James Frank Woods
Encyclopedia
James Frank Woods was a major landowner during the Kingdom of Hawaii
who was related to royalty and many civil leaders.
in 1860 to work for Janion & Green (later the "Big Five
" firm Theo H. Davies & Co.
), which had been based in England.
In 1866 his father moved to the cattle-ranching area known as Waimea where he worked to import improved cattle breeds to replace the wild cattle that had previously roamed the island of Hawaii
.
He served in a number of government posts in the Kohala district
including a term in the legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
, and eventually became part owner of several sugar plantations in Hawaii
and cattle ranches.
On March 22. 1868 his father married his mother Mary Ann Parker (1851–1909), three-quarters native Hawaiian granddaughter of John Palmer Parker
(1790–1868), founder of Parker Ranch
. James Frank Woods was born June 27, 1872, and generally went by the name Frank Woods.
He had seven siblings, five sisters two brothers.
When his father died in December 1883, the Kohala and Puuhue ranches passed to brothers Samuel Parker Woods (1877–1937) and Palmer Parker Woods (1872–1923).
In 1895 woods bought Kahuā ranch from John Maguire, at about 3000 feet (914.4 m) elevation at 20°7′22"N 155°47′12"W.
He also leased much of the surrounding land and started his own cattle business. He tried to convert some of the land into a sugarcane plantation, but his attempts to divert the nearby Kehna Ditch irrigation canal to his dry lands on the leeward side of Kohala Mountain
were thwarted.
He leased the Mākua Valley (on the western coast of Oahu island
, 21°31′51"N 158°13′30"W) to fatten his cattle on their way to the market in Honolulu. The land is now the Mākua Military Reservation.
Woods married his cousin Eva Kalanikauleleaiwi Parker, second daughter of Samuel Parker
.
He was the first vice-chairman of the board of supervisors for Hawaii County
when it was organized.
After losing several elections in the Home Rule Party of Hawaii
, he won in 1913 for a single term in the Territorial Senate.
Woods entertained Jack London
and Charmian London
when they visited.
A small cottage built for the Woods family is preserved as a museum in the Manua Lani resort.
Eva died December 3, 1922.
By 1928, after a dispute with neighboring ranchers and politically powerful Lincoln Loy McCandless
, he was forced to sell Kahuā to Ronald von Holt and Atherton Richards, whose families still own it and offer historic tours.
In 1928 he married Princess Elizabeth Kahanu
, the widow of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole
who had been delegate to US Congress from the Territory of Hawaii
.
He died in June 1930 and was buried in Oahu Cemetery
.
He second wife died in 1932 and was buried next to him.
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...
who was related to royalty and many civil leaders.
Life
His father was James Woods, who was born in Liverpool, England in 1845, and came to the Hawaiian IslandsHawaiian 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...
in 1860 to work for Janion & Green (later the "Big Five
Big Five (Hawaii)
The Big Five was the name given to a group of what started as sugarcane processing corporations that wielded considerable political power in the Territory of Hawaii during the early 20th century and leaned heavily towards the Hawaii Republican Party. The Big Five were Castle & Cooke, Alexander &...
" firm Theo H. Davies & Co.
Theo H. Davies & Co.
Theo H. Davies & Co. is a company that was one of the Big Five trading and agricultural companies in the Territory of Hawaii.-History:Starkey, Janion, & Co. was a trading company founded in Liverpool in April 1845 by Englishmen James and John Starkey and Robert Cheshire Janion. Janion arrived in...
), which had been based in England.
In 1866 his father moved to the cattle-ranching area known as Waimea where he worked to import improved cattle breeds to replace the wild cattle that had previously roamed the island of Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
.
He served in a number of government posts in the Kohala district
Kohala, Hawaii
thumb|right|300px|The districts of the [[Hawaii |Big Island]]. From Northernmost, clockwise; Kohala , [[Hamakua|Hāmākua]], [[Hilo, Hawaii|Hilo]], [[Puna, Hawaii|Puna]], [[Kau, Hawaii|Kaū]], [[Kona District, Hawaii|Kona]]...
including a term in the legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
The Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom was the bicameral legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii. A royal legislature was first provided by the 1840 Constitution and the 1852 Constitution was the first to use the term "Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom", and the first to subject the monarch to...
, and eventually became part owner of several sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugarcane was introduced to Hawaii by its first inhabitants in approximately 600 AD and was observed by Captain Cook upon arrival in the islands in 1778. Sugar quickly turned into a big business and generated rapid population growth in the islands with 337,000 people immigrating over the span of a...
and cattle ranches.
