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Samuel Parker (Hawaii politician)

Samuel Parker, known as Kamuela Parker (June 23, 1853 – March 19, 1920) was a major landowner and businessman on the island of Hawaii, heir to the Parker Ranch estate. He was also a leading political figure at a critical time of the history of the Kingdom of Hawaii, serving in its last cabinet.

Samuel Parker
Minister of Foreign Affairs
In office
February 1891 – November 1892
MonarchLiliʻuokalani
Preceded byJohn A. Cummins
Succeeded byJoseph Nawahi
In office
January 13, 1893 – January 17, 1893
Preceded byMark P. Robinson
Minister of Finance
In office
March 1891 – July 1891
Preceded byHermann A. Widemann
Succeeded byJohn Mott-Smith
In office
October 1891 – January 1892
Preceded byJohn Mott-Smith
Succeeded byHermann A. Widemann
Personal details
Born(1853-06-23)June 23, 1853
Waimea, Hawaii, Kingdom of Hawaii
DiedMarch 19, 1920(1920-03-19) (aged 66)
Territory of Hawaii, United States
Resting placeParker family cemetery, near Hale Mana
NationalityKingdom of Hawaii
United States
Spouse(s)Harriet Panana Napela
Abigail Kuaihelani Maipinepine
Children9
ResidenceParker Ranch
OccupationRancher, Businessman, Politician

Background and early life

Samuel Parker was born on June 23, 1853. His paternal grandfather, John Palmer Parker (1790–1868), was a member of the eponymous Parker House Hotel family. John Parker was born in Boston, Massachusetts, but settled in the Hawaiian Islands. He founded the Hawaiian branch of the family when he married Chiefess Kipikane (1800–1860), who was related to the high-ranking chiefs of the Big Island. John's younger son, and Samuel's father, was Ebenezer Parker (1829–1855). Ebenezer Parker also married a Hawaiian woman, Kilia Nahulanui, on June 7, 1849.[1] Despite his American-sounding name and upbringing, Samuel Parker was of three-quarters native Hawaiian ancestry.

Samuel Parker's life was influenced by some early deaths in the family. His father Ebenezer had died in 1855, when Samuel was only two years old. Samuel was the second son but his only brother, Ebenezer Christian Parker II, then died in 1860, at the age of ten. Samuel was educated at Oahu College, now known as Punahou School, on Oʻahu. There he made lasting friendships with his contemporaries among the Hawaiian nobility, a social connection that would prove very helpful in adulthood.

Grandfather John Parker - who did have a long life - died, in 1868, when Samuel was still only 15 years old. Samuel thus found himself the co-proprietor, with his father's elder brother, of the eponymous Parker Ranch.

The uncle was John Palmer Parker II (1827-1891), who was also married to a Hawaiian lady, Hanai. In 1879, they moved from the Ranch to a much larger and more accessible estate, more suited to their status as a wealthy and prominent couple who liked to entertain: Puʻu o Pelu. 20°1′9″N 155°40′55″W / 20.01917°N 155.68194°W / 20.01917; -155.68194 ("Puuopelu").[2] This left the Ranch house to Samuel and growing, new family.

The Parker Ranch began in 1847, with a small cottage called Mana Hale, in the remote uplands of Mauna Kea on Hawaiʻi island, at about 3,500 feet (1,100 m) elevation at 19°59′48″N 155°33′29″W / 19.99667°N 155.55806°W / 19.99667; -155.55806 ("Mana"), but was quickly built up into a profitable cattle-estate of 1 640 acres. However, when Samuel took over, he also left the cowboy work, and later the management, to others and was soon looking for further business opportunities.

Family life

 
Hattie Panana Parker

Samuel married Harriet ("Hattie") Panana Kaiwaokalani Napela (1852–1901) on August 23, 1871. She was the daughter of Jonathan Napela who was an early convert to Mormonism,[3] She was also three-quarters Hawaiian, and also known as Harriet Richardson, after her mother's maiden name.[4][5]

Samuel and Harriet Parker had nine children. Their first daughter was Mary Kihilani Parker (1871–1895). The second daughter, Eva Kalanikauleleiaiwi Parker (1872–1922), married her cousin James Frank Woods, the son of Parker's sister Mary. The third daughter, Helen Umiokalani Parker (1874–1929), married Carl Widemann, son of Hermann Widemann.[6]

Samuel's fourth child, John Palmer Parker III (1875–1893), was adopted by John Palmer Parker II and married Elizabeth Jane Lanakila Dowsett, known to later generations as "Aunt Tootsie", on April 18, 1893, at the Parker home in Honolulu.[7][8] They had one daughter Annie Thelma Kahiluonapuaopiilani Parker March 17, 1894, who generally known by her second name, as Thelma; John III died less than two months later, on May 8, 1894. Thelma married Henry Gaillard Smart July 25, 1912 in Honolulu.[9] and had one son Richard Palmer Smart, born on May 21, 1913. However, she also died soon afterwards, in 1914, aged only 20.

Other children were: Harriet "Hattie" Kaonohilani Parker (1876–1884), Palmer Kuihelani Parker (1878–1896), Samuel Keaoulilani Parker (1879–1934), Ernest Napela Parker (1884–1945) and James Kekoalii Parker (1886–1962).[10]: 27 

Parker's uncle, John Palmer Parker II, died in November 1891.[11]

Parker's wife, Harriet, died in 1901, but he did not remain a widower for long.

Sugar-plantations

The family business was the Parker Ranch, a huge and successful cattle-business in the interior. However, in the second half of the century, the sugar-industry was developing rapidly in Hawaii, and Parker saw a profitable business opportunity and a chance to diversify from reliance on livestock.

In 1878, he started the Paʻauhau Plantation with Rufus Anderson Lyman, about 50 miles north of Hilo at coordinates 20°5′9″N 155°26′6″W / 20.08583°N 155.43500°W / 20.08583; -155.43500 ("Paauhau").[12] Lyman was advisor to island governor, Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani, the only land owner with holdings greater than those of the Parker Ranch. Her lands later became a major part of the Kamehameha Schools estate.

