John L Stevens | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

January 30, 2026 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Grace Stevens

John Stevens, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the United States, on “January 4 took passage for Hilo and the volcano on the U. S. S. Boston for the benefit of the health of himself and of his daughter …”

“… it being also desirable that the town of the second importance in the islands should have this attention at the time the Boston was making a visit to Hawaii, the chief island in the group.” (Stevens to Foster, Jan 18, 1893)

“The USS Boston arrived on Thursday morning with the American Minister, His Ex John L Stevens and daughter on board. As party is composed of Mr Stevens, daughter, and a number of officers of the vessel left on Friday morning for the volcano for a visit of three or four days.” (PCA, Jan 12, 1893)

“While many are familiar with the public tragedy of the overthrow of Queen Lili’uokalani, far fewer know of the private, personal misfortune that affected the fami[y] … of the key United States participants in the events of January 17, 1893.”

“The public actions of John Leavitt Stevens, American minister… especially during the establishment of a U.S. Protectorate over the Provisional Government, helped assure the success of the revolution that toppled the Kingdom of Hawai’i.” (Kam)

“Amidst the national turmoil, personal calamity would strike the American minister less than two weeks after the overthrow.”

“On January 30, 1893, Grace Louise Stevens, the thirty-seven-year-old daughter of John L. Stevens, and Mary Lowell Stevens (née Smith), drowned off Kūka‘iau Landing at Hāmākua, Hawai’i, while trying to board an inter-island steamer to return to O’ahu.” (Kam)

“Miss Stevens had during January visited the Volcano with her father”. John Stevens returned to Honolulu on January 14; Grace remained behind for a period of rest and “to visit friends in the beautiful district of Hamakua.”

“Hearing of the revolution in Honolulu, and of her father’s need of her wonted aid as his private secretary, she hastened to his help, heroically encountering the somewhat perilous, yet rarely disastrous transit from the precipice to the ship, in order to expedite her coming.”

“On the night when the terrible blow fell upon his household, the Minister was deeply engrossed in preparing for the morning’s mail his final despatches to his government respecting the revolution, and the raising of the American flag to take place the next morning by heroic effort of will, grief was postponed for duty, and the dispatches were completed.” (The Friend, March 1893)

Kūka‘iau Landing “consists of a twenty-ton derrick on a staging 20 feet above water at the foot of the bluff, and an incline cable railway to a second landing 195 feet above the sea.”

“This incline cable railway is on a 52 degree uniform slope, and consists of double tracks with 2 cars or car elevators, the top of which are tracked, connected by cable-one going up while the other goes down; the derrick and cable railway being operated by steam.”

“About 1,500 to 2,000 tons of merchandise, and about 100,000 feet of lumber per year are handled over this landing besides the sugar output of Kukaiau. This landing is seldom used for mail or passengers ….”

“About three Inter-Island steamers call at this landing each month at irregular intervals, the sugar being shipped to Honolulu.” (1910 ‘Report of the Commission Appointed to Investigate Private Wharves and Landings.’)

Grace “had been safely lowered into the boat of the Kinau, which had also pushed out towards the ship, but owing to a misunderstanding turned back. A heavy roller capsized the boat, which was shattered upon the rocks.”

“The native mate, a powerful man, seized Miss Stevens, but a second roller tore her from his grasp and hung her against the rocks. A second boat came in and rescued the live natives, who were good swimmers, and recovered the body of the unfortunate lady.” (The Friend, March 1893)

Following the incident, Stevens, “the other day presented the native boat steerer [Kumahoa] of the SS Kinau who heroically tried to save the late Miss Stevens, with a purse of $100. The Wilder’s SS Co also showed their appreciation of the noble conduct of their faithful employee by presenting him with $50.: (Hawaiian Gazette, Feb 21, 1893)

An investigation of Grace’s death by Deputy Sheriff George H. Williams included the facts that “the landing was ‘somewhat’ rough, but not dangerously so, if the boat contained a smart crew” and that “Mrs. Albert Horner was informed by Telephone that the party or parties using the landing would take their own chances.”

The testimony of Robert Horner, assistant manager of the landing, noted that the last time his father arrived at the landing it “was considerably rougher, and yet considered safe for landing.” (Kam)

“The funeral of Miss Grace Stevens, eldest daughter of Hon. J.L. Stevens, U.S. Minister Plenipotentiary, was attended at 4 p.m. yesterday at her parents’ residence in Nuuanu avenue.”

