Samuel Parker (Hawaii)
Encyclopedia
Samuel Parker, known as Kamuela Parker (1853–1920) was a major landowner and businessman on the island of Hawaii
, heir to the Parker Ranch
estate. He became involved in politics at a critical time of the Kingdom of Hawaii
, serving in its last cabinet.
(1790–1868) was born in Boston
(part of the family owning Parker House Hotel), came to the Hawaiian Islands
and married Chiefess Kipikane (1800–1860) who was related to the high-ranking chiefs.
His father Ebenezer Parker (1829–1855) married mother Kilia Nahulanui on June 7, 1849.
Samuel Parker was born June 23, 1853.
Despite his American sounding name and upbringing, like Queen Emma of Hawaii
, he had three-quarters native Hawaiian ancestry.
His only brother Ebenezer Christian Parker II died when he was ten years old in 1860.
In 1868 when his grandfather also died, Samuel (at the age of 15) inherited half the Parker Ranch
, with his uncle John Palmer Parker II (1827–1891) inheriting the other half. Samuel was attending Punahou School
on Oahu at the time. He made social connections among the Hawaiian nobility there that would be valuable throughout his life.
The first Parker homestead was a small cottage called Mana Hale, established in 1847 in the remote uplands of Mauna Kea
on Hawaii island
, at about 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) elevation at 19°59′48"N 155°33′29"W.
John Palmer Parker II married a Hawaiian named Hanai and moved his family in 1879 into a house called
Puu o Pelu, a much larger estate in more accessible place for entertaining. 20°1′9"N 155°40′55"W. Samuel generally left the cowboy work to others, although he took an interest in expanding the business in other ways.
industry. In 1878 he started the Paauhau Plantation with Rufus Anderson Lyman
about 50 miles north of Hilo at coordinates 20°5′9"N 155°26′6"W. Lyman was advisor to island governor Princess Ruth Keelikōlani
, who was the only land owner (her lands became a major part of the Kamehameha Schools
estate) who had more holdings than the Parker Ranch. Parker was often involved in real estate deals involving long-term leases from the Kamehameha estate, or buying them fee simple
. He enjoyed the Hawaiian tradition of lavishly entertaining visitors at his estates.
On August 19, 1879 Parker invested in the nearby Pacific Sugar Mill in Kukuihaele near Waipio Valley
.
The Pacific mill had an abundant water supply, but failed from mismanagement. In 1883 manager William H. Purvis
introduced the mongoose
, which became an invasive pest. Herds of cattle and sheep had to be destroyed later when a glanders
epidemic broke out because of poor conditions in the stables.
of King Kalākaua
.
In November 1884 he served on a commission to the World Cotton Centennial
in New Orleans, Louisiana
.
In 1886 he was appointed to the office of royal Equerry
, which supplied horses and arranged ceremonial occasions, and to the personal staff of Kalākaua with honorary rank of Major. Later he was often addressed as Colonel, although there is no record of his ever serving as a regular soldier.
He was appointed to the House of Nobles
in the legislature from 1886 to 1890.
In the meanwhile, the ranch had been mortgaged to finance the failed sugar business, and was taken over by trustees and managed by Paul Jarrett in 1888.
In early 1891 Kalākaua died, and Queen Liliuokalani became the new ruler.
On February 25, 1891, Parker was appointed to his first cabinet post, Minister of Foreign Affairs, when John Adams Cummins
was told to resign by the queen. On March 3 Parker was appointed to the Commission of Crown Lands. He was generally considered the most powerful member of the cabinet; sometimes called Prime Minister of Premier, but there was no such official office.
The choice of Parker satisfied the people who wanted more native Hawaiians in the government, and he generally had favorable relations with the American interests at the time.
The first sign of trouble came a week later when Parker also became acting Minister of Finance, temporarily replacing Hermann A. Widemann
who was also serving on the Supreme Court. The McKinley Tariff
act had devastated the Hawaiian economy by making exports to the US much more expensive, undoing the effects of the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875
. It was not until July that former self-taught dentist John Mott-Smith
would take over the Finance position, which he had taken earlier under Kamehameha V
.
However, by October Mott-Smith was sent to Washington, DC to negotiate a trade treaty, and Parker had to again take the Finance position until Widemann could resume his duties on January 28, 1892.
A time of unprecedented instability in the government began in 1892, with the previously biennial part-time legislature having its longest session.
Power was split among three parties, with only one of them, the Hawaiian National Reform Party, considered loyal to the queen. By early 1892, Marshal Charles Burnett Wilson
suspected members of the Hawaiian National Liberal Party were planning a takeover of the government in response to the 1887 Bayonet Constitution which limited voting rights to wealthy non-Asians.
