Liliuokalani | Page 9 | Images of Old Hawaiʻi

September 2, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Liliʻuokalani

At that time she was born, children often were named in commemoration of an event. She was given the name Lydia Liliʻu Loloku Walania Wewehi Kamakaʻeha.

Kuhina Nui Kīnaʻu had developed an eye infection at the time of Liliʻu’s birth. She gave the child the names Liliʻu (smarting,) Loloku (tearful,) Walania (a burning pain) and Kamakaʻeha (sore eyes.)

“Very near to (the site of Queen’s Hospital,) on Sept. 2, 1838, I was born. My father’s name was Kapaʻakea, and my mother was Keohokālole; the latter was one of the fifteen counsellors of the king, Kamehameha III., who in 1840 gave the first written constitution to the Hawaiian people.”

“My great-grandfather, Keawe-a-Heulu, the founder of the dynasty of the Kamehamehas, and Keōua, father of Kamehameha I., were own cousins, and my great-grandaunt was the celebrated Queen Kapiʻolani, one of the first converts to Christianity. “

“She plucked the sacred berries from the borders of the volcano, descended to the boiling lava, and there, while singing Christian hymns, threw them into the lake of fire.”

“This was the act which broke forever the power of Pele, the fire-goddess, over the hearts of her people. Those interested in genealogies are referred to the tables at the close of this volume, which show the descent of our family from the highest chiefs of ancient days.”

“But I was destined to grow up away from the house of my parents.” (Lili‘uokalani)

As was the custom, Liliʻu was hānai (adopted) to Abner Pākī and his wife Laura Kōnia (granddaughter of Kamehameha I), who reared her with their birth daughter, Pauahi (born December 19, 1831).

“When I was taken from my own parents and adopted by Paki and Konia, or about two months thereafter, a child was born to Kīna‘u. That little babe was the Princess Victoria, two of whose brothers became sovereigns of the Hawaiian people.”

“While the infant was at its mother’s breast, Kīna‘u always preferred to take me into her arms to nurse, and would hand her own child to the woman attendant who was there for that purpose.”

“I knew no other father or mother than my foster-parents, no other sister than Bernice. I used to climb up on the knees of Paki, put my arms around his neck, kiss him, and he caressed me as a father would his child …”

“… while on the contrary, when I met my own parents, it was with perhaps more of interest, yet always with the demeanor I would have shown to any strangers who noticed me.”

“My own father and mother had other children, ten in all, the most of them being adopted into other chiefs’ families; and although I knew that these were my own brothers and sisters, yet we met throughout my younger life as though we had not known our common parentage. This was, and indeed is, in accordance with Hawaiian customs.” (Lili‘uokalani)

Lili‘uokalani lived on the property called Haleʻākala, in the house that Pākī built on King Street. It was the ‘Pink House,’ made from coral (the house was name ʻAikupika (Egypt.)) (It is not clear where the ʻAikupika name came from.)

The two-story coral house was built by Pākī himself, from the original grass hut complex of the same name at the same site; he financed the construction through the sale of Mākaha Valley (ʻAikupika would later become the primary residence of his daughter Bernice Pauahi and her husband, Charles Reed Bishop.)

“At the age of four years I was sent to what was then known as the Royal School, because its pupils were exclusively persons whose claims to the throne were acknowledged. It was founded and conducted by Mr Amos S Cooke, who was assisted by his wife.”

“It was a boarding-school, the pupils being allowed to return to their homes during vacation time, as well as for an occasional Sunday during the term.”

“I was a studious girl; and the acquisition of knowledge has been a passion with me during my whole life, one which has not lost its charm to the present day. In this respect I was quite different from my sister Bernice.” (Lili‘uokalani)

Founded in 1839 during the reign of King Kamehameha III, the original Chief’s Children’s School was in the area where the ʻIolani barracks now stand.

Mr. and Mrs. Amos Cooke, missionaries from New England, were commissioned to teach the 16 royal children (others who joined the Pākī sisters were Lot Kapuāiwa (later Kamehameha V), Queen Emma, King William Lunalilo and Liliʻu’s brother, David (later King Kalākaua.)

