Alfred S. Hartwell
Encyclopedia
Alfred Stedman Hartwell was a lawyer and American Civil War
soldier, who then had another career as cabinet minister and judge in the Kingdom of Hawaii
.
, Massachusetts
. His father was Stedman Hartwell and mother was Rebecca Dana Perry (1805–1872).
He graduated from Harvard University
in 1858 where he was elected into the Phi Beta Kappa Society
.
and worked as an instructor at Washington University
. In April 1861, at the outbreak of the American Civil War
, he enlisted as Corporal in the Third Missouri Reserve regiment.
Missouri was officially neutral but supporters of the Confederacy
had captured Liberty Arsenal
, and his company was called up to help recapture the weapons. This resulted in the Camp Jackson Affair.
In June he returned to Boston and enrolled in Harvard Law School
, but by September 1862 became a First Lieutenant in the 44th Massachusetts regiment. When the United States Colored Troops
(USCT) were formed for African-American recruits, he was promoted to Captain on March 31, 1863 of the 54th Massachusetts
. However, the number of volunteers was higher than expected, so he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
, and helped organize the 55th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry under command of Norwood Penrose Hallowell
. The 54th's role in the Second Battle of Fort Wagner was depicted in the film Glory. The 55th moved into their former barracks, and was ordered to embark in July 1863. They served building trenches on Folly Island
supporting the siege of Charleston, South Carolina
. When Hallowell had to resign for treatment of an old wound, Hartwell was promoted to command the regiment on November 3, 1863.
Morale became a problem when his troops discovered that despite being promised the same pay as their white counterparts, they had a major deduction for a "clothing allowance". Hartwell complained to his commanding officers, and suggested promoting African-American troops to officers. On May 24, 1864 he commissioned John Freeman Shorter to be a second Lieutenant
, but it was refused by General John Porter Hatch
. He protested up to the Secretary of War and threatened to resign, until the pay issue was settled in August 1864.
In the Battle of Honey Hill
on November 30, 1864 he commanded a brigade
that included the 55th and 54th Massachusetts and the 102nd USCT
. He was wounded and had his horse shot from under him leading three charges. Captain Thomas F. Ellsworth received the Congressional Medal of Honor because "Under a heavy fire [Ellsworth] carried his wounded commanding officer [Hartwell] from the field." The battle was generally a failure, but proved another example where the African-American troops could be used in battle.
On January 23, 1865, President
Abraham Lincoln
nominated Hartwell for the award of the honorary grade of brevet
brigadier general
, to rank from December 30, 1864, for gallant services at the battle of Honey Hill. The U.S. Senate confirmed the award on February 14, 1865.
On January 30, 1865 he rejoined his brigade, and in February 1865 he commanded the brigade in an attack on James Island, South Carolina
. After a few skirmishes, both sides retreated.
After the fall of Charleston, he marched his forces through the city, with the African-American troops at the head of his brigade. They occupied the city and dealt with the large number of refugees.
On April 5, 1865 he commanded another combined force that marched through Charleston again, although by now the Confederate army was generally dispersing. Their duties now were mostly peace-keeping and rebuilding bridges.
On May 1 his units were based in Orangeburg, South Carolina
, and finally in June his promotions of black officers were finally approved.
In August the 55th was taken out of service. However, Hartwell was sent to investigate Milton S. Littlefield who was accused of fraud (known as the "Prince of carpetbaggers").
He was finally discharged on April 30, 1866. He returned to Boston
, and was elected to the legislature of Massachusetts as a Republican.
After the war he finished his last year of law school and graduated with an LLB degree from Harvard in 1867.
He briefly started a law practice in Boston with classmate Samuel Craft Davis.
On August 15, 1868 he left at the suggestion of fellow Massachusetts lawyer Elisha Hunt Allen
, intending to spend a year or two on an adventure to the Hawaiian Islands
.
to the supreme court of the Kingdom of Hawaii
on the day he landed, September 30, 1868.
There were so few trained lawyers in Hawaii, one of the other supreme court justices, Hermann A. Widemann
, had never been to law school. Elisha Hunt Allen was still acting as chief justice, despite living in the United States much of the time.
He rented a room at Washington Place
from Mary Dominis. Also living there was John Owen Dominis
who was Governor of Oahu, and his wife Lydia, the future Queen Liliuokalani. He quickly learned the Hawaiian language
and by December 1868 was instructing juries as a circuit court judge without an interpreter.
