John Adams Cummins
Encyclopedia
John Adams Kuakini Cummins (1835–1913) was a member of the nobility of the Kingdom of Hawaii
who became a wealthy businessman, and was involved in politics as the kingdom was overthrown.
He was a namesake of island governor John Adams Kuakini
(1789–1844), who in turn took the name of John Quincy Adams
when Americans first settled on the islands in the 1820s. His father was Thomas Jefferson Cummins (1802–1885) who was born in Lincoln
, England
, raised in Massachusetts
, and came to the Hawaiian Islands
in 1828.
His mother was High Chiefess Kaumakaokane Papaliaiaina (1810–1849) who was a distant relative of the royal family of Hawaii. As the custom of native Hawaiians, he was raised as an alii nui because of his mother's family background.
His father owned much of land in Waimānalo on the east coast of the island of Oahu
, starting a horse and cattle ranch in the 1840s.
He managed the ranch and converted it to a sugar plantation
starting in 1877, and built a mill in 1881.
He married Rebecca Kahalewai (1830–1902) in 1861, also considered a high chiefess, and had five children with her, four daughters and one son.
Their son Thomas Pualii Cummins (1869–1928) was sent to Saint Matthews School
in California
in 1885 along with three Hawaiian princes.
Daughters were Matilda Kaumakaokane Cummins Walker (1862–1937), Jane Piikea Cummins Merseberg (1864–1918), May Kaaolani Cummins Clark (?–1935) and one who died young.
He might have had another child with one or two "secondary wives".
After his first wife's death, in 1903 he married Elizabeth Kapeka Merseberg (1877–1925), who was a sister of a son-in-law, and adopted a son.
Cummins owned several houses in town, but enjoyed entertaining on his Waimānalo estate in a house known as Mauna Loke (Rose Mont).
His guests included royalty starting with Kamehameha V
as well as foreign visitors. This included German Princes and the Duke of Edinburgh
in 1869.
He traded racehorses with Leland Stanford
and Pierre Lorillard IV
, and operated a railroad and a steamship to the estate.
Chants passed down describe the elaborate birthday celebration held in 1883 for Queen Kapiolani
.
This reputation earned him the name "Prince of Entertainers".
in 1874. The kingdom faced a series of political crises, including a need for an election for monarch after Kamehameha V and Lunalilo
both died without naming heirs.
King Kalākaua
appointed him to the Privy Council
on June 18, 1874 shortly after he came to the throne.
Even though Cummins voted against former Queen Emma
in the election, she asked him to manage a trek around the islands in November 1875. He had staged a similar grand tour the year before for Kalākaua. She was not disappointed. Although many ancient Hawaii
an customs had faded (due to influence of conservative Christian missionaries, for example), Cummins staged great revivals of ceremonies such as traditional hula
performance.
In the legislature he advocated for the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875
with the United States, which helped increase profits in the sugar industry, and his fortunes grew.
He left the sugar business to William G. Irwin, agent of Claus Spreckles, and developed a commercial building called the Cummins Block at Fort and Merchant streets in Downtown Honolulu
.
In 1889 he represented Hawaii at the Paris
exposition known as Exposition Universelle
.
On June 17, 1890 he became Minister of Foreign Affairs in Kalākaua's cabinet, and thus was in the House of Nobles of the legislature for the 1890 session.
When Kalākaua died and Queen Liliuokalani came to the throne in early 1891, she replaced all her ministers.
Cummins resigned February 25, 1891.
He was replaced by Samuel Parker
who was another part-Hawaiian.
He was elected to the 1892 session of the House of Nobles, on the Hawaiian National Reform Party ticket.
He also organized a group called the Native Sons of Hawaii which supported the monarchy.
After the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii in early 1893, Liliuokalani asked Cummins to visit the US to lobby for its help in restoration of the monarchy. The commission including Parker and Hermann A. Widemann
ended in failure.
However, on the voyage to the west coast, William T. Seward, a former Major in the American Civil War
who worked for Cummins and lived in one of his homes, smuggled guns and ammunition for the failed 1895 counter-revolution
. Thomas Beresford Walker, who was married to Cummins' eldest daughter Matilda, was also implicated in the plot. Cummins was arrested, charged with treason
and convicted. He was sentenced to prison, but released after paying a fine and agreeing to testify against the ones actively involved in the arms trading.
after a series of stroke
s and was buried in Oahu Cemetery
. Even his political opponents called him "the playmate of princes and the companion and entertainer of kings".
The territorial legislature had tried several times to refund his fine, but it was never approved by the governor.
