Alexander Salmon (1820 – 6 August 1866) was an English merchant who was the first Jew to reside in Tahiti.[1] He became secretary to QueenPōmare IV and married her adopted half-sister.[2] Through his daughter's marriage to John Brander his family formed part of the influential Salmon/Brander Clan of Tahiti.[3]
Salmon was born Alexander Solomon in 1820 in Hastings, England. While often described as "the scion of a British Jewish banking family", his background was quite different.[4] His father, John Solomon, was a fruiterer or greengrocer selling from a store in Piccadilly. He improved his background when he arrived in Tahiti at age 19 in 1841. This is not surprising when it is considered how he was treated by British and European visitors to Tahiti. An example of this was Captain Henry Byam Martin, commander of HMS Grampus, who in 1847 described Salmon as, "... a low swindling bankrupt Jew from London." On his mother Rebecca's side, Alexander was a grandson of a renowned Jewish miniaturist artist, Solomon Polack.[5] His maternal uncle was Joel Samuel Polack.
Marriage and childrenedit
In January 1842, Salmon married Princess Oehau, Ari'i Ari'ioehau Ari'ita'ima'i Hinari'i (1824 – 24 June 1897), later given the title ari'i.[6][7] She was the adoptive daughter of King Pōmare II's widow, the mother of Pōmare III and Pōmare IV. Considered one of the highest ranking chiefesses in the land, she was head of the Teva clan, the traditional rivals of the Pōmare family, and descended from Chief Amo and Queen Purea who received the first European explorer to Tahiti Samuel Wallis in 1767. In 1846, she was considered a rival candidate to the Tahitian throne by the French governor Armand Joseph Bruat in the event that Queen Pōmare IV did not to return from her self-imposed exile to Raiatea and comply with a French protectorate over Tahiti.
The union of Salmon and Ali'i|ari'i produced the following children:[8][9]
Tetuanui Reiaitera'iatea Titaua Salmon (3 November 1842 – 25 September 1898), married in 1856 John Brander; and in 1878 George Darsie with whom she moved to Anstruther in Scotland, where she died and is buried
Ernest Tepauari'i'iahurai Salmon (December 1843 – April 1844)
Ari'ino'ore Moetia Salmon (3 March 1848 – 1935), married Dorence Atwater
Ari'i Teuraitera'i Tati Salmon (1852 – 5 December 1918)
Salmon, Ernest (1964). Alexandre Salmon, 1820–1866, et sa femme Ariitaimai, 1821–1897: deux figures de Tahiti à l'époque du protectorat. Paris: Société des Océanistes. doi:10.4000/books.sdo.777. ISBN9782854300420. OCLC 6229240.
Salmon/Brander Clanedit
For four decades from the 1840s, the Alexander Salmon and John Brander families, who were of English, Scottish and Tahitian ethnicity, were important socially, commercially and politically in Tahiti. They married into the Tahitian royal families, and were aligned through marriage and commerce with each other. A daughter of the second generation married the last King of Tahiti and was for many years known as 'the last Queen of Tahiti'. This royal connection was a major part of the prestige of what became a 'clan'. As each of family had nine children, the clan was numerically strong but on the founders' deaths many were still very young. Commercial naivety, familial distrust, poor staff management and infighting over inheritances led to the disappearance of the clan within a generation.[10]
Life in Tahitiedit
The author Herman Melville described him thus: “The lady he wedded being a near kinswoman of the queen, he became a permanent member of her majesty's household. This adventurer rose late, dressed theatrically in calico and trinkets, assumed a dictatorial tone in conversation, and was evidently on excellent terms with himself. We found him reclining on a mat, smoking a reed-pipe of tobacco, in the midst of an admiring circle of chiefs and ladies. He must have noticed our approach; but instead of rising and offering civilities, he went on talking and smoking, without even condescending to look at us."
^The Virtual Jewish World Retrieved 1 February 2014.
^Comay, Joan (1974), Who's who in Jewish history : after the period of the Old Testament, Weidenfeld & Nicolson, ISBN978-0-297-76572-1
^Gossler, Claus (2005), "The social and economic fall of the Salmon/Brander Clan of Tahiti", Journal of Pacific History, 40 (2) (published September 2005): 193–212, doi:10.1080/00223340500176574, ISSN 0022-3344, S2CID 155001456
^The Guided Jewish Tour Retrieved 1 February 2014.
^"An ideal Jewish Polynesian royal husband". Jerusalem Post. 15 October 2018. Retrieved 13 November 2021.
^Constance Gordon-Cumming (1882). A Lady's Cruise in a French Man-of-War. William Blackwood and Sons.
^The Social and Economic Fall of the Salmon/Brander Clan of Tahiti Claus Gossler The Journal of Pacific History Vol. 40, No. 2 (Sep., 2005), pp. 193-212 Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. Stable URL: https://www.jstor.org/stable/25169749
^Gossler Claus (2005). "The social and economic fall of the salmon/brander clan of tahiti". The Journal of Pacific History. 40 (2): 193–212. doi:10.1080/00223340500176574. S2CID 155001456.