In 1846 the school’s name was officially changed to Royal School; attendance was restricted to descendants of the royal line and heirs of the chiefs. In 1850, a second school was built on the site of the present Royal School; it was opened to the general public in 1851.

The comments in quotes are from Liliʻuokalani from her book “Hawaiʻi’s Story by Hawaiʻi’s Queen, Liliʻuokalani.”

Fast forward … on the afternoon of January 16, 1893, 162 sailors and Marines aboard the USS Boston in Honolulu Harbor came ashore. The home that Liliʻuokalani was raised in (later known as Arlington Hotel) served as the headquarters for the USS Boston’s landing force (Camp Boston) at the time of the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy, January 17, 1893.

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Lydia Kamakaʻeha Pākī, the future Queen Liliuokalani, in her youth possibly at Royal School.

Caesar-Kapaakea-and-Analea-Keohokālole-parents-of-King-Kalakaua-and-Queen-Liliuokalani-1.jpg

Abner-Pākī-c.-1808–1855-was-a-member-of-Hawaiian-nobility.-He-was-a-legislator-and-judge-and-the-father-of-Bernice-Pauahi-Bishop-1855-2.jpg

Laura Kōnia (c. 1808–1857) was a member of the Hawaiian royal family. She was grandaughter of King Kamehameha I

Paki_sisters-Bernice Pauahi Paki and Lydia Kamakaeha Paki (Liliuokalani)-1859

Liliuokalani,-1860s_or_1870s

Bernice-Pauahis-residence-at-Haleʻākala-the-building-itself-is-called-Aikupika-near-what-is-now-the-intersection-of-Bishop-and-King-streets.jpg

Haleakala_front-(DMY)

Royal_School,_probably_after_1848

View_toward-Diamond_Head-of_Honolulu_down_King_from_Fort_Street_in_1855-(Paki_(Bishop)_house-2)

Wedding_portrait_of_Mr._and_Mrs._Charles_Reed_Bishop,_June_4,_1850

US Marines and sailors from the USS Boston during overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani-PP-36-3-003

USS Boston officers at Camp Boston, Arlington Hotel, Honolulu, Hawaii, 1893

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

Downtown and Vicinity-Dakin-Fire Insurance- 3-Map-1891-Location_of_Haleakala_noted

July 8, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

John Dominis Aimoku

“John (Dominis) was, to use a euphemism, rather irregular as a husband – as many husbands in my experience are. He was fond of society, sometimes took more liquor than was good for him, and occasionally (although he never kept a regular mistress) had some love adventures.”

“In this small community they were reported to his wife, and I can vouch to how she suffered by it. She was exceedingly fond and jealous of him. But, like most unfaithful husbands, he would not have for one moment shut his eyes on even any sign of unfaithfulness on the part of his wife.”

“As long as he was alive, any one slandering his wife would have, I assure you, been severely punished.” (Trousseau, Blount Report)

“In November of 1882, Dr. Trousseau had the unpleasant duty of telling Lili‘uokalani that John Owen Dominis was about to have an illegitimate child born to a young half-Hawaiian woman”.

“This young woman was a retainer of Lili‘uokalani’s; a part of her ‘family’; she was also, however, officially married to a young Hawaiian by the name of John Lamiki Aimoku.” (Kelley)

“On January 9, 1883, a child was born in the household of Lili‘uokalani at Waikiki. The mother gave her child in Hawai’ian fashion in hānai to its maternal grandmother, Mary Purdy (Pahau), who was at the time 53 years old.”

“She claimed him as her own, (however) Princess Lili‘uokalani took over his support … (S)he followed the letter of law … that a child born out of wedlock took the legal surname of his mother, Aimoku. … Thus John Dominis Aimoku came into being.”

“In 1910, at the age of 27, young John told Lili‘uokalani that he was in love with Sybil McInerny, the daughter of a prominent Honolulu merchant, and wanted to marry her.”