These efforts were blocked by the Reform Party, which largely represented wealthy descendants of Americans and Europeans.
Parker was attacked by the Liberals, called a "half-caste cowboy". By May some of the Liberals were arrested, but most charges were dropped, with Parker agreeing that prosecutions would just inflame tensions further.
Reports began circulating that Hawaii was negotiating to be annexed by the United States
, but Parker issued denials.
In reality, Lorrin A. Thurston
(a newspaper publisher whose only government position was as a legislator) had been in Washington lobbying for annexation, but Mott-Smith did nothing to communicate this to Parker.
Attorney General Whiting resigned because of a disagreement with Parker. Liliuokalani made a deal with the cabinet: if they supported a lottery to help raise funds, she would appoint Paul Neumann as the new attorney general
, who agreed to keep Wilson as marshal.
On August 30, 1892 the legislature passed a no confidence motion, insisting the Marshal Wilson be removed. Parker and the rest of the cabinet resigned, but Liliuokalani could not come up with replacements that would be acceptable to her opponents in the legislature.
In November 1892 Parker was forced to resign, and was replaced with Joseph Nawahi
.
Parker was again appointed to head the government on January 13, 1893 as Minister of Foreign Affairs; it was to be the last cabinet appointed by a ruling monarch. The next day Liliuokalani presented her proposed 1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
to the cabinet. Frustrated by their hesitation, she threatened to proclaim it unilaterally. Parker and the other ministers were also warned by Thurston and other prominent citizens not to approve the new constitution, which they saw as returning to a more powerful autocratic rule. Parker met with both Liberals who demanded wider voting rights, and the American minister John L. Stevens
, who said he would not support the queen if there was an uprising.
On January 16, troops from the came ashore, armed but ordered to be as neutral as possible. Parker protested, and asked Stevens to order them to leave, but was told they were protecting American interests.
The next day the Provisional Government of Hawaii
declared the queen deposed. Parker protested to Stevens one more time, but by the time a response was delivered to Parker, the government building had been seized. Only a small police force led by Charles Burnett Wilson
was protecting Liliuokalani, so Parker helped negotiate a surrender of to avoid bloodshed.
From San Francisco Parker tried to convince the US to restore the Queen, but the efforts were not successful.
He was interviewed by US Commissioner James H. Blount in preparing his Blount Report
on April 6, 1893. He stated his opinion that a majority of voters would have approved a restoration of the queen.
She was the daughter of Jonathan Napela
who was an early convert to Mormonism, also three-quarters Hawaiian, and also known as Harriet Richardson after her mother's maiden name.
Samuel and Hariet Parker had nine children.
Their first daughter was Mary Kihilani Parker (1871–1895). Second daughter Eva Kalanikauleleiaiwi Parker (1872–1922) married her cousin (son of Parker's sister Mary) James Frank Woods
. Third daughter Helen Umiokalani Parker (born 1874), married Carl Widemann, son of Hermann Widemann.
Samuel's fourth child John Palmer Parker III (1875–1893), was adopted by John Palmer Parker II and married Elizabeth Jane Lanakila Dowsett (known as "Aunt Tootsie") April 18, 1893 at the Parker home in Honolulu. They had one daughter Annie Thelma Kahiluonapuaopiilani Parker March 17, 1894. John III died less than two months later on May 8, 1894. Thelma married Henry Gaillard Smart July 25, 1912 in Honolulu. and had one son Richard Palmer Smart, born on May 21, 1913. However Thelma died in 1914 aged 20. Other children were Harriet "Hattie" Kaonohilani Parker (1876–1884), Palmer Kuihelani Parker (1878–1896), Samuel Keaoulilani Parker (1879–1934), Ernest Napela Parker (1884–1945) and James Kekoalii Parker (1886–1962).
His uncle John Palmer Parker II died in November 1891.
, even though he some encouragement to seek that post himself.
In 1900 Parker attended the organizing convention of the Republican Party of Hawaii, and was chosen to attend the national convention in Philadelphia on June 19.
In September Parker was nominated without opposition by the Republicans for the first election of delegate to US Congress
for the territory.
Prince David Kawānanakoa
ran as a Democrat; they both lost. Parker came in a close second to Robert W. Wilcox of the Home Rule Party of Hawaii
.
His first wife died in July 1901.