Parker enjoyed being at the heart of Hawaiian business and social life and developing a new and powerful circle of friends and associates. He was often involved in real estate deals involving long-term leases from the Kamehameha estate, or buying them fee simple, and also enjoyed the Hawaiian tradition of lavish entertaining at his estates.[13]: 84 

On August 19, 1879 Parker invested in the nearby Pacific Sugar Mill in Kukuihaele near Waipiʻo Valley.[14] The Pacific mill had an abundant water supply, but eventually failed from mismanagement. In 1883 manager William H. Purvis introduced the mongoose, which became an invasive pest. Herds of cattle and sheep had to be destroyed later when a glanders epidemic broke out because of poor conditions in the stables.[14] Parker was becoming involved in too many projects to concentrate on addressing any particular problems that developed in his growing personal and professional empire.

Politics

 
Left, with Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani and John A. Cummins (right) about 1875
Royal household

In 1883, Parker took his first public role when he became a member of the Privy Council of King Kalākaua. In November 1884, he traveled abroad on official business, with the commission to the World Cotton Centennial in New Orleans, Louisiana. In 1886, he was appointed to the office of royal Equerry, which supplied horses and arranged ceremonial occasions, and to the personal staff of Kalākaua with honorary rank of Major and Equerry in Waiting. Later, he was often addressed as Colonel, but this was also merely a courtesy and there is no record of his ever serving as a regular soldier.[15] He was appointed to the House of Nobles in the legislature from 1886 to 1890.

In the meanwhile, the ranch had been mortgaged to finance the failed sugar business, and was taken over by trustees and managed by Paul Jarrett in 1888.[10]: 163 

Minister of State

In early 1891 Kalākaua died, and Queen Liliʻuokalani became the new ruler. On February 25, 1891, Parker was appointed to his first cabinet post, Minister of Foreign Affairs, when John Adams Cummins was told to resign by the queen. On March 3 Parker was appointed to the Commission of Crown Lands.[15] He was generally considered the most powerful member of the cabinet; sometimes called Prime Minister, or Premier, but there was no such official office. The choice of Parker satisfied the people who wanted more native Hawaiians in the government, and he generally had favorable relations with the American interests at the time.[16]: 476 

The first sign of trouble came a week later when Parker also became acting Minister of Finance, temporarily replacing Hermann A. Widemann who was also serving on the Supreme Court. The McKinley Tariff act had devastated the Hawaiian economy by making exports to the US much more expensive, undoing the effects of the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875. It was not until July that former self-taught dentist John Mott-Smith would take over the Finance position, which he had taken earlier under Kamehameha V. However, by October Mott-Smith was sent to Washington, DC to negotiate a trade treaty, and Parker had to again take the Finance position until Widemann could resume his duties on January 28, 1892.[17]

Political unrest

A time of unprecedented instability in the government began in 1892, with the previously biennial part-time legislature having its longest session.[18] Power was split among three parties, with only one of them, the Hawaiian National Reform Party, considered loyal to the queen. By early 1892, Marshal Charles Burnett Wilson suspected members of the Hawaiian National Liberal Party were planning a takeover of the government in response to the 1887 Bayonet Constitution which limited voting rights to wealthy non-Asians. These efforts were blocked by the Reform Party, which largely represented wealthy descendants of Americans and Europeans. Parker was attacked by the Liberals and called a "half-caste cowboy". By May some of the Liberals were arrested, but most charges were dropped, with Parker agreeing that prosecutions would just inflame tensions further.[16]: 528–530 

Reports began circulating that Hawaii was negotiating to be annexed by the United States, but Parker issued denials. In reality, Lorrin A. Thurston (a newspaper publisher whose only government position was as a legislator) had been in Washington lobbying for annexation, but Mott-Smith did nothing to communicate this to Parker.[16]: 540  Attorney General Whiting resigned because of a disagreement with Parker. Liliʻuokalani made a deal with the cabinet: if they supported a lottery to help raise funds, she would appoint Paul Neumann as the new attorney general, who agreed to keep Wilson as marshal. On August 30, 1892 the legislature passed a no confidence motion, insisting the Marshal Wilson be removed. Parker and the rest of the cabinet resigned, but Liliʻuokalani could not come up with replacements that would be acceptable to her opponents in the legislature. In November 1892 Parker was forced to resign, and was replaced with Joseph Nawahi.

Parker was again appointed to head the government on January 13, 1893 as Minister of Foreign Affairs; it was to be the last cabinet appointed by a ruling monarch. The next day Liliʻuokalani presented her proposed 1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii to the cabinet. Frustrated by their hesitation, she threatened to proclaim it unilaterally. Parker and the other ministers were also warned by Thurston and other prominent citizens not to approve the new constitution, which they saw as returning to a more powerful autocratic rule. Parker met with both Liberals who demanded wider voting rights, and the American minister John L. Stevens, who said he would not support the queen if there was an uprising.[16]: 583–590 

On January 16, troops from the USS Boston came ashore, armed but ordered to be as neutral as possible. Parker protested, and asked Stevens to order them to leave, but was told they were protecting American interests.[16]: 595–597  The next day the Provisional Government of Hawaii declared the queen deposed. Parker protested to Stevens one more time, but by the time a response was delivered to Parker, the government building had been seized. Only a small police force led by Charles Burnett Wilson was protecting Liliʻuokalani, so Parker helped negotiate a surrender of to avoid bloodshed.[16]: 602 

From San Francisco Parker tried to convince the US to restore the Queen, but the efforts were not successful.[19] He was interviewed by US Commissioner James H. Blount in preparing his Blount Report on April 6, 1893. He stated his opinion that a majority of voters would have approved a restoration of the queen.[20]

Territorial life

Parker supported Sanford Dole as the first governor of the Territory of Hawaii, even though he had some encouragement to seek that post himself.[21] In 1900 Parker attended the organizing convention of the Republican Party of Hawaii, and was chosen to attend the national convention in Philadelphia on June 19.[22] In September Parker was nominated without opposition by the Republicans for the first election of delegate to US Congress for the territory.[23] Prince David Kawānanakoa ran as a Democrat; they both lost. Parker came in a close second to Robert W. Wilcox of the Home Rule Party of Hawaii.[24]

 
Parker's second wife and stepchildren

It is at this time that most townsfolk believe that the Postal Office in Waimea was renamed Kamuela in honor of Parker. This was to avoid confusion with the larger community of Waimea, Kauaʻi.[25] This claim is supported by documentation within the records of the US Board of Geographic Names.