“Upon hearing that news, Liliu‘okalani decided to officially adopt him and change his name to John Aimoku Dominis. She did so that May, 19 years after her husband’s death.” (Tsutsumi)

In Lili‘uokalani’s will, she left “For John Dominis Aimoku, the premises known as “Washington Place”, with the appurtenances, on Beretania Street, in Honolulu, for his lifetime …”

“… and on his death to the lawfully begotten heirs of his body during their lifetime (or so long after the death of said John Dominis Aimoku as the law will permit, with reversion then to the Trustees).” (Liliuokalani’s Will)

“John Aimoku Dominis, a ward of Queen Liliʻuokalani and one of the trustees of the Liliʻuokalani Trust, died on Saturday afternoon (July 8, 1917) after a long Illness and on Sunday the remains were cremated.”

“Following a long illness which developed into a condition which had been regarded hopeless for several days, Mr. Dominis died shortly before midnight on Saturday night at the McInerny residence at Kahala.”

“Mr. Dominis was 34 years of age. He was adopted by the queen … and for a Jong time was under the immediate care of Mrs Paakaiulaula Bush. He received his education In Iolani College.”

“For nearly five years Mr Dominis was a circuit court clerk, being assistant to Clerk Henry Smith in the main office. After leaving, this position he entered, the insurance business in which he continued until ill health necessitated his giving it up.” (Honolulu Star Bulletin, July 9, 1917)

Later, the Territorial Legislature noted, “those certain premises in the city of Honolulu known as Washington Place have for almost three-quarters of a century been associated and identified with the government of Hawaii”.

“Prince Jonah Kūhio Kalaniana‘ole has indicated his earnest desire that Washington Place should be acquired by the Territory of Hawaii as an executive mansion for its Governor, thus preserving to posterity the said Washington Place as a memorial to the late Queen Liliuokalani”.

“Prince Jonah Kūhio Kalaniana‘ole and the Trustees of the Liliuokalani Trust have agreed that the said Washington Place should be conveyed to the Territory of Hawaii for a price not to exceed twenty thousand dollars ($20,000.00), upon the condition that the Territory shall also, at the same time, acquire the life interest or right of occupancy of the heirs of John Dominis Aimoku”.

“The said premises known as Washington Place, when so acquired, shall be and are hereby set apart for use exclusively as an executive mansion for the governor of Hawai‘i.” (Act 229, approved April 39, 1919)

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Liliuokalani_and_John_Aimoku_Dominis

Liliuokalani_with_hanai_son_and_group_of_four_women

Liliuokalani_at_Kamehameha_Day_parade,_1914

Liliuokalani_and_hanai_sons_ Joseph Kaiponohea ʻAeʻa (left) and John Aimoku Dominis (right) with_group_(PP-98-13-013)

John_Aimoku_Dominis_and_son,_1913

Liliuokalani_and_her_grandchildren

Liliuokalani_with_her_grandchildren

April 4, 2018 by Peter T Young 1 Comment

Missionary Sewing Circle

Kalākua (also Kaheiheimālie) (c. 1778–1842) was daughter of Keʻeaumoku (a chief from Hawaiʻi Island) and Nāmahana, from the royal family on Maui. She was described as physically being ‘tall and gigantic,’ like her siblings. (Bingham)

“Kalākua, a widow of Kamehameha … asked (the missionary women) to make a gown for her in fashion like their own.” (Bingham) “(She) was told that it was the Lord’s day, and that they would make it tomorrow.” (April 2, 1820, Thaddeus Journal)

The next day, the first Hawaiian sewing circle was held on the decks of the Thaddeus, “Kalākua brought a web of white cambric to have a dress made for herself in the fashion of our ladies, and was very particular in her wish to have it finished while sailing along the western side of the island, before reaching the king.”

“Monday morning April 3d (1820,) the first sewing circle was formed that the sun ever looked down upon in the Hawaiian realm. Kalākua was directress. She requested all the seven white ladies to take seats with them on mats, on the deck of the Thaddeus.”