His funeral was a strange mix of mostly traditional symbols of the Hawaiian religion
, with a Christian
service in the Hawaiian language
, attended by both royalists and planners of the overthrow.
A street was named for him in Honolulu at 21°17′47"N 157°51′9"W.
A great-grandson (through his daughter Jane Piikea Merseberg) was mayor Neal Blaisdell
.
His youngest daughter May Cummins married distant cousin Joseph Clark and became stepmother to actress Mamo Clark
.
After the last child died in 1937, a US federal court case awarded Mamo Clark a share in the still considerable estate.
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 became a wealthy businessman, and was involved in politics as the kingdom was overthrown.
Life
John Adams Kuakini Cummins was born March 17, 1835 in Honolulu.He was a namesake of island governor John Adams Kuakini
John Adams Kuakini
John Adams Kiiapalaoku Kuakini was an important adviser to Kamehameha I in the early stages of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was responsible for much building and other changes in the Kona District during this era.-Family life:...
(1789–1844), who in turn took the name of John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams
John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States . He served as an American diplomat, Senator, and Congressional representative. He was a member of the Federalist, Democratic-Republican, National Republican, and later Anti-Masonic and Whig parties. Adams was the son of former...
when Americans first settled on the islands in the 1820s. His father was Thomas Jefferson Cummins (1802–1885) who was born in Lincoln
Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Lincoln is a cathedral city and county town of Lincolnshire, England.The non-metropolitan district of Lincoln has a population of 85,595; the 2001 census gave the entire area of Lincoln a population of 120,779....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, raised in 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...
, and came 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...
in 1828.
His mother was High Chiefess Kaumakaokane Papaliaiaina (1810–1849) who was a distant relative of the royal family of Hawaii. As the custom of native Hawaiians, he was raised as an alii nui because of his mother's family background.
His father owned much of land in Waimānalo on the east coast of the island of 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...
, starting a horse and cattle ranch in the 1840s.
He managed the ranch and converted it to a sugar plantation
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...
starting in 1877, and built a mill in 1881.
He married Rebecca Kahalewai (1830–1902) in 1861, also considered a high chiefess, and had five children with her, four daughters and one son.
Their son Thomas Pualii Cummins (1869–1928) was sent to Saint Matthews School
Saint Matthews Episcopal Day School
Saint Matthew's Episcopal Day School is located in San Mateo, California. It was founded in 1953 and was previously a military school known as Saint Matthew's Hall or Saint Matthew's School.-History:...
in California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
in 1885 along with three Hawaiian princes.
Daughters were Matilda Kaumakaokane Cummins Walker (1862–1937), Jane Piikea Cummins Merseberg (1864–1918), May Kaaolani Cummins Clark (?–1935) and one who died young.
He might have had another child with one or two "secondary wives".
After his first wife's death, in 1903 he married Elizabeth Kapeka Merseberg (1877–1925), who was a sister of a son-in-law, and adopted a son.
Cummins owned several houses in town, but enjoyed entertaining on his Waimānalo estate in a house known as Mauna Loke (Rose Mont).
His guests included royalty starting with Kamehameha V
Kamehameha 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...
as well as foreign visitors. This included German Princes and the Duke of Edinburgh
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha
Alfred, Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha was the third Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, and reigned from 1893 to 1900. He was also a member of the British Royal Family, the second son and fourth child of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha...
in 1869.
He traded racehorses with Leland Stanford
Leland Stanford
Amasa Leland Stanford was an American tycoon, industrialist, robber baron, politician and founder of Stanford University.-Early years:...
and Pierre Lorillard IV
Pierre Lorillard IV
Pierre Lorillard IV was an American tobacco manufacturer and thoroughbred race horse owner.-Biography:...
, and operated a railroad and a steamship to the estate.
Chants passed down describe the elaborate birthday celebration held in 1883 for Queen Kapiolani
Queen Kapiolani
Queen Kapiolani formally Esther Kapiolani or Esther Kapiolani Napelakapuokakae, was married to King David Kalākaua and reigned as Queen Consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:...
.
This reputation earned him the name "Prince of Entertainers".
Politics
Cummins was elected to the House of Representatives in the legislature of the Hawaiian KingdomLegislature 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...
in 1874. The kingdom faced a series of political crises, including a need for an election for monarch after Kamehameha V and Lunalilo
Lunalilo
Lunalilo, born William Charles Lunalilo , was king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 8, 1873 until February 3, 1874...
both died without naming heirs.
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...
appointed him to the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
on June 18, 1874 shortly after he came to the throne.