Parker's first wife died in July 1901.[26] His second wife was Abigail Kuaihelani Maipinepine (1859–1908), widow of industrialist James Campbell. They married January 3, 1902 at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, with judge J. C. B. Hebbard officiating. This made him stepfather to Abigail Campbell and his second wife's other daughters. Parker had acquired a reputation as a notorious spendthrift. Even his supporters said:

The titled and the wealthy of all lands who have visited the islands know Parker and have partaken of his hospitality. Few men have bet more money at poker on small hands than has Colonel "Sam" Parker.[27]

Three days later, his stepdaughter Abigail married Prince Kawānanakoa, who had been his opponent in the 1900 election.[28] This family and its descendants became known as the House of Kawānanakoa.[29]

As part of their honeymoon, in early 1902 the Parkers traveled to Washington, DC, where he visited Theodore Roosevelt.[30] They returned to California February 2, 1902; it was rumored that Parker would be appointed as the next governor of the Territory of Hawaii.[31] However, George R. Carter was appointed instead, descended from American missionaries. It would not be until John D. Waihee III in 1986 that an ethnic native Hawaiian would become governor. Parker's wife was a target of a jewel theft when they returned in 1903.[32]

Although Parker stayed active in the Republican party, he was never elected or appointed to a territorial office. He was able to convince Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, brother of his stepson-in-law Kawānanakoa, to run as a Republican in the 1902 election of congressional delegate; Kalanianaʻole won, and was reelected until his death.[33] Parker served as the first territorial representative on the Republican National Committee.[27]

In 1904 he partnered with Kohala Plantation owner John Hind on the irrigation project known as the Kohala Ditch and hired Michael O'Shaughnessy to help engineer the project.[34][35] He invested in the Hawaiian Irrigation Company of John T. McCrosson, originally called the Hamakua Ditch company, but changed to avoid confusion with the earlier project of a similar name on Maui by Henry Perrine Baldwin. It was intended to build another irrigation system for Parker's Paʻauhau Plantation. Although Parker arranged various leases for ranch land, these projects fell into turmoil over contractual disputes.[36]

Parker was often at odds with Parker Ranch manager Alfred Wellington Carter (cousin of governor George Carter). Carter was steadily investing in enlarging the ranch, while Parker was more interested in using its profits to support his lifestyle.[10]: 262–264  Carter was appointed guardian of Annie Thelma Parker, heir of her adoptive grandfather John Parker II's half interest in the ranch. Carter proposed mortgaging that half to buy out Parker. Parker claimed he rightfully owned the entire ranch and started a lawsuit to remove Carter as guardian and ranch manager.[37] Annie Thelma Parker's mother, who had remarried to Frederick S. Knight of San Francisco in October 1900, publicly attacked Parker saying she "had personal knowledge of the extravagance of said Samuel Parker and of his inability to manage his own property affairs in a discreet and prudent manner".[38] Although the court battles dragged on for years, eventually Parker accepted $600,000 and a few small parcels in exchange for his share in the ranch, finalized on September 20, 1906.

After his wife Abigail's death in 1908, the Campbell Estate, one of the largest private landholdings in Hawaii, was left in trust to her children from her first marriage.[39] Parker spent more time in the US, including visiting his distant Boston relations. The press liked to call him the "King of Hawaii".[40] His health started to fail, and he headed back to Hawaii in November 1913 on a new steamship of the Matson Navigation Company line.[41]

Parker died March 19, 1920,[42] after a heart illness. He and many family members are buried at the original Parker family cemetery near Hale Mana. The Parker Ranch, estimated worth about $6 million at the time, was left in trust to his six-year-old great-grandson Richard Smart. Parker's personal estate went to five surviving children.[43] When Smart died in 1992 the ranch passed to a non-profit trust. Parker's nephew James Frank Woods (1872–1930), widower of daughter Eva, in 1923 married Elizabeth Kahanu Kalanianaʻole (1879–1932), who was the widow of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole.[6]