“The dress was made in the fashion of 1819. The length of the skirt accorded with Brigham Young’s rule to his Mormon damsels, – have it come down to the tops of the shoes. But in the queen’s case, where the shoes were wanting, the bare feet cropped out very prominently.” (Lucy Thurston, part of the Pioneer Company)

Later, another ‘sewing circle’ was presented by some of the early missionary descendants. But first, some background …

About 30-years after the first sewing circle (June 5, 1832), the Hawaiian Mission Children’s Society (HMCS) was formed. At the time, “there were no places of entertainment, for social enjoyments or organized mission work, or any society for the missionary children, no uplifting influences at their disposal.”

“The family rules were strict. Native prayer meetings at five o’clock in the morning and long Sunday services, mostly in Hawaiian, were the only change the poor children had, and the formation of the HMCS was a beautiful and wise undertaking. It has done its work faithfully and well.” (Cooke; HMCS, 1900)

Then in 1900, the HMCS membership was asked, “What is the future of the Society?” Outgoing HMCS president, AF Cooke noted, “Having fulfilled its original design, let us now form a new society with broader aim …”

“… and with a more extended scope for membership, and plan to become a historical centre for all missionary efforts in the wide Pacific. … A historical or commemorative society offering occasion for missionary intelligence and personal reminiscences of the lives of our fathers and mothers …”

“…would give to us and to our children and to the Christian world, a most valuable record and much history might be preserved that would otherwise remain unknown.” (Cooke; HMCS, 1900)

The Society acquired the 1821 Mission House in 1907 and later the coral block Chamberlain house. The making of a museum was underway (and remains under HMCS control to today).

A House warming was given here on April 4th, 1908. The officers of the Society and others received the Cousins and their friends in the old historic reception room where royalty was entertained in the long ago, and where, no doubt, every missionary to these sunny islands has gathered in consultation and knelt in prayer.

Many guests went up the winding stairs to the chambers above, out to the stone kitchen and down to the cellar dining and store rooms before going through to the makai lawn where chairs were arranged for the audience.

A dramatic performance of an old-time missionary sewing circle, supposedly held during the General Meeting of 1840, was presented.

“Our Cousin James A. (Judd) Wilder has with a most sympathetic hand, woven together various incidents and anecdotes from unwritten missionary history, into a brief drama of one scene, apologies need be made for any anachronisms as to pretense to be more than a composite picture.”

“The missionary mothers are represented by grand and great-grand-daughters, and the old-time dress will enhance family resemblances and are sure to be pleasing to those who remember dear faces gone.” (HMCS Annual Report, 1908)

“The acting was good and the whole scene very realistic. The play was given at the rear of the Old Mission Home, between that and the vine-clad coral kitchen, and the audience were seated on the lawn.”

“A platform was built in front of the stage, between trees and draped with flags, ferns and ilima wreaths, on which sat the guests of honor, Queen Lili‘uokalani, Gov. Pinkham, Admiral Moore and General Macomb.” (HMCS Annual Report, 1912)

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‘OLD MISSION HOUSE’ (LOC)-photo ca 1907

April 1, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Torpedoed

The world was entering war. Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to Austria-Hungary’s throne, and his wife, Sophie, were assassinated on June 28, 1914.

Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia. Then, Germany, Russia, France and United Kingdom entered the fray; US President Woodrow Wilson announced the US would remain neutral.

US neutrality lasted until April 1, 1917, when the armed merchant ship Aztec was sunk off the northwest coast of France by U-boat 46 under the command of Leo Hillebrand.

“There are five Hawaiian boys thought to have been killed along with 16 Americans when the American steamer the Aztec was sunk.”

“This ship was sunk outside of the seas of France by the German submarine without being given prior time for the captain and his sailors to prepare themselves on the previous Sabbath.”

