Lawrence M. Judd
Encyclopedia
Lawrence McCully Judd was a politician of the Territory of Hawaii
, serving as the seventh Territorial Governor
. He was devoted to the Hansen's Disease-afflicted residents of Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai
.
, Hawaii
, the grandson of Gerrit P. Judd
, who was an early American Missionary
, a cabinet minister to King Kamehameha III
, and co-founder of Punahou School
.
His father was Judge Albert Francis Judd
(1838–1900) and mother was Agnes Hall Boyd (1844–?). He was the last of nine children. He was married March 6, 1909, at Richmond Hill, New York, to Florence Bell Hackett (1885–?) and had 5 children: Helen Florence (1909-?), Agnes Elizabeth (1912-?), Sophie Janet (1913–?), Lawrence McCully Jr. (1917–?) and Emilie Bell (1920–?).
Judd attended the Punahou School and the University of Pennsylvania
where he was a member of its fraternity
chapter of Phi Kappa Psi
.
As territorial governor, he overhauled the system of governance in the colony. Judd became Kalaupapa's resident superintendent in 1947. He temporarily served as territorial governor of American Samoa
from March 4 to August 4, 1953.
Herbert Hoover
appointed Judd to succeeded Wallace Rider Farrington as Governor of Hawaii Territory from 1929 to 1934. A source of controversy during his Hawaii gubernatorial tenure, Judd commuted the sentence of Grace Hubbard Fortescue
, socialite and niece of Alexander Graham Bell
, convicted in the territorial courts of manslaughter in the death of a local man, Joseph Kahahawai. Hiring defense lawyer Clarence Darrow
, Fortescue's case was known as the Massie Affair
, a focus of nationwide newspaper coverage. Massie's sentence of ten years in prison was whittled down to one hour in the governor's chambers at Iolani Palace. The affair was the subject of a 2005 episode of the PBS series "The American Experience", with some archival footage of Judd.
Judd died on October 4, 1968 in Honolulu and was interred in the city's Oahu Cemetery
in Nuuanu Valley.
Judd's service as resident superintendent of Kalaupapa was a subject in the 2003 historical novel and national bestseller called Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
as well as the historical account, The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokai by John Tayman.
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...
, serving as the seventh Territorial Governor
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...
. He was devoted to the Hansen's Disease-afflicted residents of Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai
Molokai
Molokai or Molokai is an island in the Hawaiian archipelago. It is 38 by 10 miles in size with a land area of , making it the fifth largest of the main Hawaiian Islands and the 27th largest island in the United States. It lies east of Oahu across the 25-mile wide Kaiwi Channel and north of...
.
Life
Judd was born March 20, 1887 in HonoluluHonolulu, Hawaii
Honolulu is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Hawaii. Honolulu is the southernmost major U.S. city. Although the name "Honolulu" refers to the urban area on the southeastern shore of the island of Oahu, the city and county government are consolidated as the City and...
, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, the grandson of Gerrit P. Judd
Gerrit P. Judd
Gerrit 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 :...
, who was an early American Missionary
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions was the first American Christian foreign mission agency. It was proposed in 1810 by recent graduates of Williams College and officially chartered in 1812. In 1961 it merged with other societies to form the United Church Board for World...
, a cabinet minister to King Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III
Kamehameha III was the King of Hawaii from 1825 to 1854. His full Hawaiian name was Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa and then lengthened to Keaweaweula Kiwalao Kauikeaouli Kaleiopapa Kalani Waiakua Kalanikau Iokikilo Kiwalao i ke kapu Kamehameha when he ascended the throne.Under his...
, and co-founder of Punahou School
Punahou School
Punahou School, once known as Oahu College, is a private, co-educational, college preparatory school located in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu in the U.S. State of Hawaii...
.
His father was Judge 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:...
(1838–1900) and mother was Agnes Hall Boyd (1844–?). He was the last of nine children. He was married March 6, 1909, at Richmond Hill, New York, to Florence Bell Hackett (1885–?) and had 5 children: Helen Florence (1909-?), Agnes Elizabeth (1912-?), Sophie Janet (1913–?), Lawrence McCully Jr. (1917–?) and Emilie Bell (1920–?).
Judd attended the Punahou School and the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
where he was a member of its fraternity
Fraternities and sororities
Fraternities and sororities are fraternal social organizations for undergraduate students. In Latin, the term refers mainly to such organizations at colleges and universities in the United States, although it is also applied to analogous European groups also known as corporations...
chapter of Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi
Phi Kappa Psi is an American collegiate social fraternity founded at Jefferson College in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania on February 19, 1852. There are over a hundred chapters and colonies at accredited four year colleges and universities throughout the United States. More than 112,000 men have been...
.
Career
Judd made several fact-finding tours during his tenure in the Hawaii Territorial Senate 1920–1927.As territorial governor, he overhauled the system of governance in the colony. Judd became Kalaupapa's resident superintendent in 1947. He temporarily served as territorial governor of American Samoa
American Samoa
American Samoa is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the South Pacific Ocean, southeast of the sovereign state of Samoa...
from March 4 to August 4, 1953.
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Hoover
Herbert Clark Hoover was the 31st President of the United States . Hoover was originally a professional mining engineer and author. As the United States Secretary of Commerce in the 1920s under Presidents Warren Harding and Calvin Coolidge, he promoted partnerships between government and business...
appointed Judd to succeeded Wallace Rider Farrington as Governor of Hawaii Territory from 1929 to 1934. A source of controversy during his Hawaii gubernatorial tenure, Judd commuted the sentence of Grace Hubbard Fortescue
Grace Hubbard Fortescue
Grace Hubbard Fortescue, née Grace Hubbard Bell was a New York socialite who decided to take the law into her own hands and murdered a defendant in the alleged rape of Grace's daughter that earned her a one-hour sentence for manslaughter....
, socialite and niece of Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone....
, convicted in the territorial courts of manslaughter in the death of a local man, Joseph Kahahawai. Hiring defense lawyer Clarence Darrow
Clarence Darrow
Clarence Seward Darrow was an American lawyer and leading member of the American Civil Liberties Union, best known for defending teenage thrill killers Leopold and Loeb in their trial for murdering 14-year-old Robert "Bobby" Franks and defending John T...
, Fortescue's case was known as the Massie Affair
Massie Trial
The Massie Trial for what was known as the Massie Affair, was a 1932 criminal trial that took place in Honolulu, Hawaii. Grace Hubbard Fortescue, along with several accomplices, was charged with murder in the death of well known local prizefighter Joseph Kahahawai...
, a focus of nationwide newspaper coverage. Massie's sentence of ten years in prison was whittled down to one hour in the governor's chambers at Iolani Palace. The affair was the subject of a 2005 episode of the PBS series "The American Experience", with some archival footage of Judd.
Judd died on October 4, 1968 in Honolulu and was interred in the city's 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....
in Nuuanu Valley.
Judd's service as resident superintendent of Kalaupapa was a subject in the 2003 historical novel and national bestseller called Moloka'i by Alan Brennert
Alan Brennert
Alan Brennert is a United States television producer and screenwriter.Brennert has lived in Southern California since 1973 and completed graduate work in screenwriting at the University of California Los Angeles....
as well as the historical account, The Colony: The Harrowing True Story of the Exiles of Molokai by John Tayman.