At the time, the supreme court was trial court for several kinds of cases, handled appeals, and its judges acted as circuit judges on other islands.
He married Charlotte Elizabeth "Lottie" Smith (1845–1896) on January 10, 1872 in Kōloa
on Kauai island
. Her father was missionary physician James William Smith who arrived in 1842 to Hawaii. Her brother was lawyer William Owen Smith
(1848–1929) who later joined him in law practice.
They had eight children:
For his honeymoon the couple traveled first to San Francisco in February 1872, where he found out his father had died on his wedding day. When they arrived in Natick, his mother was also ill, and they stayed until she died on June 11, 1872. They returned and rented a house in Honolulu in August 1872.
In 1873 he hosted a visit of some other former civil war generals, including John Schofield
, Rufus Ingalls
, and Barton S. Alexander
, when they investigated the use of Pearl Harbor
as a naval base. As King Lunalilo
was dying, Hartwell advised him to name a clear successor, assuming it would be Queen Emma of Hawaii
. However, Lunalilo died before naming an heir to the throne, resulting in a political crisis when the popular Emma was not elected.
Hartwell was appointed Attorney General
by King Kalākaua
on February 18, 1874 replacing Albert Francis Judd
(who moved onto the court), but was replaced on May 28.
On December 5, 1876 he was appointed again, replacing William Richards Castle
.
This time he served until July 3, 1878,
when he went into private practice. Hartwell suspected that Claus Spreckles had him removed because Hartwell was opposed to Spreckles plans to license water rights for his sugar plantations.
In 1883 he closed his practice and traveled back to Boston, but returned to Hawaii in 1885.
In late 1890 he traveled to Washington, DC to negotiate on a cable connection between Hawaii and west coast of the United States.
Although he did not support the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, he did lobby for is annexation to the US.
In 1899 he traveled to Washington, DC as unofficial representative until Robert William Wilcox
was elected. On the same trip he attended the International commercial congress in Philadelphia.
In 1895 Hartwell wrote the document signed by Liliuokalani in which she agreeed to abdicate, avoiding death sentences for those (including herself) convicted after the 1895 Counter-Revolution in Hawaii
. Liliuokalani remained bitter about what she saw as a former friend working for her enemies.
He formed a law form with Lorrin Andrews Thurston, one of the leaders of the overthrow, and then added his assistant William F. L. Stanley
.
In 1901 he was hired to challenge the income tax
in the Hawaii territorial court.
His daughter's brother-in-law George Robert Carter
became Territorial Governor of Hawaii
in 1903.
On June 15, 1904, he was appointed again to the Supreme Court of what was now the US Territory of Hawaii
, and became chief justice August 15, 1907.
He replaced Walter F. Frear
who in turn replaced Carter as Governor.
On March 9, 1911 he resigned and left in June for a vacation in Europe, but became ill in London
and returned to Hawaii.
He died in Honolulu on August 30, 1912 and was buried in Oahu Cemetery
.
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
soldier, who then had another career as cabinet minister and judge in the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
.
Life
Alfred Stedman Hartwell was born June 11, 1836 in South NatickNatick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
. His father was Stedman Hartwell and mother was Rebecca Dana Perry (1805–1872).
He graduated from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1858 where he was elected into the Phi Beta Kappa Society
Phi Beta Kappa Society
The Phi Beta Kappa Society is an academic honor society. Its mission is to "celebrate and advocate excellence in the liberal arts and sciences"; and induct "the most outstanding students of arts and sciences at America’s leading colleges and universities." Founded at The College of William and...
.
War
He moved to St. Louis, MissouriSt. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
and worked as an instructor at Washington University
Washington University in St. Louis
Washington University in St. Louis is a private research university located in suburban St. Louis, Missouri. Founded in 1853, and named for George Washington, the university has students and faculty from all fifty U.S. states and more than 110 nations...
. In April 1861, at the outbreak of the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he enlisted as Corporal in the Third Missouri Reserve regiment.
Missouri was officially neutral but supporters of the Confederacy
Confederate States of America
The Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
had captured Liberty Arsenal
Liberty Arsenal
The Liberty Arsenal was an United States Army arsenal at Liberty, Missouri in Clay County, Missouri, that was seized by Confederate sympathizers on April 20, 1861, being an early occurrence in a sequence of skirmishes and battles that was to define Missouri in the American Civil War...