On March 22. 1868 his father married his mother Mary Ann Parker (1851–1909), three-quarters native Hawaiian granddaughter of John Palmer Parker
John Palmer Parker
John Palmer Parker was the founder of the Parker Ranch on the island of Hawaii in Hawaii.-Life:John Palmer Parker was born May 1, 1790 in Newton, Massachusetts. His father was Samuel Parker and mother was Ann Palmer Parker ....
(1790–1868), founder of Parker Ranch
Parker Ranch
Parker Ranch is a working cattle ranch on the Island of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii, now run by a charitable trust.-History:The ranch was founded in 1847 and is one of the oldest ranches in the United States, pre-dating many mainland ranches in Texas and other southwestern states by more than 30...
. James Frank Woods was born June 27, 1872, and generally went by the name Frank Woods.
He had seven siblings, five sisters two brothers.
When his father died in December 1883, the Kohala and Puuhue ranches passed to brothers Samuel Parker Woods (1877–1937) and Palmer Parker Woods (1872–1923).
In 1895 woods bought Kahuā ranch from John Maguire, at about 3000 feet (914.4 m) elevation at 20°7′22"N 155°47′12"W.
He also leased much of the surrounding land and started his own cattle business. He tried to convert some of the land into a sugarcane plantation, but his attempts to divert the nearby Kehna Ditch irrigation canal to his dry lands on the leeward side of Kohala Mountain
Kohala (mountain)
Kohala is the oldest of five volcanoes that make up the island of Hawaii. Kohala is an estimated one million years old—so old that it experienced, and recorded, a reversal of magnetic field 780,000 years ago. It is believed to have breached sea level more than 500,000 years ago and to...
were thwarted.
He leased the Mākua Valley (on the western coast of Oahu island
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...
, 21°31′51"N 158°13′30"W) to fatten his cattle on their way to the market in Honolulu. The land is now the Mākua Military Reservation.
Woods married his cousin Eva Kalanikauleleaiwi Parker, second daughter of Samuel Parker
Samuel Parker (Hawaii)
Samuel Parker, known as Kamuela Parker was a major landowner and businessman on the island of Hawaii, heir to the Parker Ranch estate...
.
He was the first vice-chairman of the board of supervisors for Hawaii County
Hawaii County, Hawaii
Hawaii County is a county located in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. It is coterminous with the Island of Hawaii, often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it from the state as a whole. As of the 2010 Census the population was 185,079. The county seat is Hilo. There are no...
when it was organized.
After losing several elections in the Home Rule Party of Hawaii
Home Rule Party of Hawaii
As soon as the United States annexed the Hawaiian Islands and established the Territory of Hawaii, native Hawaiians became worried that both the Democratic Party of Hawai‘i and Hawai‘i Republican Party were incapable of representing them...
, he won in 1913 for a single term in the Territorial Senate.
Woods entertained Jack London
Jack London
John Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
and Charmian London
Charmian London
Charmian Kittredge London was an American writer and second wife of Jack London.-Biography:...
when they visited.
A small cottage built for the Woods family is preserved as a museum in the Manua Lani resort.
Eva died December 3, 1922.
By 1928, after a dispute with neighboring ranchers and politically powerful Lincoln Loy McCandless
Lincoln Loy McCandless
Lincoln “Link” Loy McCandless was an American cattle rancher, industrialist and politician from Hawaii. McCandless served in the United States Congress as a territorial delegate...
, he was forced to sell Kahuā to Ronald von Holt and Atherton Richards, whose families still own it and offer historic tours.
In 1928 he married Princess Elizabeth Kahanu
Elizabeth Kahanu Kalaniana'ole
Elizabeth Kahanu Kaleiwohi-Kaauwai Kalanianaole Woods was the wife of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole, Hawaii's second delegate to Congress. Kaauwai was her maiden name and Kalanianaʻole was the surname of her husband. She, like her sister-in-law Abigail Campbell Kawananakoa, was a Hawaiian...
, the widow of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole
Jonah Kuhio Kalaniana'ole
Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole Piikoi was a prince of the reigning House of Kalākaua when the Kingdom of Hawaii was overthrown by international businessmen in 1893...
who had been delegate to US Congress from 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...
.
He died in June 1930 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....
.
He second wife died in 1932 and was buried next to him.