His second wife was Abigail Kuaihelani Maipinepine
(1859–1908), widow of industrialist James Campbell. They married January 3, 1902 at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, with judge J. C. B. Hebbard officiating. This made him stepfather to Abigail Campbell
and his second wife's other daughters. Parker had acquired a reputation as a notorious spendthrift. Even his supporters said:
Three days later, his stepdaughter Abigail married Prince Kawānanakoa, who had been his opponent in the 1900 election.
This family and its descendants became known as the House of Kawānanakoa
.
As part of their honeymoon, in early 1902 the Parkers traveled to Washington, DC, where he visited Theodore Roosevelt
.
They returned to California February 2, 1902; it was rumored that Parker would be appointed as the next governor of the Territory of Hawaii. However, George R. Carter
was appointed instead, descended from American missionaries. It would not be until John D. Waihee III
in 1986 that an ethnic native Hawaiian would become governor.
Parker's wife was a target of a jewel theft when they returned in 1903.
Although Parker stayed active in the Republican party, he was never elected or appointed to a territorial office. He was able to convince Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole
, brother of his stepson-in-law Kawānanakoa, to run as a Republican in the 1902 election of congressional delegate; Kalanianaole won, and was reelected until his death.
Parker served as the first territorial representative on the Republican National Committee
.
In 1904 he partnered with Kohala Plantation owner John Hind on the irrigation project known as the Kohala Ditch and hired Michael O'Shaughnessy
to help engineer the project.
He invested in the Hawaiian Irrigation Company of John T. McCrosson, originally called the Hamakua Ditch company, but changed to avoid confusion with the earlier project of a similar name on Maui
by Henry Perrine Baldwin
. It was intended to build another irrigation system for Parker's Paauhau Plantation. Although Parker arranged various leases for ranch land, these projects fell into turmoil over contractual disputes.
Parker was often at odds with Parker Ranch manager Alfred Wellington Carter
(cousin of governor George Carter). Carter was steadily investing in enlarging the ranch, while Parker was more interested in using its profits to support his lifestyle. Carter was appointed guardian of Annie Thelma Parker, heir of her adoptive grandfather John Parker II's half interest in the ranch. Carter proposed mortgaging that half to buy out Parker. Parker claimed he rightfully owned the entire ranch and started a lawsuit to remove Carter as guardian and ranch manager. Annie Thelma Parker's mother, who had remarried to Frederick S. Knight of San Francisco in October 1900, publicly attacked Parker saying she "had personal knowledge of the extravagance of said Samuel Parker and of his inability to manage his own property affairs in a discreet and prudent manner". Although the court battles dragged on for years, eventually Parker accepted $600,000 and a few small parcels in exchange for his share in the ranch, finalized on September 20, 1906.
After his wife Abigail's death in 1908, the Campbell Estate, one of the largest private landholdings in Hawaii, was left in trust to her children from her first marriage.
Parker spent more time in the US, including visiting his distant Boston relations. The press liked to call him the "King of Hawaii". His health started to fail, and he headed back to Hawaii in November 1913 on a new steamship of the Matson Navigation Company
line.
Parker died July 4, 1920, after a heart illness. He an many family members are buried at the original Parker family cemetery near Hale Mana.
The Parker Ranch, estimated worth about $6 million at the time, was left in trust to his six year old great-grandson Richard Smart
. Parker's personal estate went to five surviving children. When Smart died in 1992 the ranch passed to a non-profit trust.
Parker's nephew James Frank Woods (1872–1930), widower of daughter Eva, in 1923 married Elizabeth Kahanu Kalanianaole
(1879–1932), who was the widow of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole.
Although some sources say the US Post Office for Waimea is named Kamuela for Parker, it is more likely from the name of the postmaster of the area, Samuel Mahuka Spencer
(1875–1960).
)
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, heir to the 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...
estate. He became involved in politics at a critical time 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...
, serving in its last cabinet.
Parker Ranch
His paternal grandfather John Palmer ParkerJohn 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) was born in 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...
(part of the family owning Parker House Hotel), 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...
and married Chiefess Kipikane (1800–1860) who was related to the high-ranking chiefs.
His father Ebenezer Parker (1829–1855) married mother Kilia Nahulanui on June 7, 1849.
Samuel Parker was born June 23, 1853.
Despite his American sounding name and upbringing, like 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....
, he had three-quarters native Hawaiian ancestry.
His only brother Ebenezer Christian Parker II died when he was ten years old in 1860.
In 1868 when his grandfather also died, Samuel (at the age of 15) inherited half the 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...
, with his uncle John Palmer Parker II (1827–1891) inheriting the other half. Samuel was attending 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...
on Oahu at the time. He made social connections among the Hawaiian nobility there that would be valuable throughout his life.