, and his company was called up to help recapture the weapons. This resulted in the Camp Jackson Affair.
In June he returned to Boston and enrolled in Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
, but by September 1862 became a First Lieutenant in the 44th Massachusetts regiment. When the United States Colored Troops
United States Colored Troops
The United States Colored Troops were regiments of the United States Army during the American Civil War that were composed of African American soldiers. First recruited in 1863, by the end of the Civil War, the men of the 175 regiments of the USCT constituted approximately one-tenth of the Union...
(USCT) were formed for African-American recruits, he was promoted to Captain on March 31, 1863 of the 54th Massachusetts
54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry
The 54th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry was an infantry regiment that saw extensive service in the Union Army during the American Civil War. The regiment was one of the first official black units in the United States during the Civil War...
. However, the number of volunteers was higher than expected, so he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
, and helped organize the 55th Regiment Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry under command of Norwood Penrose Hallowell
Norwood Penrose Hallowell
Norwood Penrose "Pen" Hallowell was an officer in the Union Army during the American Civil War. One of three brothers to serve with distinction during the war, he and his brother Edward Needles Hallowell both became commanders of the first all-black regiments...
. The 54th's role in the Second Battle of Fort Wagner was depicted in the film Glory. The 55th moved into their former barracks, and was ordered to embark in July 1863. They served building trenches on Folly Island
Folly Island
Folly Island is a barrier island in the Atlantic Ocean near Charleston, South Carolina. It is one of the Sea Islands and is within the boundaries of Charleston County, South Carolina. During the American Civil War, the island served as a major staging area for troops of the Union Army that were...
supporting the siege of Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
. When Hallowell had to resign for treatment of an old wound, Hartwell was promoted to command the regiment on November 3, 1863.
Morale became a problem when his troops discovered that despite being promised the same pay as their white counterparts, they had a major deduction for a "clothing allowance". Hartwell complained to his commanding officers, and suggested promoting African-American troops to officers. On May 24, 1864 he commissioned John Freeman Shorter to be a second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
, but it was refused by General John Porter Hatch
John Porter Hatch
John Porter Hatch was a career American soldier who served as general in the Union Army during the American Civil War. He received a Medal of Honor for gallantry in action at the September 1862 Battle of South Mountain during the Maryland Campaign.-Early life and career:Hatch was born in Oswego, N...
. He protested up to the Secretary of War and threatened to resign, until the pay issue was settled in August 1864.
In the Battle of Honey Hill
Battle of Honey Hill
-References:** * Eicher, David J., The Longest Night: A Military History of the Civil War, Simon & Schuster, 2001, ISBN 0-684-84944-5.* The Union Army; A History of Military Affairs in the Loyal States, 1861–65 — Records of the Regiments in the Union Army — Cyclopedia of Battles...
on November 30, 1864 he commanded a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
that included the 55th and 54th Massachusetts and the 102nd USCT
102nd Regiment United States Colored Troops
The 102nd Regiment United States Colored Troops was an African American infantry unit of the Union Army during the American Civil War. The unit was organized as the 1st Michigan Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment before being redesignated as the 102nd Regiment USCT.-History:The 1st Michigan...
. He was wounded and had his horse shot from under him leading three charges. Captain Thomas F. Ellsworth received the Congressional Medal of Honor because "Under a heavy fire [Ellsworth] carried his wounded commanding officer [Hartwell] from the field." The battle was generally a failure, but proved another example where the African-American troops could be used in battle.
On January 23, 1865, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln was the 16th President of the United States, serving from March 1861 until his assassination in April 1865. He successfully led his country through a great constitutional, military and moral crisis – the American Civil War – preserving the Union, while ending slavery, and...
nominated Hartwell for the award of the honorary grade of brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
brigadier general
Brigadier general (United States)
A brigadier general in the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, is a one-star general officer, with the pay grade of O-7. Brigadier general ranks above a colonel and below major general. Brigadier general is equivalent to the rank of rear admiral in the other uniformed...
, to rank from December 30, 1864, for gallant services at the battle of Honey Hill. The U.S. Senate confirmed the award on February 14, 1865.
On January 30, 1865 he rejoined his brigade, and in February 1865 he commanded the brigade in an attack on James Island, South Carolina
James Island, South Carolina
James Island is a former town in Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. It is located in the central and southern parts of James Island. As defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, and used by the U.S...