“There was a large gathering of ladies among whom Miss Stevens’ social gifts and graces had won for her a large share of affection and respect. …”

“Many were the heart felt expressions of sympathy for the bereaved family, and in fact the whole community is touched with a fellow-feeling of sorrow at the sudden death of one who had so graciously sustained the social amenities of her position in the American Ministers household.” (Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Feb 3, 1893)

July 19, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Gilbert Conwall Wiltse

“In view of the existing critical circumstances in Honolulu, including an inadequate legal force, I request you to land marines and sailors from the ship under your command for the protection of the United States legation and United States consulate, and to secure the safety of American life and property.” (Stevens to Wiltse, January 16, 1893)

“You will take command of the battalion, and land in Honolulu for the purpose of protecting our legation and the lives and property of American citizens, and to assist in the preservation of public order.”

“Great prudence must be exercised by both officers and men, and no action taken that is not fully warranted by the condition of affairs and by the conduct of those who may be inimical to the treaty right of American citizens. You will inform me at the earliest practicable moment of any change in the situation.” (Wiltse to Lt-Commander Swinburne, January 16, 1893)

“Promptly the men from the Boston were landed. Detachments were placed around the legation and the consulate, the principal members having marched to a central hall for shelter and headquarters …”

“… the night being at hand, the public anxiety being especially strong as to what might be done by irresponsible persons in the night, the landing of the men of the Boston so promptly gave immediate relief to the public anxiety.”

“The committee of public safety forthwith took possession of the Government buildings, archives, and treasury, and installed the Provisional Government at the heads of the respective departments. This being an accomplished fact, I promptly recognized the Provisional Government as the de facto Government of the Hawaiian Islands.”

“The English minister, the Portuguese charge d’affaires, the French and the Japanese commissioners promptly did the same; these, with myself, being the only members of the diplomatic corps residing here.”

“It is proper that I should add, that the presence of the Boston here has been of the highest importance, and the behavior of officers and men has been admirable.”

“Capt. Wiltse has exercised prudence and great firmness, while he and the undersigned have recognized only accomplished facts and have not allowed the use of the United States force for any but the most conservative reasons, I am, sir, John L. Stevens.” (Blount Report)

Let’s look back …

Gilbert Conwall Wiltse was appointed to the Naval Academy from New York, and graduated on September 20, 1855. He became a midshipman on June 9, 1859, and was ordered to the frigate, Congress, the flagship of Admiral JS Sands, cruising on the Brazilian Station from 1859 to 1861. He was made Lieutenant on Aug. 31, 1861.

The Congress was recalled from the station upon the breaking out of the civil war, and Wiltse was detached from that vessel and ordered to the St. Lawrence of the home squadron, in which ship he was present at the engagement of the Confederate ram, Merimac, with the Congress and the Cumberland, in Hampton Roads, on March 8 and 9, 1862.

He was also in the engagement with the Sewel Point batteries in May, 1862. He served on the steam sloop, Dacotah, of the West India squadron in 1862-63, and in the Atlantic blockading squadron in 1863-64.

He had a taste of hot work in the engagement of monitors with Forts Sumter and Moultrie in Nov. 1863. He was commissioned Lieutenant Commander on March 3rd, 1865. He served with distinction all through the civil war.

He served successfully on the steamer Agawam, Atlantic squadron, 1866-67; apprentice ship. Saline, 1867-68; navy yard, New York, 1868-69; on monitor, Saugus, North Atlantic fleet, 1869-70; navy yard, Pensacola, 1870-72.

On November, 8, 1873, he was made commander and put in charge of the Sawmut, North Atlantic squadron, 1875-76. He was on shore duty at the New York Navy yard, 1878-81, and assigned to the command of the Swatara, North Atlantic squadron, 1884-85.

When in command of the Swartara, he was the conveyor of several millions of dollars in silver coin from New Orleans to New York, and it was when in command of that vessel in the harbor of Aspinwall that he protected the three political refugees.

He was promoted to Captain on Jan. 20, 1887, and placed in command of the receiving ship, Franklin; and then the U. S. steamship, Minnesota. He was assigned to the command of the Boston in 1891. The Boston was under his command with the Baltimore and the Yorktown, in the harbor of’ Valparaiso, when the men of the Baltimore were attacked in the streets of that city.

His last service with the Boston. Captain Wiltse of the US Navy was in command of the USS Boston when the Hawaiian revolution occurred; and, at the request of United States Minister Stevens, landed a detachment of marines.