“Amongst the Americans who are thought to have died are some sailors of the navy which the government placed aboard the ship …. These are the first sailors of the navy to become victims of the Prussians …”

The Hawaiian boys killed on the Aztec by the Germans were: Julian R Macomber, Honolulu; Charles Pinapolo, Honolulu; Ekila Kaoki, Hawai‘i Island; Tato Davis, Hawai‘i Island and HK Price, Hawai‘i Island. (Aloha Aina, April 6, 1917)

Charles Nakao was one of the survivors – he wrote a letter that was published in the Star Bulletin, May 9, 1917. The text of that follows:

“Brooklyn, New York, April 26, 1917. … Dear Sir: I, Chas. Nakao, was one of the members of the crew of the S. S. Aztec which was the first American vessel armed with two three-inch guns.”

“Number of crew was 49, including 12 navy gunners and an officer of the U. S. S. Dolphin. We sailed from New York March 18, 1917, and were torpedoed by a submarine April 1, 1917, Sunday night, at 9:30 o’clock, off the coast of France.”

“It was very stormy weather, the seas were about 30 feet in height and the current from English channel was running about 7 miles an hour. “It were dark hail storm and were impossible to launch any lifeboat over the weather side.”

“Seven of the crew got excited and try to launch the boat No. 2, which were on the weather side they were all smashed between the life boat and the ship side one of the boys were from Honolulu, Ekela Kaohi, the other were Chinese boy from Puna Pahoa Henry Look.”

“No. 3 boat there were Hail Rice of Honolulu, Chas. Pumoku, Julian Makama of Honolulu, one from Tahiti Islands, John Davis. I were on board the No. 1 boat which I suppose to be the gunners’ boat.”

“There were 19 of the crew on board. The vessel had sunk within 15 minutes it took 9 minutes because we were away from the ship side.”

“After we were probably about 100 yards away some one gave four long blasts. Nobody knows how it happened. After four hours and a half in lifeboats on the high seas and hail storms and rain and darkness we were sighted by a French patrol boat.”

“We had signaled to the boat with flashlights. They got full speed away from us. The second one had passed by and we lighted a torch and they came and picked us up.”

“The temperature of the water was 40 degrees and I didn’t have any shoes or hat on. I was frozen and could hardly speak for about two hours after we got picked up.”

“It was 1:30 o’clock in the early Monday morning and we had looked around for about 18 hours for the other boat. There were know sign whatsoever.”

“So we landed at Brest, France, the American consul came and met us at the dock and over 6 hundred Frenchmen were treated fine.”

“I got warm and were send to Brest hospital. From Brest we were send to Bourdeaux, France, about 48 hours ride train.”

“We got on board the S. S. La Tourine, the French passenger boat from Bourdeaux, and we got back to New York safe.”

“I remain yours truly, CHAS. NAKAO, Waiakea, Hilo, Hawaii.”

“If any of boys’ family wants to get any information about the clothes or anything else please sent me your address and I will try my best to send it over. This is my address: Chas. Nakao, 324-32th street, Brooklyn, New York.”

“P. S.—Thanking our Queen for her kindly remembrance to us boys off the ill-fated S. S. Aztec. Yours sincerely, CN” (Charles Nakao, and summarized in the Kuokoa of Iune 1, 1917)

“Colonel ʻIaukea had told Lili‘uokalani of the sinking of the Aztec, resulting in the death of five Hawaiian sailors, and asked her if on that account she would like to raise the American flag over her home.”

“She replied, most emphatically: ‘Yes. Have you a flag?’ When he said, ‘No’ an army officer who happened to be present offered to procure one. On its arrival the Queen went into the yard to watch the ceremony of raising the Stars and Stripes for the first time over Washington Place.” (Kihapi‘ilani; Ola o Hawaii, June 21, 1917)

“For the first time in its long and picturesque history, Washington Place, home of Queen Liliʻuokalani, was decorated today with an American flag.”

“It was the occasion of the visit of the legislators to pay their respects to the aged queen and in view of the extraordinary crisis in international affairs and the prospect of patriotic war action by congress …”

“… the queen allowed the flag to be flown in honor of the government which years ago was responsible for her loss of a monarchy.” (Honolulu Star-Bulletin, April 3, 1917) (Reportedly, the American flag continued to fly over Washington Place.)

On April 2, 1917, President Wilson appeared before Congress to deliver his historic war message and asked for a declaration of war against Germany.