April 12, 2024
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For other people named Alexander Salmon see Alexander Salmon disambiguation Alexander Salmon 1820 6 August 1866 was an English merchant who was the first Jew to reside in Tahiti 1 He became secretary to Queen Pōmare IV and married her adopted half sister 2 Through his daughter s marriage to John Brander his family formed part of the influential Salmon Brander Clan of Tahiti 3 Alexander Salmon c 1865 Contents 1 Birth and early life 2 Marriage and children 3 Salmon Brander Clan 4 Life in Tahiti 5 Death 6 ReferencesBirth and early life editSalmon was born Alexander Solomon in 1820 in Hastings England While often described as the scion of a British Jewish banking family his background was quite different 4 His father John Solomon was a fruiterer or greengrocer selling from a store in Piccadilly He improved his background when he arrived in Tahiti at age 19 in 1841 This is not surprising when it is considered how he was treated by British and European visitors to Tahiti An example of this was Captain Henry Byam Martin commander of HMS Grampus who in 1847 described Salmon as a low swindling bankrupt Jew from London On his mother Rebecca s side Alexander was a grandson of a renowned Jewish miniaturist artist Solomon Polack 5 His maternal uncle was Joel Samuel Polack Marriage and children editIn January 1842 Salmon married Princess Oehau Ari i Ari ioehau Ari ita ima i Hinari i 1824 24 June 1897 later given the title ari i 6 7 She was the adoptive daughter of King Pōmare II s widow the mother of Pōmare III and Pōmare IV Considered one of the highest ranking chiefesses in the land she was head of the Teva clan the traditional rivals of the Pōmare family and descended from Chief Amo and Queen Purea who received the first European explorer to Tahiti Samuel Wallis in 1767 In 1846 she was considered a rival candidate to the Tahitian throne by the French governor Armand Joseph Bruat in the event that Queen Pōmare IV did not to return from her self imposed exile to Raiatea and comply with a French protectorate over Tahiti The union of Salmon and Ali i ari i produced the following children 8 9 Tetuanui Reiaitera iatea Titaua Salmon 3 November 1842 25 September 1898 married in 1856 John Brander and in 1878 George Darsie with whom she moved to Anstruther in Scotland where she died and is buried Ernest Tepauari i iahurai Salmon December 1843 April 1844 Ari ino ore Moetia Salmon 3 March 1848 1935 married Dorence Atwater Ari i Teuraitera i Tati Salmon 1852 5 December 1918 Alexander Ari ipaea Vehiaitipare Salmon 4 August 1855 1914 Jean Nari ivaihoa Tepau Marama Salmon 24 October 1856 6 February 1906 Queen Johanna Marau Ta aroa a Tepau Salmon 24 April 1860 2 February 1934 married King Pōmare V Lois Beretania Pri Salmon 23 March 1863 25 May 1894 Alexandria Manihinihi Cheeky Salmon 1 October 1866 2 December 1918 married her nephew Norman Brander vteSalmon Ariʻitaimai family tree partial AlexanderSalmon 1820 1866 Ariʻitaimai 1821 1897 TitauaSalmon 1842 1898 TepauSalmon 1843 1844 MoetiaSalmon 1848 1935 TatiSalmon 1850 1918 AriʻipaeaSalmon 1855 1918 NariʻiSalmon 1856 1906 MarauSalmon 1860 1934 BeretaniaSalmon 1863 1894 ManihinihiSalmon 1866 1919 Notes Salmon Ernest 1964 Alexandre Salmon 1820 1866 et sa femme Ariitaimai 1821 1897 deux figures de Tahiti a l epoque du protectorat Paris Societe des Oceanistes doi 10 4000 books sdo 777 ISBN 9782854300420 OCLC 6229240 Salmon Brander Clan editFor four decades from the 1840s the Alexander Salmon and John Brander families who were of English Scottish and Tahitian ethnicity were important socially commercially and politically in Tahiti They married into the Tahitian royal families and were aligned through marriage and commerce with each other A daughter of the second generation married the last King of Tahiti and was for many years known as the last Queen of Tahiti This royal connection was a major part of the prestige of what became a clan As each of family had nine children the clan was numerically strong but on the founders deaths many were still very young Commercial naivety familial distrust poor staff management and infighting over inheritances led to the disappearance of the clan within a generation 10 Life in Tahiti editThe author Herman Melville described him thus The lady he wedded being a near kinswoman of the queen he became a permanent member of her majesty s household This adventurer rose late dressed theatrically in calico and trinkets assumed a dictatorial tone in conversation and was evidently on excellent terms with himself We found him reclining on a mat smoking a reed pipe of tobacco in the midst of an admiring circle of chiefs and ladies He must have noticed our approach but instead of rising and offering civilities he went on talking and smoking without even condescending to look at us Death editSalmon died on 6 August 1866 in Papeete Tahiti References edit The Virtual Jewish World Retrieved 1 February 2014 Comay Joan 1974 Who s who in Jewish history after the period of the Old Testament Weidenfeld amp Nicolson ISBN 978 0 297 76572 1 Gossler Claus 2005 The social and economic fall of the Salmon Brander Clan of Tahiti Journal of Pacific History 40 2 published September 2005 193 212 doi 10 1080 00223340500176574 ISSN 0022 3344 S2CID 155001456 The Guided Jewish Tour Retrieved 1 February 2014 An ideal Jewish Polynesian royal husband Jerusalem Post 15 October 2018 Retrieved 13 November 2021 Constance Gordon Cumming 1882 A Lady s Cruise in a French Man of War William Blackwood and Sons George Biddle 1968 Tahitian Journal University of Minnesota Press ISBN 978 0 8166 5708 7 Frepages Genealogy Retrieved 1 February 2014 The Social and Economic Fall of the Salmon Brander Clan of Tahiti Claus Gossler The Journal of Pacific History Vol 40 No 2 Sep 2005 pp 193 212 Published by Taylor amp Francis Ltd Stable URL https www jstor org stable 25169749 Gossler Claus 2005 The social and economic fall of the salmon brander clan of tahiti The Journal of Pacific History 40 2 193 212 doi 10 1080 00223340500176574 S2CID 155001456 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Alexander Salmon amp oldid 1098042546, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