Following that, Captain Wiltse returned to New York City and died at his home, No. 42 East Fifty-third St., New York City, on April 26, 1893. “He was taken ill on Thursday night of last week with congestion of the brain. His condition was not considered serious until Monday night when he became unconscious. He remained so until his death. He was 54 years old.” (Wiltse)

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Gilbert_C._Wiltse-WC

Capt._G._C._Wiltse-WC

USS_Boston_landing_force,_Arlington_Hotel-1893_(PP-36-3-002)

Dole,_Capt._Wiltse,_and_others_watching_a_parade_near_Iolani_Palace_following_overthrow_(PP-36-3-006)-WC

Arlington_Hotel-(formerly_Haleakala)-Officers of the USS Boston at Camp Boston-1893

USS Boston – 1891

Capt._G._C._Wiltse-gravestone

February 8, 2017 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

John Leavitt Stevens

“That I yield to the superior force of the United States of America, whose minister plenipotentiary, His Excellency John L Stevens, has caused United States troops to be landed at Honolulu, and declared that he would support the said provisional government.” (Lili‘uokalani, January 17, 1893)

In 1893, “[a] so-called Committee of Safety, a group of professionals and businessmen, with the active assistance of John Stevens, the United States Minister to Hawai‘i, acting with the United States Armed Forces, replaced the [Hawaiian] monarchy with a provisional government.” (US Supreme Court; Hawaii v OHA, 2008)

John Leavitt Stevens, journalist, author and diplomat, was born in Mount Vernon, Maine, August 1, 1820. By his own efforts he was educated at the Maine Wesleyan Seminary and the Waterville Liberal Institute for the Universalist ministry.

After ten years in the service of this denomination, he was attracted by the intensely interesting condition of national affairs, of which he was always a keen observer, into newspaper work, entering into partnership in 1855 with the late James G. Blaine in conducting The Kennebec Journal.

There he remained for nearly fourteen years, and it was during this period that he obtained that influence in the political world that was afterward recognized by his foreign appointments from the Government. He was repeatedly sent to the State Legislature and Senate, and was one of the chief movers in the formation of the Republican Party in Maine.

In 1870, Stevens accepted the position of United States Minister to Uruguay and Paraguay under President Grant. He resigned after remaining in Montevideo about three years.

He took a very active part in the Presidential campaign of 1876, acting as Chairman of the Republican State Committee of his native State,

He was rewarded with an appointment as Minister to Sweden and Norway in 1877, which position he held until 1883. In June, 1889, Stevens was appointed Minister to the Hawaiian Islands, his title soon after being changed to Minister Plenipotentiary and Envoy Extraordinary. (NY Times, February 9, 1895)

“Although Stevens exaggerated the threatening situation in Hawai‘i, there was indeed some cause for American uneasiness. After the constitutional reforms of 1887, the split between foreigners and native nationalists had widened”

“British capitalists, stimulated by the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway, sought new investments; a rumor circulated that Britain would welcome a protectorate.” (Pletcher)

“When the long-expected revolution finally began in January 1893, it was brought about by two interacting and partly indistinguishable groups, one wanting an independent Hawaiian republic and another seeking annexation to the US.”

“The immediate cause lay in two actions by Queen Liliuokalani. First she replaced a pro-American cabinet with a group of ill-qualified timeservers on whom she could rely.”

“Then, and more important, she revealed her determination to proclaim a new constitution, increasing the royal power and requiring all voters to be naturalized and take an oath of loyalty to her.”

“The course of the revolution was considerably simpler than its causes; it lasted two days and was almost entirely bloodless. (With) the queen’s announcement that the new constitution would be introduced …”

“… the Annexation Club carried out plans already discussed with Stevens and Captain GC Wiltse of the American Cruiser Boston, then in port. Wiltse landed 154 marines to restore order”. (Pletcher)

Stevens supported annexation by the US and in December 1893, he wrote ‘A Plea for Annexation’ in The North American Review where he concluded, “To say that we do not need the Hawaiian Islands as a security to our immense future interests is but the babble of children or of incompetent men.”

“It is blindly and recklessly to ignore the logic of irresistible circumstances, and to scoff at the plainest teachings of history. No! America cannot get rid of her future responsibilities if she would, and all attempts to do so will be at the cost of her future generations.”

“In the light of these inexorable truths, in the name of what is most sacred in Christian civilization, in behalf of a noble American colony, holding the advanced post of America’s progress …”

“… I cherish the faith that the American people, the American statesmen, and the American government, thoughtful of America’s great future, will settle the Hawaiian question wisely and well will see to it that the flag of the United States floats unmolested over the Hawaiian Islands.” (Stevens, The North American Review, December 1893)

“President Cleveland, directly after his inauguration, sent a message to the Senate withdrawing the question of annexation from further consideration; and a Commissioner, Mr. Blount, was sent to report on the situation. He ordered the protectorate withdrawn as unnecessary.”

“Mr. Stevens immediately resigned and returned home. He then devoted himself, in the public prints and on the platform, to a denunciation of the Administration’s Hawaiian policy.” Stevens died February 8, 1895 at his home in Augusta Maine. (NY Times, February 9, 1895)

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John Leavitt Stevens

January 14, 2017 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Timing

Scorning the opinions and advice of all the best men of the Islands, both of her own race and the whites, she finally united her political fortunes with the opium ring and those who were leagued to carry through the Legislature a sweeping lottery charter of the Louisiana type …”

“This was Saturday, January 14, 1893. From that hour the Hawaiian monarchy was dead, and no restoration is possible, except by the exercise of some outside and foreign force. At the date of her downfall Lili‘uokalani was without the sympathy and aid of the best of the native Hawaiians and of nearly all the respectable and responsible white residents of the Islands.”