. After a few skirmishes, both sides retreated.
After the fall of Charleston, he marched his forces through the city, with the African-American troops at the head of his brigade. They occupied the city and dealt with the large number of refugees.
On April 5, 1865 he commanded another combined force that marched through Charleston again, although by now the Confederate army was generally dispersing. Their duties now were mostly peace-keeping and rebuilding bridges.
On May 1 his units were based in Orangeburg, South Carolina
Orangeburg, South Carolina
Orangeburg, also known as "The Garden City," is the principal city in and the county seat of Orangeburg County, South Carolina, United States. The city is also the fifth oldest city in the state of South Carolina. The city population was 12,765 at the 2000 census, within a Greater Orangeburg...
, and finally in June his promotions of black officers were finally approved.
In August the 55th was taken out of service. However, Hartwell was sent to investigate Milton S. Littlefield who was accused of fraud (known as the "Prince of carpetbaggers").
He was finally discharged on April 30, 1866. He returned to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, and was elected to the legislature of Massachusetts as a Republican.
After the war he finished his last year of law school and graduated with an LLB degree from Harvard in 1867.
He briefly started a law practice in Boston with classmate Samuel Craft Davis.
On August 15, 1868 he left at the suggestion of fellow Massachusetts lawyer Elisha Hunt Allen
Elisha Hunt Allen
Elisha Hunt Allen was an American congressman, lawyer, diplomat, and judge and diplomat for the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:Elisha Hunt Allen was born January 28, 1804 in New Salem, Massachusetts. His father was Massachusetts minister, lawyer, and politician Samuel Clesson Allen and mother was Mary...
, intending to spend a year or two on an adventure to the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
.
Hawaii
He was appointed by King Kamehameha VKamehameha V
aloghaKamehameha V , born as Lot Kapuāiwa, reigned as monarch of the Kingdom of Hawaii from 1863 to 1872. His motto was "Onipa`a": immovable, firm, steadfast or determined; he worked diligently for his people and kingdom and was described as the last great traditional chief...
to the supreme court of the Kingdom of Hawaii
Kingdom of Hawaii
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established during the years 1795 to 1810 with the subjugation of the smaller independent chiefdoms of Oahu, Maui, Molokai, Lānai, Kauai and Niihau by the chiefdom of Hawaii into one unified government...
on the day he landed, September 30, 1868.
There were so few trained lawyers in Hawaii, one of the other supreme court justices, Hermann A. Widemann
Hermann A. Widemann
Hermann Adam Widemann was a businessman from Germany who was a judge and member of the cabinet of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:Hermann Adam Widemann was born in Hanover, Germany on December 24, 1822.As a teenager he went to work on a whaling ship...
, had never been to law school. Elisha Hunt Allen was still acting as chief justice, despite living in the United States much of the time.
He rented a room at Washington Place
Washington Place
Washington Place is a Greek Revival palace in the Hawaii Capital Historic District in Honolulu, Hawaii. It was where Queen Liliuokalani was arrested during the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom. Later it became the official residence of the Governor of Hawaii. It is a National Historic Landmark,...
from Mary Dominis. Also living there was John Owen Dominis
John Owen Dominis
John Owen Dominis was an American-born statesman. He became Prince Consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii upon his marriage to the last reigning monarch, Queen Liliuokalani...
who was Governor of Oahu, and his wife Lydia, the future Queen Liliuokalani. He quickly learned the Hawaiian language
Hawaiian language
The Hawaiian language is a Polynesian language that takes its name from Hawaii, the largest island in the tropical North Pacific archipelago where it developed. Hawaiian, along with English, is an official language of the state of Hawaii...
and by December 1868 was instructing juries as a circuit court judge without an interpreter.
At the time, the supreme court was trial court for several kinds of cases, handled appeals, and its judges acted as circuit judges on other islands.
He married Charlotte Elizabeth "Lottie" Smith (1845–1896) on January 10, 1872 in Kōloa
Koloa, Hawaii
Kōloa is a census-designated place in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 1,942 at the 2000 census. Kōloa is often incorrectly translated as native duck, which is the correct translation for the similar-looking koloa . Kōloa has no known translation...
on Kauai island
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
. Her father was missionary physician James William Smith who arrived in 1842 to Hawaii. Her brother was lawyer William Owen Smith
William Owen Smith
William Owen Smith was a lawyer from a family of American missionaries who participated in the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He served as attorney general for the entire duration of the provisional Government of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii.-Life:Smith was born August 4, 1848 in Kōloa...