The first Parker homestead was a small cottage called Mana Hale, established in 1847 in the remote uplands of Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea
Mauna Kea is a volcano on the island of Hawaii. Standing above sea level, its peak is the highest point in the state of Hawaii. However, much of the mountain is under water; when measured from its oceanic base, Mauna Kea is over tall—significantly taller than Mount Everest...
on Hawaii island
Hawaii (island)
The Island of Hawaii, also called the Big Island or Hawaii Island , is a volcanic island in the North Pacific Ocean...
, at about 3500 feet (1,066.8 m) elevation at 19°59′48"N 155°33′29"W.
John Palmer Parker II married a Hawaiian named Hanai and moved his family in 1879 into a house called
Puu o Pelu, a much larger estate in more accessible place for entertaining. 20°1′9"N 155°40′55"W. Samuel generally left the cowboy work to others, although he took an interest in expanding the business in other ways.
Business
Parker invested in the growing sugarcaneSugarcane
Sugarcane refers to any of six to 37 species of tall perennial grasses of the genus Saccharum . Native to the warm temperate to tropical regions of South Asia, they have stout, jointed, fibrous stalks that are rich in sugar, and measure two to six metres tall...
industry. In 1878 he started the Paauhau Plantation with Rufus Anderson Lyman
Rufus Anderson Lyman
Rufus Anderson Lyman was a son of a missionary who became a lawyer and politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii, founded the Paauhau Sugar Plantation Company, and had many notable descendants.-Life:...
about 50 miles north of Hilo at coordinates 20°5′9"N 155°26′6"W. Lyman was advisor to island governor Princess Ruth Keelikōlani
Keelikolani
Princess Ruth Luka Keanolani Kauanahoahoa Keelikōlani , was a member of the Kamehameha family, the founding dynasty of the Kingdom of Hawaii. She served as Royal Governor of the Island of Hawaii. As primary heir to the Kamehameha family, Ruth became a landholder of what would become the Bernice...
, who was the only land owner (her lands became a major part of the Kamehameha Schools
Kamehameha Schools
Kamehameha Schools , formerly called Kamehameha Schools/Bishop Estate , is a private co-educational college-preparatory institution that specializes in Native Hawaiian language and cultural education. It is located in Hawaii and operates three campuses: Kapālama , Pukalani , and Keaau...
estate) who had more holdings than the Parker Ranch. Parker was often involved in real estate deals involving long-term leases from the Kamehameha estate, or buying them fee simple
Fee simple
In English law, a fee simple is an estate in land, a form of freehold ownership. It is the most common way that real estate is owned in common law countries, and is ordinarily the most complete ownership interest that can be had in real property short of allodial title, which is often reserved...
. He enjoyed the Hawaiian tradition of lavishly entertaining visitors at his estates.
On August 19, 1879 Parker invested in the nearby Pacific Sugar Mill in Kukuihaele near Waipio Valley
Waipio valley
Waipio Valley is a valley located in the Hamakua District of the Big Island of Hawaii. "Waipio" means "curved water" in the Hawaiian language.It was the capital and permanent residence of many early Hawaiian alii up until the time of King Umi...
.
The Pacific mill had an abundant water supply, but failed from mismanagement. In 1883 manager William H. Purvis
William H. Purvis
William Herbert Purvis was a plant collector and investor in a sugar plantation on the island of Hawaii during the late nineteenth century....
introduced the mongoose
Mongoose
Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...
, which became an invasive pest. Herds of cattle and sheep had to be destroyed later when a glanders
Glanders
Glanders is an infectious disease that occurs primarily in horses, mules, and donkeys. It can be contracted by other animals such as dogs, cats and goats...
epidemic broke out because of poor conditions in the stables.
Politics
In 1883, Parker took his first political role as he became a member of the Privy CouncilPrivy 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...
of 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...
.
In November 1884 he served on a commission to the World Cotton Centennial
World Cotton Centennial
The 1884 World's Fair was held in New Orleans, Louisiana. At a time when nearly one third of all cotton produced in the United States was handled in New Orleans and the city was home to the Cotton Exchange, the idea for the fair was first advanced by the Cotton Planters Association...
in New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
.
In 1886 he was appointed to the office of royal Equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
, which supplied horses and arranged ceremonial occasions, and to the personal staff of Kalākaua with honorary rank of Major. Later he was often addressed as Colonel, although there is no record of his ever serving as a regular soldier.
He was appointed to the House of Nobles
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...
in the legislature from 1886 to 1890.
In the meanwhile, the ranch had been mortgaged to finance the failed sugar business, and was taken over by trustees and managed by Paul Jarrett in 1888.
