of the Hawaiian Commercial and Sugar Company, Mr. Baldwin had the satisfaction of seeing it become one of the greatest sugar plantations of the world, with other plantations under the control of his company ranking very high according to their size.” (Mid Pacific, February 1912)

“During its early years the firm operated a fleet of sailing vessels between Hawaii and the mainland, carrying sugar to California and returning with merchandise. These ships later were replaced by the steamers of the American-Hawaiian line and still later by the freighters of the Matson Navigation Co.” (Orr)

“It has been said that no man was ever more deserving of success, for he worked hard when manual labor was necessary, rising as early as four o’clock in the morning and working late into the night to make his enterprises what they have since become.”

“The benefactions of Mr. Baldwin were innumerable. His life in every way was an example to the white boy born in Hawaii. He was of the second generation to the islands born and behind him left eight children of the third generation and several of the fourth.”

“Mr. Baldwin married Emily W. Alexander, daughter of Rev. and Mrs. William Patterson Alexander, early missionaries, and a sister of Mr. Baldwin’s partner, S. T. Alexander, at Wailuku, Maui, on April 5, 1870.”

“Eight children were born to them, Harry A Baldwin, Frank F Baldwin, Mrs. Maud (Baldwin) Cooke, Arthur D Baldwin, Dr WD Baldwin, Mrs Charlotte (Baldwin) Rice, Fred Baldwin and AS Baldwin.” (Orr)

“His sons were and are all athletes, mental and physical, worthy successors to their father, and sons of Hawaii that demonstrate that the islands produce men of brain and brawn throughout the succeeding generations.” (Mid Pacific, February 1912)

In January 1909, HP had an operation for appendicitis. Just as the incident with his arm, he recovered quickly and by the summer of 1911 he was healthy enough to make the voyage to California, but sadly, he died a few days after returning on July 8, 1911. (Davis)

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