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SS Aztec

Aztec-torpedoed-1917

Liliuokalani_outside_Washington_Place_with_Captain_Nowlein

Exterior_of_Washington_Place_with_guards,_old_photograph

Washington_Place,_Honolulu,_Hawaii,_1899

March 4, 2018 by Peter T Young Leave a Comment

Kini Kapahu

Ana Kini Kapahukulaokamāmalu Ku‘ululani McColgan Huhu (Kini Kapahu – Jennie Wilson) was born March 4, 1872, the daughter of a Hawaiian woman and an Irish immigrant to Hawai‘I, John N. McColgan.

As an infant, she was adopted by a Hawaiian woman, Kapahukulaokamāmalu, who was an expert chanter, hula performer, and friend of Queen Kapi‘olani, Kalākaua’s consort. She and her adoptive mother lived on a property adjacent to the royal palace. (Imada)

“Kalākaua always had dancers in his court dancing for his pleasure…. There were parties for his guests from the mainland on their way to Australia with dancers as well. They weren’t only for his friends, but for everyone in Honolulu.” (Kupahu; Tong)

In 1886, the same year of his jubilee, Kalākaua assembled Hui Lei Mamo, a group of eight Hawaiian women and girls under the age of 20. Hui Lei Mamo was a ‘glee club’; it performed acculturated hula performance as well as choral music. (Imada)

Kapahu was fourteen years old when she joined Kalākaua’s hula court; other members of the group included Pauahi Pinao, Annie Grube (transliterated in Hawaiian as Ani Gurube), Malie Kaleikoa, Aiala and Namakokahai. All the girls were daughters of court retainers except for Kapahu. (Imada)

As a member of the royal family and the reigning monarch of Hawai‘i, King Kalākaua had the rightful authority to dictate when the hula would be performed. (Tong)

While Kalākaua’s older court dancers performed pre-contact forms of hula with indigenous instrumentation and chanting, the young women of Hui Lei Mamo performed only the hula ku‘i, ‘the modern hula’.

An acculturated dance that developed in the king’s cosmopolitan court, hula ku‘i merged Western music and instruments with traditional hula steps. It is suggested that Kalākaua himself was the inventor of this hybrid genre …

“[The king] took some steps out of the old-fashioned [hula] and put them into the modern [hula] with guitar. He was the first one to start this.” (Kapahu; Imada)

When Kalākaua died in 1891, the dancers no longer had a place in court. Nevertheless, they continued to benefit directly from Kalākaua’s cultural renaissance through training in hula ‘schools’, called hālau hula or pā hula.

Namake‘elua (who is sometimes recorded as Nama-elua), a hula teacher Kalākaua summoned for his jubilee, had decided to remain in Honolulu instead of returning to his home on the island of Kauai.

The handful of students undertook training in hula genres associated with Indigenous pre-European contact traditions, very different from the hula ku‘i of the court. (Imada)

Four women entered the hālau hula – three of them were Hui Lei Mamo dancers, including Kapahu. Their intensive training commenced in 1892, with the young women taking residence in the teacher’s home.

For about six weeks, the dancers were kapu (sacred or consecrated). They dedicated themselves to the goddess Laka, the patron of hula, and erected a hula kuahu (altar), imploring Laka to give them knowledge.

They danced for about six hours a day, taking swims in the ocean and meals in between practices. The repertoire was ‘very religious’. Hula practice was a part of a sacred realm and governed by strict rules, because hula performances manifested the gods’ and ali‘i’s mana (sacred power) and rank.

On the day of the ‘ūniki (ritual graduation), graduates of other hula schools came to watch the four women dance. Only after undergoing ‘ūniki were they released from sacredness and became noa (free). The following day, they celebrated their release with a feast and public performance for friends and family.