Family tree

References

  1. ^ "record of Kilia – E. Parker (k)". Hawaii island wedding records (1832–1910). Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library. Retrieved December 25, 2009.
  2. ^ Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi (February 1, 2009). "Cattle Country: A visit to Parker Ranch on the Big Isle is like taking a journey back in time". Honolulu Star Bulletin. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
  3. ^ Fred E. Woods (2008). "Most Influential Mormon Islander: Jonathan Hawaii Napela". Hawaiian Journal of History. Vol. 42. Hawaii Historical Society. pp. 135–157. hdl:10524/98.
  4. ^ The Sons of the American Revolution magazine. Vol. 1. Sons of the American Revolution. 1907. p. 17.
  5. ^ Kapiikauinamoku (May 21, 1956). "Col. Sam Parkerʻs Wife Descendant of Chieftess". The Story of Maui Royalty: The Parkers of Waimea.
  6. ^ a b Kapiikauinamoku (May 23, 1956). "Second Son of Parkers, Palmer, Died As Youth". The Story of Maui Royalty: The Parkers of Waimea.
  7. ^ "Marriage record, Oahu (1832–1910)". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  8. ^ "Union of Mr. John P. Parker and Miss Elizabeth Jane Dowsett". Honolulu Daily Bulletin. April 19, 1893. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  9. ^ "Hawaiian Heiress to wed; Barbaric Splendor to Mark Marriage of Miss Parker to H.G. Smart" (PDF). New York Times. July 24, 1912.
  10. ^ a b c Billy Bergin (2004). Loyal to the Land: The Legendary Parker Ranch 750–1950. Vol. 1. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-2692-5.
  11. ^ "Death of an old Kama-aina". Hawaiian Gazette. November 24, 1891. p. 7. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  12. ^ "Paauhau Sugar Plantation Company History". Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Plantation Archives. University of Hawaii. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  13. ^ Liliʻuokalani (Queen of Hawaii) (1898) [1898]. Hawaii's story by Hawaii's queen, Liliuokalani. Lee and Shepard, reprinted by Kessinger Publishing, LLC. ISBN 978-0-548-22265-2.
  14. ^ a b "Pacific Sugar Mill History". Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association Plantation Archives. University of Hawaii. Retrieved March 25, 2010.
  15. ^ a b . state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  16. ^ a b c d e f Ralph Simpson Kuykendall (1967). Hawaiian Kingdom 1874–1893, the Kalakaua Dynasty. Vol. 3. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-87022-433-1.
  17. ^ . state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  18. ^ Albertine Loomis (1963). "The Longest Legislature". Annual report of the Hawaiian Historical Society. pp. 9–27. hdl:10524/35.
  19. ^ "Still has Hopes: Queen Lil Has Not Abandoned the Restoration Idea". San Francisco Morning Call. January 18, 1894. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  20. ^ "Blount Report: Affairs in Hawaii". pp. 903–911. Retrieved June 23, 2010.
  21. ^ "Correspondence: His Duty". The Independent. Honolulu. February 19, 1900. p. 2. Retrieved February 19, 2011.
  22. ^ Charles H. Hunter (1956). "Hawaiian Politics—1900". Annual report of the Hawaiian Historical Society. pp. 14–20. hdl:10524/59.
  23. ^ "Samuel Parker the Unanimous Nominee of Republican Convention: He will lead the Grand Old Party in First Political Campaign in Hawaii". The Honolulu Republican. September 25, 1900. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  24. ^ Appletons' annual cyclopaedia and register of important events. D. Appleton and company. 1902. p. 304.
  25. ^ "What's in a name?". November 8, 2019.
  26. ^ "Hattie Parker". The Independent. Honolulu. July 12, 1901. p. 4. Retrieved June 29, 2010./
  27. ^ a b "Samuel Parker and Mrs. Campbell Married Quietly at San Francisco". Hawaiian Gazette. January 14, 1902. p. 1. Retrieved June 22, 2010.
  28. ^ "Death of Mrs. Campbell-Parker at the Hospital". Hawaiian Gazette. November 3, 1908. Retrieved June 14, 2010. (reprinted from Honolulu Advertiser)
  29. ^ Richard A. Hawkins (2003). "Princess Abigail Kawananakoa: the Forgotten Territorial Native Hawaiian Leader". Hawaiian Journal of History. Vol. 37. Hawaii Historical Society. pp. 163–177. hdl:10524/354.
  30. ^ "May be next governor: San Jose Lady has a Responsible Position in Prospect". The Evening News. San Jose, California. January 31, 1902.
  31. ^ "Prince David and His Bride Are En Route to Island Home". The Evening News. San Jose, California. February 1, 1902. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  32. ^ "$80,000 Robbery in Honolulu: Mrs. Samuel Parker's Jewels Stolen After She Had Attended a Reception" (PDF). New York Times. August 3, 1903.
  33. ^ United States Congress. "Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole (id: K000004)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
  34. ^ Wanda A. Adams (September 8, 2002). "Hike Through History at Pololū Valley". Honolulu Advertiser. Retrieved June 15, 2010.
  35. ^ "Hawaii (Special Correspondence)". The Louisiana planter and sugar manufacturer. Vol. 37. Louisiana Sugar Planters' Association. June 20, 1906. p. 9.
  36. ^ Congressional Testimony of Arthur C. Gehr and Edward S. Boyd. Hawaiian investigation: Report of subcommittee on Pacific islands and Porto Rico. US Government Printing Office. 1903. pp. 68–107.
  37. ^ "Partnership not Shown: Never Heard of in Thirteen Years". Hawaiian Gazette. September 2, 1904. p. 5. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  38. ^ "Mrs. Knight Takes Hand in Parker Ranch Case: Charges Conspiracy by Sam Parker, J. S. and E. Low, F. Wundenberg and Magoon & Lightfoot to Defraud Annie T. K. Parker". Hawaiian Gazette. August 2, 1904. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  39. ^ (PDF). James Campbell Company LLC. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 11, 2009. Retrieved March 23, 2010.
  40. ^ "Col. Samuel Parker, "King of Hawaii" Here: Col. Samuel Parker in Boston, the Home of His Grandfather" (PDF). New York Times. December 27, 1911. Retrieved June 16, 2010.
  41. ^ "New Matson Boat Leaves New York a Week from Today—Col. Parker Aboard". Hawaiian Gazette. November 18, 1913. p. 3. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  42. ^ "Col. Sam Parker Dead". The Maui News. March 26, 1920.
  43. ^ "Col. Samuel Parker, "King of Hawaii," Dies; Sugar Planter, Once Queen Liliuokalani's Prime Minister, Left $6,000,000 to Great Grandchild" (PDF). New York Times. March 25, 1920. Retrieved June 13, 2010.

Further reading

  • Billy Bergin (2006). Loyal to the Land: The Legendary Parker Ranch 1950–1970. Vol. 2. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-3086-1.
  • Joseph Brennan (September 2004). Parker Ranch of Hawaii: The Saga of a Ranch and a Dynasty. Mutual Publishing Company. ISBN 978-1-56647-682-9.
  • "Hawaiian Islands". Compilation of reports of Committees: 1789–1901. Vol. 6. Senate Committee on Foreign Relations. February 26, 1894. (Senate report 227 of Fifty-third Congress, Second Session, known as the Morgan Report)