“Amid the exciting events in Honolulu following the revolutionary attempts of Lili‘uokalani to proclaim a despotic constitution, by which she flung away her crown …”

“… a small force of marines and sailors was landed from the United States ship Boston, as a precautionary step for the protection of American life and property, and as a safeguard against night incendiarism stimulated by the hope of plunder, greatly feared by many of the best citizens.” (Stevens, The North American Review, December 1893)

“The cabinet was voted out on January 12 (by a vote of 25 to 16;) another was appointed on January 14, on which date the Queen prorogued the legislature and attempted to proclaim new constitution. At 2 pm on January 16 the citizens met and organized a committee of safety.”

“On Monday, January 16, there was a large and enthusiastic mass meeting, composed of the representative men of Honolulu, held in the largest hall in the city, at 2 pm. On the same day I received from the United States minister a request to land the sailors and marines of the Boston to protect the United States legation, consulate, and the lives and property of American citizens. … At 4:30 pm landed force in accordance with the request of the United States minister plenipotentiary.” (Wiltse, January 18, 1893, Blount Report)

“At the time the Provisional Government took possession of the Government buildings, no troops or officers of the United States were present or took any part whatever in the proceedings.”

“No public recognition was accorded to the Provisional Government by the United States minister until after the Queen’s abdication and when they were in effective possession of the Government buildings, the archives, the treasury, the barracks, the police station, and all the potential machinery of the Government.”

“Then, and not until then, when the Provisional Government had obtained full de facto control, was the new order of things recognized by the United States minister, whose formal letter of recognition was promptly followed by like action on the part of the representatives of all foreign governments resident on the Hawaiian Islands.” (John Foster, State Department, February 15, 1893, Blount Report)

“As soon as the Provisional Government was in possession, it sent notifications of the situation to all the representatives of the foreign powers. Recognitions began to pour in as soon as it became clear that the Government was a genuine de facto one, until all the powers had accepted the situation.”

“The list includes Sweden, Germany, the United States, Austro-Hungary, Belgium, Russia, Peru, Italy, the Netherlands, France, England, Japan, China, Portugal, Chile, Denmark, Spain, and Mexico.” (Wiltse, February 1, 1893, Blount Report)

“(T)he cabinet came to the conclusion that it was absurd to think of resisting the United States, and waited only until Mr. Stevens formally notified them of his recognition of the Provisional Government, which he sent us in answer to a letter from us. This letter in answer to ours reached us before 4 o’clock and less than an hour after the issuing of the proclamation by the Provisional Government.” (AP Peterson, July 13, 1893, Blount Report)

US recognition of the Provisional Government was made in a statement on United States Legation stationary dated January 17, 1893; it states, “A Provisional Government having been duly constituted in the place of the recent Government of Queen Liliuokalani …”

“… and said Provisional Government being in full possession of the Government Buildings, the Archives, and the Treasury and in control of the capital of the Hawaiian Islands, I hereby recognize said Provisional Government as the de facto Government of the Hawaiian Islands.” (Stevens, January 17 1893)

“As to the precise time when the letter of recognition was received from American Minister Stevens I can not be positive. My recollection is that it was about the time that Messrs. Damon and Bolte returned from the police station with the four ex-ministers …”

“… but the records of our proceedings at the time, kept by the secretary, place it after the return of Mr. Damon and the ex-ministers from their visit to the Queen. In any event it was very late in the day, and long after Messrs. Wodehouse and Walker had called. (James H Blount, July 15, 1893, Blount Report)

However, a recent revelation (part of the Provisional Government Papers at the Hawaiian Mission Houses Archives and Historic Site) notes a January 17, 1893 ‘Private’ correspondence between Stevens and Dole that suggests that the US de facto recognition of the Provisional Government had been prepared prior to the takeover of the Government Buildings.

That note from Stevens to Dole states: “I would advise not to make known of my recognition of the de facto Provisional Government until said Government is in possession of the Police Station.” (Stevens, January 17, 1893)

Later reports note, “Then, on the 17th day of January, according to the recognition of the United States, from which there has been no dissent or departure, the interregnum ceased, and the executive head of the Government of Hawaii was established.” (Morgan Report)

“The recognition of the Provisional Government was lawful and authoritative, and has continued without interruption or modification up to the present time. It may be justly claimed for this act of recognition that it has contributed greatly to the maintenance of peace and order in Hawai‘i and to the promotion of the establishment of free, permanent, constitutional government in Hawaii, based upon the consent of the people.” (Morgan Report)

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