Even though Cummins voted against former Queen Emma
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....
in the election, she asked him to manage a trek around the islands in November 1875. He had staged a similar grand tour the year before for Kalākaua. She was not disappointed. Although many ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii
Ancient Hawaii refers to the period of Hawaiian human history preceding the unification of the Kingdom of Hawaii by Kamehameha the Great in 1810. After being first settled by Polynesian long-distance navigators sometime between AD 300–800, a unique culture developed. Diversified agroforestry and...
an customs had faded (due to influence of conservative Christian missionaries, for example), Cummins staged great revivals of ceremonies such as traditional hula
Hula
Hula is a dance form accompanied by chant or song . It was developed in the Hawaiian Islands by the Polynesians who originally settled there. The hula dramatizes or portrays the words of the oli or mele in a visual dance form....
performance.
In the legislature he advocated for the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875
Reciprocity Treaty of 1875
The Treaty of reciprocity between the United States of America and the Hawaiian Kingdom was a free trade agreement signed and ratified in 1875 that is generally known as the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875....
with the United States, which helped increase profits in the sugar industry, and his fortunes grew.
He left the sugar business to William G. Irwin, agent of Claus Spreckles, and developed a commercial building called the Cummins Block at Fort and Merchant streets in Downtown Honolulu
Downtown Honolulu
Downtown Honolulu is the current historic, economic, governmental, and central part of Honolulu—bounded by Nuuanu Stream to the west, Ward Avenue to the east, Vineyard Boulevard to the north, and Honolulu Harbor to the south—situated within the larger Honolulu District...
.
In 1889 he represented Hawaii at the Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
exposition known as Exposition Universelle
Exposition Universelle (1889)
The Exposition Universelle of 1889 was a World's Fair held in Paris, France from 6 May to 31 October 1889.It was held during the year of the 100th anniversary of the storming of the Bastille, an event traditionally considered as the symbol for the beginning of the French Revolution...
.
On June 17, 1890 he became Minister of Foreign Affairs in Kalākaua's cabinet, and thus was in the House of Nobles of the legislature for the 1890 session.
When Kalākaua died and Queen Liliuokalani came to the throne in early 1891, she replaced all her ministers.
Cummins resigned February 25, 1891.
He was replaced by 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...
who was another part-Hawaiian.
He was elected to the 1892 session of the House of Nobles, on the Hawaiian National Reform Party ticket.
He also organized a group called the Native Sons of Hawaii which supported the monarchy.
After the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii in early 1893, Liliuokalani asked Cummins to visit the US to lobby for its help in restoration of the monarchy. The commission including Parker and 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...
ended in failure.
However, on the voyage to the west coast, William T. Seward, a former Major in 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...
who worked for Cummins and lived in one of his homes, smuggled guns and ammunition for the failed 1895 counter-revolution
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...
. Thomas Beresford Walker, who was married to Cummins' eldest daughter Matilda, was also implicated in the plot. Cummins was arrested, charged with treason
Treason
In law, treason is the crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one's sovereign or nation. Historically, treason also covered the murder of specific social superiors, such as the murder of a husband by his wife. Treason against the king was known as high treason and treason against a...
and convicted. He was sentenced to prison, but released after paying a fine and agreeing to testify against the ones actively involved in the arms trading.
Death and legacy
He died on March 21, 1913 from influenzaInfluenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
after a series of stroke
Stroke
A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage...
s 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....
. Even his political opponents called him "the playmate of princes and the companion and entertainer of kings".
The territorial legislature had tried several times to refund his fine, but it was never approved by the governor.
His funeral was a strange mix of mostly traditional symbols of the Hawaiian religion
Hawaiian religion
Hawaiian religion is the term used to describe the folk religious beliefs and practises of the Hawaiian people. It is unrelated to, though commonly confused with, the philosophy of Huna....
, with a Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
service in 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...
, attended by both royalists and planners of the overthrow.
A street was named for him in Honolulu at 21°17′47"N 157°51′9"W.
A great-grandson (through his daughter Jane Piikea Merseberg) was mayor Neal Blaisdell
Neal Blaisdell
Neal Shaw Blaisdell served as Mayor of Honolulu from 1955 to 1969 as a member of the Hawaii Republican Party. As chief executive of City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii, Blaisdell oversaw one of the largest construction booms in city and county history, working closely with Governor John A...
.
His youngest daughter May Cummins married distant cousin Joseph Clark and became stepmother to actress Mamo Clark
Mamo Clark
Mamo Clark, sometimes billed only as Mamo, was a Hawaiian born American actress, Author and descendant of the Royal Hawaiian Families beginning with Kiha and Waiolea, Liloa and Pinea, and so on.-Early life:...
.
After the last child died in 1937, a US federal court case awarded Mamo Clark a share in the still considerable estate.