External links

  • "Blount Report: Affairs in Hawaii". University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa Library. Retrieved June 17, 2010. (digitized text)
  • "The Annexation Of Hawaii: A Collection Of Documents". Hawaiian Digital Collection. University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa Library. Retrieved June 17, 2010.
  • The Morgan Report
Government offices
Preceded by Kingdom of Hawaii Minister of Foreign Affairs
February 1891 – November 1892
Succeeded by
Preceded by Kingdom of Hawaii Minister of Finance
March 1891 – July 1891
Succeeded by
Preceded by Kingdom of Hawaii Minister of Finance
October 1891 – January 1892
Succeeded by
Preceded by Kingdom of Hawaii Minister of Foreign Affairs
January 13, 1893 – January 17, 1893
Succeeded by

samuel, parker, hawaii, politician, other, uses, samuel, parker, samuel, parker, known, kamuela, parker, june, 1853, march, 1920, major, landowner, businessman, island, hawaii, heir, parker, ranch, estate, also, leading, political, figure, critical, time, hist. For other uses see Samuel Parker Samuel Parker known as Kamuela Parker June 23 1853 March 19 1920 was a major landowner and businessman on the island of Hawaii heir to the Parker Ranch estate He was also a leading political figure at a critical time of the history of the Kingdom of Hawaii serving in its last cabinet The HonourableSamuel ParkerMinister of Foreign AffairsIn office February 1891 November 1892MonarchLiliʻuokalaniPreceded byJohn A CumminsSucceeded byJoseph NawahiIn office January 13 1893 January 17 1893Preceded byMark P RobinsonMinister of FinanceIn office March 1891 July 1891Preceded byHermann A WidemannSucceeded byJohn Mott SmithIn office October 1891 January 1892Preceded byJohn Mott SmithSucceeded byHermann A WidemannPersonal detailsBorn 1853 06 23 June 23 1853Waimea Hawaii Kingdom of HawaiiDiedMarch 19 1920 1920 03 19 aged 66 Territory of Hawaii United StatesResting placeParker family cemetery near Hale ManaNationalityKingdom of Hawaii United StatesSpouse s Harriet Panana NapelaAbigail Kuaihelani MaipinepineChildren9ResidenceParker RanchOccupationRancher Businessman Politician Contents 1 Background and early life 2 Family life 3 Sugar plantations 4 Politics 5 Territorial life 6 Family tree 7 References 8 Further reading 9 External linksBackground and early life EditSamuel Parker was born on June 23 1853 His paternal grandfather John Palmer Parker 1790 1868 was a member of the eponymous Parker House Hotel family John Parker was born in Boston Massachusetts but settled in the Hawaiian Islands He founded the Hawaiian branch of the family when he married Chiefess Kipikane 1800 1860 who was related to the high ranking chiefs of the Big Island John s younger son and Samuel s father was Ebenezer Parker 1829 1855 Ebenezer Parker also married a Hawaiian woman Kilia Nahulanui on June 7 1849 1 Despite his American sounding name and upbringing Samuel Parker was of three quarters native Hawaiian ancestry Samuel Parker s life was influenced by some early deaths in the family His father Ebenezer had died in 1855 when Samuel was only two years old Samuel was the second son but his only brother Ebenezer Christian Parker II then died in 1860 at the age of ten Samuel was educated at Oahu College now known as Punahou School on Oʻahu There he made lasting friendships with his contemporaries among the Hawaiian nobility a social connection that would prove very helpful in adulthood Grandfather John Parker who did have a long life died in 1868 when Samuel was still only 15 years old Samuel thus found himself the co proprietor with his father s elder brother of the eponymous Parker Ranch The uncle was John Palmer Parker II 1827 1891 who was also married to a Hawaiian lady Hanai In 1879 they moved from the Ranch to a much larger and more accessible estate more suited to their status as a wealthy and prominent couple who liked to entertain Puʻu o Pelu 20 1 9 N 155 40 55 W 20 01917 N 155 68194 W 20 01917 155 68194 Puuopelu 2 This left the Ranch house to Samuel and growing new family The Parker Ranch began in 1847 with a small cottage called Mana Hale in the remote uplands of Mauna Kea on Hawaiʻi island at about 3 500 feet 1 100 m elevation at 19 59 48 N 155 33 29 W 19 99667 N 155 55806 W 19 99667 155 55806 Mana but was quickly built up into a profitable cattle estate of 1 640 acres However when Samuel took over he also left the cowboy work and later the management to others and was soon looking for further business opportunities Family life Edit Hattie Panana Parker Samuel married Harriet Hattie Panana Kaiwaokalani Napela 1852 1901 on August 23 1871 She was the daughter of Jonathan Napela who was an early convert to Mormonism 3 She was also three quarters Hawaiian and also known as Harriet Richardson after her mother s maiden name 4 5 Samuel and Harriet Parker had nine children Their first daughter was Mary Kihilani Parker 1871 1895 The second daughter Eva Kalanikauleleiaiwi Parker 1872 1922 married her cousin James Frank Woods the son of Parker s sister Mary The third daughter Helen Umiokalani Parker 1874 1929 married Carl Widemann son of Hermann Widemann 6 Samuel s fourth child John Palmer Parker III 1875 1893 was adopted by John Palmer Parker II and married Elizabeth Jane Lanakila Dowsett known to later generations as Aunt Tootsie on April 18 1893 at the Parker home in Honolulu 7 8 They had one daughter Annie Thelma Kahiluonapuaopiilani Parker March 17 1894 who generally known by her second name as Thelma John III died less than two months later on May 8 1894 Thelma married Henry Gaillard Smart July 25 1912 in Honolulu 9 and had one son Richard Palmer Smart born on May 21 1913 However she also died soon afterwards in 1914 aged only 20 Other children were Harriet Hattie Kaonohilani Parker 1876 1884 Palmer Kuihelani Parker 1878 1896 Samuel Keaoulilani Parker 1879 1934 Ernest Napela Parker 1884 1945 and James Kekoalii Parker 1886 1962 10 27 Parker s uncle John Palmer Parker II died in November 1891 11 Parker s wife Harriet died in 1901 but he did not remain a widower for long Sugar plantations EditThe family business was the Parker Ranch a huge and successful cattle business in the interior However in the second half of the century the sugar industry was developing rapidly in Hawaii and Parker saw a profitable business opportunity and a chance to diversify from reliance on livestock In 1878 he started the Paʻauhau Plantation with Rufus Anderson Lyman about 50 miles north of Hilo at coordinates 20 5 9 N 155 26 6 W 20 08583 N 155 43500 W 20 08583 155 43500 Paauhau 12 Lyman was advisor to island governor Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani the only land owner with holdings greater than those of the Parker Ranch Her lands later became a major part of the Kamehameha Schools estate Parker enjoyed being at the heart of Hawaiian business and social life and developing a new and powerful circle of friends and associates He was often involved in real estate deals involving long term leases from the Kamehameha estate or buying them fee simple and also enjoyed the Hawaiian tradition of lavish entertaining at his estates 13 84 On August 19 1879 Parker invested in the nearby Pacific Sugar Mill in Kukuihaele near Waipiʻo Valley 14 The Pacific mill had an abundant water supply but eventually failed from mismanagement In 1883 manager William H Purvis introduced the mongoose which became an invasive pest Herds of cattle and sheep had to be destroyed later when a glanders epidemic broke out because of poor conditions in the stables 14 Parker was becoming involved in too many projects to concentrate on addressing any particular problems that developed in his growing personal and professional empire Politics Edit Left with Princess Ruth Keʻelikōlani and John A Cummins right about 1875 Royal householdIn 1883 Parker took his first public role when he became a member of the Privy Council of King Kalakaua In November 1884 he traveled abroad on official business with the commission to the World Cotton Centennial in New Orleans Louisiana In 1886 he was appointed to the office of royal Equerry which supplied horses and arranged ceremonial occasions and to the personal staff of Kalakaua with honorary rank of Major and Equerry in Waiting Later he was often addressed as Colonel but this was also merely a courtesy and there is no record of his ever serving as a regular soldier 15 He was appointed to the House of Nobles in the legislature from 1886 to 1890 In the meanwhile the ranch had been mortgaged to finance the failed sugar business and was taken over by trustees and managed by Paul Jarrett in 1888 10 163 Minister of StateIn early 1891 Kalakaua died and Queen Liliʻuokalani became the new ruler On February 25 1891 Parker was appointed to his first cabinet post Minister of Foreign Affairs when John Adams Cummins was told to resign by the queen On March 3 Parker was appointed to the Commission of Crown Lands 15 He was generally considered the most powerful member of the cabinet sometimes called Prime Minister or Premier but there was no such official office The choice of Parker satisfied the people who wanted more native Hawaiians in the government and he generally had favorable relations with the American interests at the time 16 476 The first sign of trouble came a week later when Parker also became acting Minister of Finance temporarily replacing Hermann A Widemann who was also serving on the Supreme Court The McKinley Tariff act had devastated the Hawaiian economy by making exports to the US much more expensive undoing the effects of the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 It was not until July that former self taught dentist John Mott Smith would take over the Finance position which he had taken earlier under Kamehameha V However by October Mott Smith was sent to Washington DC to negotiate a trade treaty and Parker had to again take the Finance position until Widemann could resume his duties on January 28 1892 17 Political unrestA time of unprecedented instability in the government began in 1892 with the previously biennial part time legislature having its longest session 18 Power was split among three parties with only one of them the Hawaiian National Reform Party considered loyal to the queen By early 1892 Marshal Charles Burnett Wilson suspected members of the Hawaiian National Liberal Party were planning a takeover of the government in response to the 1887 Bayonet Constitution which limited voting rights to wealthy non Asians These efforts were blocked by the Reform Party which largely represented wealthy descendants of Americans and Europeans Parker was attacked by the Liberals and called a half caste cowboy By May some of the Liberals were arrested but most charges were dropped with Parker agreeing that prosecutions would just inflame tensions further 16 528 530 Reports began circulating that Hawaii was negotiating to be annexed by the United States but Parker issued denials In reality Lorrin A Thurston a newspaper publisher whose only government position was as a legislator had been in Washington lobbying for annexation but Mott Smith did nothing to communicate this to Parker 16 540 Attorney General Whiting resigned because of a disagreement with Parker Liliʻuokalani made a deal with the cabinet if they supported a lottery to help raise funds she would appoint Paul Neumann as the new attorney general who agreed to keep Wilson as marshal On August 30 1892 the legislature passed a no confidence motion insisting the Marshal Wilson be removed Parker and the rest of the cabinet resigned but Liliʻuokalani could not come up with replacements that would be acceptable to her opponents in the legislature In November 1892 Parker was forced to resign and was replaced with Joseph Nawahi Main article Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom Parker was again appointed to head the government on January 13 1893 as Minister of Foreign Affairs it was to be the last cabinet appointed by a ruling monarch The next day Liliʻuokalani presented her proposed 1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii to the cabinet Frustrated by their hesitation she threatened to proclaim it unilaterally Parker and the other ministers were also warned by Thurston and other prominent citizens not to approve the new constitution which they saw as returning to a more powerful autocratic rule Parker met with both Liberals who demanded wider voting rights and the American minister John L Stevens who said he would not support the queen if there was an uprising 16 583 590 On January 16 troops from the USS Boston came ashore armed but ordered to be as neutral as possible Parker protested and asked Stevens to order them to leave but was told they were protecting American interests 16 595 597 The next day the Provisional Government of Hawaii declared the queen deposed Parker protested to Stevens one more time but by the time a response was delivered to Parker the government building had been seized Only a small police force led by Charles Burnett Wilson was protecting Liliʻuokalani so Parker helped negotiate a surrender of to avoid bloodshed 16 602 From San Francisco Parker tried to convince the US to restore the Queen but the efforts were not successful 19 He was interviewed by US Commissioner