James A. Wilder

James Austin "Kimo" Wilder (May 22, 1868 – July 4, 1934) was an artist, writer, and scouting pioneer in Hawaii. Wilder was born on May 22, 1868, in Honolulu, Hawaii,^[1] the son of shipping magnate Samuel Gardner Wilder. He had five siblings.

Copy of a painting by Wilder of U.S. Congressman William D. Thomas

Wilder attended Harvard University and Harvard Law School^[1] in 1893–1896. Wilder married Sarah Harnden September 12, 1899, in Alameda, California and had two children. His daughter Kinaʻu Wilder (1902–1992) married Charles B. McVay III and had son Kimo Wilder McVay (1927–2001), who managed Don Ho when he popularized the song Tiny Bubbles.^[2]

Background

He became an artist and founded the first Boy Scout troop in Hawaii^[3] with D. Howard Hitchcock, another artist who married Wilder's cousin.^[4]

Wilder was active in Hawaii Scouting and traveled to the eastern United States where he developed Seascouting for older teen scouts and the Pine Tree Patrol System.^[5] Seascouting was introduced in 1919.^[6]

The James A. Wilder Residence built in 1907 in Honolulu is historic.^[7]

In 1917, Wilder wrote a story titled Knights of the Square Table. This was adapted into a Conquest Pictures film of the same title, in which Wilder played a scoutmaster.^[8] The film is held by the Library of Congress.^[9]

He painted a portrait of Prince Kuhio that hangs in the 'Iolani Palace's throne room^[10] and painted U.S. Congressman William D. Thomas.

Wilder died on July 4, 1934, in Honolulu.^[1]

Bibliography

• Jack-Knife Cookery.
• The Pine Tree Patrol.^[10]
• Knights of the Square Table.

References

1. Shavit, David (1990). "Wilder, James Austin". The United States in Asia: A Historical Dictionary. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 526. ISBN 9780313267888. Retrieved 28 August 2019.
2. John Berger (June 30, 2001). "Kimo McVay, Hawaii's Mr. Show Biz". Honolulu Star Bulletin. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
3. Winston R. Davis (2005). "James Austin Wilder". Sea Scouts · Boy Scouts of America. Retrieved July 21, 2010.
4. John William Siddall, ed. (1921). Men of Hawaii: being a biographical reference library, complete and authentic, of the men of note and substantial achievement in the Hawaiian Islands. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 425.
5. "The Friend". March 23, 1919 – via Google Books.
6. America, Boy Scouts of (March 23, 1920). "Annual Report of the Boy Scouts of America: Letter from the Chief Scout Executive Transmitting the Annual Report of the Boy Scouts of America ... as Required by Federal Charter". U.S. Government Printing Office – via Google Books.
7. "3935 Round Top Drive/ James A. Wilder Residence".
8. James A. Wilder at IMDb
9. Knights of the square table, or, The grail. March 23, 1917. OCLC 18255474.
10. "- Chief Sea Scout James Austin Wilder". www.menofschiff.org.