At the end of their graduation, Kapahu and three others graduates and two men as chanters and musicians were chosen to go to Chicago for the Exposition in 1893. They were the first hula dancers to dance on the mainland, or for that matter, anywhere in the Western world. (Kealiinohomoku)

They were a ‘smashing success’. While they left the Islands with a 6-months contract, they extended their tour for four years, during the time they travelled over Europe and Russia. (Kealiinohomoku)

“On the way back from Europe, Jennie met Johnny Wilson in Chicago. They were both 24. He was managing a tour of Hawaiian Band — another big hit on the vaudeville circuit. They’d been childhood playmates. Now they simply fell in love.”

However, “Back home in Honolulu, Johnny’s mother refused to allow him to marry a hula dancer. … Johnny and Jennie respected his mother’s feelings, but finally she passed on and in 1908 they were married.” Kapahu then became known as Jennie Wilson.

“Johnny became a builder of sewer systems, roads, breakwaters and even of the highway over the Pali. And he built respect for social new deals along democratic lines and that’s why the people of Hawaii came to love and respect him”. (Honolulu Record, November 21, 1957)

Johnny Wilson brought Jennie to Pelekunu to live in 1902. The entry in Johnny’s diary for Tuesday, April 8, 1902, reads, “Arrived Pelekunu & occupied Koehana’s house”. According to Bob Krauss, Jennie was “one of Hawai‘i’s premier hula dancers” and not used to country life; the Hawaiians in the valley wondered how long Jennie would stick it out.

In the beginning Johnny and Jennie lived at the shore, but sometime after the 1903 tsunami Johnny built Jennie a house farther back in the valley. Later, Johnny bought Jennie a piano, the only one in Pelekunu. (Krauss)

Jennie did stick it out for quite a while. She helped teach the children in Pelekunu and ran their taro operation while Johnny was away. Eventually, however, Jennie did leave the valley; in the summer of 1914, Jennie finally got tired of the rain. She staged a one-woman mutiny and moved to a drier place on Molokai at Kamalō, where Johnny had a cattle ranch.

Wilson tried to aid the small native Hawaiian farmers by arranging for a steamer schedule to remote taro- and rice-producing areas. When his plans for a commercial line fell through Wilson convinced the federal administration to place a post office in Pelekunu, guaranteeing regular steamer visits to deliver the mail. (Cook)

However, when his wife left (she was postmistress,) no one filled the post and the post office closed. The steamships tried to keep regular schedules to Pelekunu to support the valley’s residents. However, they were not regular enough and eventually others abandoned Pelekunu valley, deeming it as too isolated to remain viable in a cash economy. (Cook)

John (Johnny) Henry Wilson was born December 15, 1871 to Charles Burnett (CB) Wilson and Eveline (Townsend) Wilson. His parents’ friends included the John and Lydia Dominus (Lili‘uokalani) and Kalākaua.

“We had known Mr. Wilson quite well as a young man when he was courting his wife. My husband and myself had warmly favored his suit; and, with his wife, he naturally became a retainer of the household, and from time to time they took up their residence with us.” (Liliʻuokalani)

During her imprisonment, Queen Liliʻuokalani was denied any visitors other than one lady in waiting (Mrs. Eveline Wilson – Johnny’s mother.) Johnny would bring newspapers hidden in flowers from the Queen’s garden; reportedly, Liliʻuokalani’s famous song Kuʻu Pua I Paoakalani (written while imprisoned,) was dedicated to him (it speaks of the flowers at her Waikiki home, Paoakalani.).

Johnny Wilson got involved with politics and is credited as being the most important Democrat in the first half of 20th-century Hawaiʻi; his name is used with Jack Burns in the party movement. He was in a meeting on April 30, 1900 that organized the Democratic Party of Hawaiʻi.

He would serve three stints as mayor: 1920 to 1927, 1929 to 1931 and 1946 to 1954. (From 1941 to 1946, he was Director of Public Works.) Jennie Wilson made her most significant strides for women’s rights in 1919 as first lady to the Honolulu mayor.

She organized what’s considered “the first meeting of women in the territory to discuss the new sphere of womanhood” that the 1920s suffrage movement ushered in. (Hawai‘i Magazine) Johnny Wilson passed away on July 2, 1956 at the age of 84; Jennie Wilson died July 23, 1962 at the age of 90.

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