(1848–1929) who later joined him in law practice.
They had eight children:
- Daughter Mabel Rebecca Hartwell was born April 5, 1873 and married Alfred Townsend in 1897.
- Daughter Edith Millicent Hartwell was born May 25, 1874 and married Alfred Wellington CarterAlfred Wellington CarterAlfred Wellington Carter was a lawyer and judge in the Republic of Hawaii and the Territory of Hawaii who managed the Parker Ranch.-Life:...
(1867–1949) in 1895. - Daughter Madeline Perry Hartwell was born May 26, 1875 and married Albert Francis Judd, Jr.Albert F. JuddAlbert Francis Judd, Jr. was a lawyer and trust officer in the Territory of Hawaii.- Personal life:Judd was born December 20, 1874 in Honolulu. His father was Albert Francis Judd and mother Agnes Hall Judd. His grandfather was Gerrit P. Judd .Judd attended Oahu College in Honolulu in 1892...
in 1899, son of Albert Francis JuddAlbert Francis JuddAlbert Francis Judd was a judge of the Kingdom of Hawaii who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court through its transition into part of the United States.-Life:...
, and grandson of Gerrit P. JuddGerrit P. JuddGerrit Parmele Judd was an American physician and missionary to the Kingdom of Hawaii who later became a trusted advisor and cabinet minister to King Kamehameha III.- Life :...
. - Daughter Charlotte Lee Hartwell was born October 22, 1876 and married Charles Henry Chater.
- Daughter Juliette Hartwell was born July 27, 1879 and married Olaf L. Sorenson on May 18, 1912.
- Son Charles Atherton Hartwell was born November 5, 1880 and married Cordelia Judd Carter (1876–1921), daughter of Henry A. P. CarterHenry A. P. CarterHenry Alpheus Peirce Carter also known as Henry Augustus Peirce Carter was an American businessman, politician, and diplomat in the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Family life:...
, cousin of A. W. Carter, and granddaughter of Gerrit. - Bernice Hartwell was born August 15, 1882.
- Alice Dorothy Hartwell was born July 27, 1884 and married Ferdinand Frederick Hedemann in 1927.
For his honeymoon the couple traveled first to San Francisco in February 1872, where he found out his father had died on his wedding day. When they arrived in Natick, his mother was also ill, and they stayed until she died on June 11, 1872. They returned and rented a house in Honolulu in August 1872.
In 1873 he hosted a visit of some other former civil war generals, including John Schofield
John Schofield
John McAllister Schofield was an American soldier who held major commands during the American Civil War. He later served as U.S. Secretary of War and Commanding General of the United States Army.-Early life:...
, Rufus Ingalls
Rufus Ingalls
Rufus Ingalls was an American military general who served as the 16th Quartermaster General of the United States Army.-Early life and career:...
, and Barton S. Alexander
Barton S. Alexander
Barton Stone Alexander was an American engineer commander during the American Civil War who rose to the brevet rank of brigadier general in the regular army. He was a graduate of the U.S...
, when they investigated the use of Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
as a naval base. As King Lunalilo
Lunalilo
Lunalilo, born William Charles Lunalilo , was king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 8, 1873 until February 3, 1874...
was dying, Hartwell advised him to name a clear successor, assuming it would be Queen Emma of Hawaii
Queen Emma of Hawaii
Queen Consort Emma Kalanikaumakaamano Kaleleonālani Naea Rooke of Hawaii was queen consort of King Kamehameha IV from 1856 to his death in 1863. She ran for ruling monarch against King David Kalākaua but was defeated....
. However, Lunalilo died before naming an heir to the throne, resulting in a political crisis when the popular Emma was not elected.
Hartwell was appointed Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
by King Kalākaua
Kalakaua
Kalākaua, born David Laamea Kamanakapuu Mahinulani Nalaiaehuokalani Lumialani Kalākaua and sometimes called The Merrie Monarch , was the last reigning king of the Kingdom of Hawaii...
on February 18, 1874 replacing Albert Francis Judd
Albert Francis Judd
Albert Francis Judd was a judge of the Kingdom of Hawaii who served as Chief Justice of the Supreme Court through its transition into part of the United States.-Life:...