James H Blount in preparing his Blount Report on April 6 1893 He stated his opinion that a majority of voters would have approved a restoration of the queen 20 Territorial life EditParker supported Sanford Dole as the first governor of the Territory of Hawaii even though he had some encouragement to seek that post himself 21 In 1900 Parker attended the organizing convention of the Republican Party of Hawaii and was chosen to attend the national convention in Philadelphia on June 19 22 In September Parker was nominated without opposition by the Republicans for the first election of delegate to US Congress for the territory 23 Prince David Kawananakoa ran as a Democrat they both lost Parker came in a close second to Robert W Wilcox of the Home Rule Party of Hawaii 24 Parker s second wife and stepchildrenIt is at this time that most townsfolk believe that the Postal Office in Waimea was renamed Kamuela in honor of Parker This was to avoid confusion with the larger community of Waimea Kauaʻi 25 This claim is supported by documentation within the records of the US Board of Geographic Names Parker s first wife died in July 1901 26 His second wife was Abigail Kuaihelani Maipinepine 1859 1908 widow of industrialist James Campbell They married January 3 1902 at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco with judge J C B Hebbard officiating This made him stepfather to Abigail Campbell and his second wife s other daughters Parker had acquired a reputation as a notorious spendthrift Even his supporters said The titled and the wealthy of all lands who have visited the islands know Parker and have partaken of his hospitality Few men have bet more money at poker on small hands than has Colonel Sam Parker 27 Three days later his stepdaughter Abigail married Prince Kawananakoa who had been his opponent in the 1900 election 28 This family and its descendants became known as the House of Kawananakoa 29 As part of their honeymoon in early 1902 the Parkers traveled to Washington DC where he visited Theodore Roosevelt 30 They returned to California February 2 1902 it was rumored that Parker would be appointed as the next governor of the Territory of Hawaii 31 However George R Carter was appointed instead descended from American missionaries It would not be until John D Waihee III in 1986 that an ethnic native Hawaiian would become governor Parker s wife was a target of a jewel theft when they returned in 1903 32 Although Parker stayed active in the Republican party he was never elected or appointed to a territorial office He was able to convince Prince Jonah Kuhiō Kalanianaʻole brother of his stepson in law Kawananakoa to run as a Republican in the 1902 election of congressional delegate Kalanianaʻole won and was reelected until his death 33 Parker served as the first territorial representative on the Republican National Committee 27 In 1904 he partnered with Kohala Plantation owner John Hind on the irrigation project known as the Kohala Ditch and hired Michael O Shaughnessy to help engineer the project 34 35 He invested in the Hawaiian Irrigation Company of John T McCrosson originally called the Hamakua Ditch company but changed to avoid confusion with the earlier project of a similar name on Maui by Henry Perrine Baldwin It was intended to build another irrigation system for Parker s Paʻauhau Plantation Although Parker arranged various leases for ranch land these projects fell into turmoil over contractual disputes 36 Parker was often at odds with Parker Ranch manager Alfred Wellington Carter cousin of governor George Carter Carter was steadily investing in enlarging the ranch while Parker was more interested in using its profits to support his lifestyle 10 262 264 Carter was appointed guardian of Annie Thelma Parker heir of her adoptive grandfather John Parker II s half interest in the ranch Carter proposed mortgaging that half to buy out Parker Parker claimed he rightfully owned the entire ranch and started a lawsuit to remove Carter as guardian and ranch manager 37 Annie Thelma Parker s mother who had remarried to Frederick S Knight of San Francisco in October 1900 publicly attacked Parker saying she had personal knowledge of the extravagance of said Samuel Parker and of his inability to manage his own property affairs in a discreet and prudent manner 38 Although the court battles dragged on for years eventually Parker accepted 600 000 and a few small parcels in exchange for his share in the ranch finalized on September 20 1906 After his wife Abigail s death in 1908 the Campbell Estate one of the largest private landholdings in Hawaii was left in trust to her children from her first marriage 39 Parker spent more time in the US including visiting his distant Boston relations The press liked to call him the King of Hawaii 40 His health started to fail and he headed back to Hawaii in November 1913 on a new steamship of the Matson Navigation Company line 41 Parker died March 19 1920 42 after a heart illness He and many family members are buried at the original Parker family cemetery near Hale Mana The Parker Ranch estimated worth about 6 million at the time was left in trust to his six year old great grandson Richard Smart Parker s personal estate went to five surviving children 43 When Smart died in 1992 the ranch passed to a non profit trust Parker s nephew James Frank Woods 1872 1930 widower of daughter Eva in 1923 married Elizabeth Kahanu Kalanianaʻole 1879 1932 who was the widow of Prince Jonah Kuhiō Kalanianaʻole 6 Family tree EditvteParker family treeJohn Palmer Parker 1790 1868 i Kipikane 1800 1860 John Palmer Parker II 1827 1891 Ebenezer Parker 1829 1855 Kilia Nahoalani 1834 1861 Mary Ann Kaulalani 1819 1859 Mary Parker Woods 1851 1909 Harriet Panana Napela 1852 1901 Samuel Parker 1853 1920 Abigail Campbell 1858 1908 OthersJames Frank Woods 1872 1930 Eva K Parker 1874 1922 John Palmer Parker III 1875 1894 Elizabeth Jane Lanakila Dowsett 1872 1943 OthersOthersHenry Gaillard SmartThelma Parker 1894 1914 Richard Smart 1913 1992 ii Notes History of Parker Ranch Retrieved February 1 2021 The troubled trust of Parker Ranch www bizjournals com Retrieved February 1 2021 References Edit record of Kilia E Parker k Hawaii island wedding records 1832 1910 Ulukau the Hawaiian Electronic Library Retrieved December 25 2009 Cheryl Chee Tsutsumi February 1 2009 Cattle Country A visit to Parker Ranch on the Big Isle is like taking a journey back in time Honolulu Star Bulletin Retrieved June 14 2010 Fred E Woods 2008 Most Influential Mormon Islander Jonathan Hawaii Napela Hawaiian Journal of History Vol 42 Hawaii Historical Society pp 135 157 hdl 10524 98 The Sons of the American