James A. King
Encyclopedia
James Anderson King was a ship's master who became a politician of the Republic of Hawaii
.
in 1832.
He arrived in the Kingdom of Hawaii
during the 1860s, just after the American Civil War
, and worked as ship's master on merchant vessels. He sailed the Kona Packet on trading voyages to Alaska
, Kamchatka, and Japan
.
When Samuel Gardner Wilder arranged to buy the steamship Likelike, King was put in charge.
As Wilder gew his fleet, Captain King was made superintendent of all shipping operations.
He married Charlotte Holmes Davis, who was great-granddaughter of Oliver Holmes, who was an early settler on Oahu
in 1793, and married into Hawaiian nobility. Her brother William Heath Davis
(1822–1909) moved to Alta California
in the 1830s.
After the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, King was made minister of the interior for the Provisional Government of Hawaii
on January 17, 1893. He also served as minister of Interior of the Republic of Hawaii
until his death.
On June 3, 1896 he acted as minister of finance until the end of the month when he was replaced by Henry E. Cooper.
King died October 16, 1899, while trying to teach a six-year-old son how to swim in the ocean.
He had an elaborate state funeral at [[ʻIolani Palace]] (then known as the executive building) with burial at Oahu Cemetery
with Masonic rituals of Freemasonry
on October 23, 1899.
His son Samuel Wilder King
became governor of the Territory of Hawaii
.
Republic of Hawaii
The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4, 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands...
.
Life
James Anderson King was born in ScotlandScotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
in 1832.
He arrived 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...
during the 1860s, just after 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...
, and worked as ship's master on merchant vessels. He sailed the Kona Packet on trading voyages to Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
, Kamchatka, and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
.
When Samuel Gardner Wilder arranged to buy the steamship Likelike, King was put in charge.
As Wilder gew his fleet, Captain King was made superintendent of all shipping operations.
He married Charlotte Holmes Davis, who was great-granddaughter of Oliver Holmes, who was an early settler on Oahu
Oahu
Oahu or Oahu , known as "The Gathering Place", is the third largest of the Hawaiian Islands and most populous of the islands in the U.S. state of Hawaii. The state capital Honolulu is located on the southeast coast...
in 1793, and married into Hawaiian nobility. Her brother William Heath Davis
William Heath Davis
William Heath "Kanaka" Davis, Jr. was an early settler of San Diego, California.-Life:Davis was born in 1822, in Honolulu, Sandwich Islands to William Heath Davis, Sr. and Hannah Holmes Davis, a daughter of Oliver Holmes, royal governor of Oahu, and relative of Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.. Both...
(1822–1909) moved to Alta California
Alta California
Alta California was a province and territory in the Viceroyalty of New Spain and later a territory and department in independent Mexico. The territory was created in 1769 out of the northern part of the former province of Las Californias, and consisted of the modern American states of California,...
in the 1830s.
After the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, King was made minister of the interior for the Provisional Government of Hawaii
Provisional Government of Hawaii
The Provisional Government of Hawaii abbreviated "P.G." was proclaimed on January 17, 1893 by the 13 member Committee of Safety under the leadership of Sanford B. Dole...
on January 17, 1893. He also served as minister of Interior of the Republic of Hawaii
Republic of Hawaii
The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4, 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands...
until his death.
On June 3, 1896 he acted as minister of finance until the end of the month when he was replaced by Henry E. Cooper.
King died October 16, 1899, while trying to teach a six-year-old son how to swim in the ocean.
He had an elaborate state funeral at [[ʻIolani Palace]] (then known as the executive building) with burial at 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....
with Masonic rituals of Freemasonry
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
on October 23, 1899.
His son Samuel Wilder King
Samuel Wilder King
Samuel Wilder King was the eleventh Territorial Governor of Hawaii and served from 1953 to 1957. He was appointed to the office after the term of Oren E. Long. Previously, King served in the United States House of Representatives as a delegate from the Territory of Hawaii...
became governor of the 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...
.