(who moved onto the court), but was replaced on May 28.
On December 5, 1876 he was appointed again, replacing William Richards Castle
William Richards Castle
William Richards Castle was a lawyer and politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii and Republic of Hawaii.-Family:William Richards Castle was born in Honolulu March 19, 1849. His father was Samuel Northrup Castle , and mother was Mary Tenney . He was a namesake of William Richards who drafted the first...
.
This time he served until July 3, 1878,
when he went into private practice. Hartwell suspected that Claus Spreckles had him removed because Hartwell was opposed to Spreckles plans to license water rights for his sugar plantations.
In 1883 he closed his practice and traveled back to Boston, but returned to Hawaii in 1885.
In late 1890 he traveled to Washington, DC to negotiate on a cable connection between Hawaii and west coast of the United States.
Although he did not support the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, he did lobby for is annexation to the US.
In 1899 he traveled to Washington, DC as unofficial representative until Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Wilcox
Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox , nicknamed the Iron Duke of Hawaii, was a native Hawaiian revolutionary soldier and politician. He led uprisings against both the government of the Kingdom of Hawaii under King Kalākaua and the Republic of Hawaii under Sanford Dole, what are now known as the...
was elected. On the same trip he attended the International commercial congress in Philadelphia.
In 1895 Hartwell wrote the document signed by Liliuokalani in which she agreeed to abdicate, avoiding death sentences for those (including herself) convicted after the 1895 Counter-Revolution in Hawaii
1895 Counter-Revolution in Hawaii
The 1895 Counter-revolution in Hawaii was a brief war from January 6 to January 9, 1895, that consisted of three battles on the island of Oahu, Hawaii...
. Liliuokalani remained bitter about what she saw as a former friend working for her enemies.
He formed a law form with Lorrin Andrews Thurston, one of the leaders of the overthrow, and then added his assistant William F. L. Stanley
William Stanley (Hawaii)
William Frederick L. Stanley was an Irish lawyer who served as judge of the Republic of Hawaii.-Life:Stanley was born in Dublin, Ireland in March 1872. His father was James Charles Stanley and mother was Catherine Lucas. After common school education in Dover, England and Dublin, he studied at...
.
In 1901 he was hired to challenge the income tax
Legal history of income tax in the United States
-Early history:The first attempt to tax income in the United States was in 1643 when several colonies instituted a “faculties and abilities” tax. Tax collectors would literally go door to door and ask if the individual had income during the year. If so, the tax was computed on the spot...
in the Hawaii territorial court.
His daughter's brother-in-law George Robert Carter
George R. Carter
George Robert Carter was the second Territorial Governor of Hawaii, serving from 1903 to 1907.He was born December 28, 1866 in Honolulu. His mother was Sybil Augusta Judd , daughter of Gerrit P...
became Territorial Governor of Hawaii
Governor of Hawaii
The Governor of Hawaii is the chief executive of the state of Hawaii and its various agencies and departments, as provided in the Hawaii State Constitution Article V, Sections 1 through 6. It is a directly elected position, votes being cast by popular suffrage of residents of the state...
in 1903.
On June 15, 1904, he was appointed again to the Supreme Court of what was now the US Territory of Hawaii
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 7, 1898, until August 21, 1959, when its territory, with the exception of Johnston Atoll, was admitted to the Union as the fiftieth U.S. state, the State of Hawaii.The U.S...
, and became chief justice August 15, 1907.
He replaced Walter F. Frear
Walter F. Frear
Walter Francis Frear was a lawyer and judge in the Kingdom of Hawaii and Republic of Hawaii, and the third Territorial Governor of Hawaii from 1907 to 1913.-Life:...
who in turn replaced Carter as Governor.
On March 9, 1911 he resigned and left in June for a vacation in Europe, but became ill in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and returned to Hawaii.
He died in Honolulu on August 30, 1912 and was buried in Oahu Cemetery
Oahu Cemetery
The Oahu Cemetery is the resting place of many notable early residents of the Honolulu area. They range from missionaries and politicians to sports pioneers and philosophers. Over time it was expanded to become an area known as the Nuuanu Cemetery....
.
See also
- List of Massachusetts generals in the American Civil War
- Massachusetts in the American Civil War