Revolution magazine Vol 1 Sons of the American Revolution 1907 p 17 Kapiikauinamoku May 21 1956 Col Sam Parkerʻs Wife Descendant of Chieftess The Story of Maui Royalty The Parkers of Waimea a b Kapiikauinamoku May 23 1956 Second Son of Parkers Palmer Died As Youth The Story of Maui Royalty The Parkers of Waimea Marriage record Oahu 1832 1910 state archives digital collections state of Hawaii Retrieved June 13 2010 Union of Mr John P Parker and Miss Elizabeth Jane Dowsett Honolulu Daily Bulletin April 19 1893 Retrieved June 13 2010 Hawaiian Heiress to wed Barbaric Splendor to Mark Marriage of Miss Parker to H G Smart PDF New York Times July 24 1912 a b c Billy Bergin 2004 Loyal to the Land The Legendary Parker Ranch 750 1950 Vol 1 University of Hawaii Press ISBN 978 0 8248 2692 5 Death of an old Kama aina Hawaiian Gazette November 24 1891 p 7 Retrieved June 13 2010 Paauhau Sugar Plantation Company History Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association Plantation Archives University of Hawaii Retrieved June 15 2010 Liliʻuokalani Queen of Hawaii 1898 1898 Hawaii s story by Hawaii s queen Liliuokalani Lee and Shepard reprinted by Kessinger Publishing LLC ISBN 978 0 548 22265 2 a b Pacific Sugar Mill History Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association Plantation Archives University of Hawaii Retrieved March 25 2010 a b Parker Samuel office record state archives digital collections state of Hawaii Archived from the original on March 3 2016 Retrieved June 15 2010 a b c d e f Ralph Simpson Kuykendall 1967 Hawaiian Kingdom 1874 1893 the Kalakaua Dynasty Vol 3 University of Hawaii Press ISBN 978 0 87022 433 1 Widemann Hermann A office record state archives digital collections state of Hawaii Archived from the original on March 3 2016 Retrieved June 15 2010 Albertine Loomis 1963 The Longest Legislature Annual report of the Hawaiian Historical Society pp 9 27 hdl 10524 35 Still has Hopes Queen Lil Has Not Abandoned the Restoration Idea San Francisco Morning Call January 18 1894 Retrieved June 13 2010 Blount Report Affairs in Hawaii pp 903 911 Retrieved June 23 2010 Correspondence His Duty The Independent Honolulu February 19 1900 p 2 Retrieved February 19 2011 Charles H Hunter 1956 Hawaiian Politics 1900 Annual report of the Hawaiian Historical Society pp 14 20 hdl 10524 59 Samuel Parker the Unanimous Nominee of Republican Convention He will lead the Grand Old Party in First Political Campaign in Hawaii The Honolulu Republican September 25 1900 Retrieved June 13 2010 Appletons annual cyclopaedia and register of important events D Appleton and company 1902 p 304 What s in a name November 8 2019 Hattie Parker The Independent Honolulu July 12 1901 p 4 Retrieved June 29 2010 a b Samuel Parker and Mrs Campbell Married Quietly at San Francisco Hawaiian Gazette January 14 1902 p 1 Retrieved June 22 2010 Death of Mrs Campbell Parker at the Hospital Hawaiian Gazette November 3 1908 Retrieved June 14 2010 reprinted from Honolulu Advertiser Richard A Hawkins 2003 Princess Abigail Kawananakoa the Forgotten Territorial Native Hawaiian Leader Hawaiian Journal of History Vol 37 Hawaii Historical Society pp 163 177 hdl 10524 354 May be next governor San Jose Lady has a Responsible Position in Prospect The Evening News San Jose California January 31 1902 Prince David and His Bride Are En Route to Island Home The Evening News San Jose California February 1 1902 Retrieved June 15 2010 80 000 Robbery in Honolulu Mrs Samuel Parker s Jewels Stolen After She Had Attended a Reception PDF New York Times August 3 1903 United States Congress Jonah Kuhiō Kalanianaʻole id K000004 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Wanda A Adams September 8 2002 Hike Through History at Pololu Valley Honolulu Advertiser Retrieved June 15 2010 Hawaii Special Correspondence The Louisiana planter and sugar manufacturer Vol 37 Louisiana Sugar Planters Association June 20 1906 p 9 Congressional Testimony of Arthur C Gehr and Edward S Boyd Hawaiian investigation Report of subcommittee on Pacific islands and Porto Rico US Government Printing Office 1903 pp 68 107 Partnership not Shown Never Heard of in Thirteen Years Hawaiian Gazette September 2 1904 p 5 Retrieved June 13 2010 Mrs Knight Takes Hand in Parker Ranch Case Charges Conspiracy by Sam Parker J S and E Low F Wundenberg and Magoon amp Lightfoot to Defraud Annie T K Parker Hawaiian Gazette August 2 1904 Retrieved June 13 2010 James Campbell Esq PDF James Campbell Company LLC Archived from the original PDF on April 11 2009 Retrieved March 23 2010 Col Samuel Parker King of Hawaii Here Col Samuel Parker in Boston the Home of His Grandfather PDF New York Times December 27 1911 Retrieved June 16 2010 New Matson Boat Leaves New York a Week from Today Col Parker Aboard Hawaiian Gazette November 18 1913 p 3 Retrieved June 13 2010 Col Sam Parker Dead The Maui News March 26 1920 Col Samuel Parker King of Hawaii Dies Sugar Planter Once Queen Liliuokalani s Prime Minister Left 6 000 000 to Great Grandchild PDF New York Times March 25 1920 Retrieved June 13 2010 Further reading EditBilly Bergin 2006 Loyal to the Land The Legendary Parker Ranch 1950 1970 Vol 2 University of Hawaii Press ISBN 978 0 8248 3086 1 Joseph Brennan September 2004 Parker Ranch of Hawaii The Saga of a Ranch and a Dynasty Mutual Publishing Company ISBN 978 1 56647 682 9 Hawaiian Islands Compilation of reports of Committees 1789 1901 Vol 6 Senate Committee on Foreign Relations February 26 1894 Senate report 227 of Fifty third Congress Second Session known as the Morgan Report External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Samuel Parker Hawaii Blount Report Affairs in Hawaii University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa Library Retrieved June 17 2010 digitized text The Annexation Of Hawaii A Collection Of Documents Hawaiian Digital Collection University of Hawaiʻi at Manoa Library Retrieved June 17 2010 The Morgan ReportGovernment officesPreceded byJohn A Cummins Kingdom of Hawaii Minister of Foreign AffairsFebruary 1891 November 1892 Succeeded byJoseph NawahiPreceded byHermann A Widemann Kingdom of Hawaii Minister of FinanceMarch 1891 July 1891 Succeeded byJohn Mott SmithPreceded byJohn Mott Smith Kingdom of Hawaii Minister of FinanceOctober 1891 January 1892 Succeeded byHermann A WidemannPreceded byMark P Robinson Kingdom of Hawaii Minister of Foreign AffairsJanuary 13 1893 January 17 1893 Succeeded byOverthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Samuel Parker Hawaii politician amp oldid 1127972016, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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