In early 1891 Kalākaua died, and Queen Liliuokalani became the new ruler.
On February 25, 1891, Parker was appointed to his first cabinet post, Minister of Foreign Affairs, when John Adams Cummins
John Adams Cummins
John Adams Kuakini Cummins 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.-Life:John Adams Kuakini Cummins was born March 17, 1835 in Honolulu....
was told to resign by the queen. On March 3 Parker was appointed to the Commission of Crown Lands. He was generally considered the most powerful member of the cabinet; sometimes called Prime Minister of Premier, but there was no such official office.
The choice of Parker satisfied the people who wanted more native Hawaiians in the government, and he generally had favorable relations with the American interests at the time.
The first sign of trouble came a week later when Parker also became acting Minister of Finance, temporarily replacing 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...
who was also serving on the Supreme Court. The McKinley Tariff
McKinley Tariff
The Tariff Act of 1890, commonly called the McKinley Tariff, was an act framed by Representative William McKinley that became law on October 1, 1890. The tariff raised the average duty on imports to almost fifty percent, an act designed to protect domestic industries from foreign competition...
act had devastated the Hawaiian economy by making exports to the US much more expensive, undoing the effects of 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....
. It was not until July that former self-taught dentist John Mott-Smith
John Mott-Smith
John Mott-Smith was the first dentist to set up a permanent practice in the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was also a politician, newspaper editor, and diplomat.-Life:John Mott-Smith was born in New York City November 13, 1824,...
would take over the Finance position, which he had taken earlier under 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...
.
However, by October Mott-Smith was sent to Washington, DC to negotiate a trade treaty, and Parker had to again take the Finance position until Widemann could resume his duties on January 28, 1892.
A time of unprecedented instability in the government began in 1892, with the previously biennial part-time legislature having its longest session.
Power was split among three parties, with only one of them, the Hawaiian National Reform Party, considered loyal to the queen. By early 1892, Marshal Charles Burnett Wilson
Charles Burnett Wilson (marshal)
Charles Burnett “C.B.” Wilson was a British and Tahitian superintendent of the water works and fire chief under King Kalākaua, and was Marshal of the Kingdom under Queen Liliuokalani. and father of John H. Wilson-Early years:...
suspected members of the Hawaiian National Liberal Party were planning a takeover of the government in response to the 1887 Bayonet Constitution which limited voting rights to wealthy non-Asians.
These efforts were blocked by the Reform Party, which largely represented wealthy descendants of Americans and Europeans.
Parker was attacked by the Liberals, called a "half-caste cowboy". By May some of the Liberals were arrested, but most charges were dropped, with Parker agreeing that prosecutions would just inflame tensions further.
Reports began circulating that Hawaii was negotiating to be annexed by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, but Parker issued denials.
In reality, Lorrin A. Thurston
Lorrin A. Thurston
Lorrin Andrews Thurston was a lawyer, politician, and businessman born and raised in the Kingdom of Hawaii. The grandson of two of the first Christian missionaries to Hawaii, Thurston played a prominent role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom that replaced Queen Liliuokalani with the...
(a newspaper publisher whose only government position was as a legislator) had been in Washington lobbying for annexation, but Mott-Smith did nothing to communicate this to Parker.
Attorney General Whiting resigned because of a disagreement with Parker. Liliuokalani made a deal with the cabinet: if they supported a lottery to help raise funds, she would appoint Paul Neumann as the new 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...
, who agreed to keep Wilson as marshal.
On August 30, 1892 the legislature passed a no confidence motion, insisting the Marshal Wilson be removed. Parker and the rest of the cabinet resigned, but Liliuokalani could not come up with replacements that would be acceptable to her opponents in the legislature.
In November 1892 Parker was forced to resign, and was replaced with Joseph Nawahi
Joseph Nawahi
Joseph Nāwahī also known as Joseph Kahooluhi Nāwahī and as Joseph Kahooluhi Nāwahīokalaniōpuu was a native Hawaiian legislator, lawyer, newspaper publisher, and painter.-Life:...
.
Parker was again appointed to head the government on January 13, 1893 as Minister of Foreign Affairs; it was to be the last cabinet appointed by a ruling monarch. The next day Liliuokalani presented her proposed 1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The 1893 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a proposed replacement of the Constitution of 1887, primarily based on the Constitution of 1864 put forth by Queen Lili'uokalani...
to the cabinet. Frustrated by their hesitation, she threatened to proclaim it unilaterally. Parker and the other ministers were also warned by Thurston and other prominent citizens not to approve the new constitution, which they saw as returning to a more powerful autocratic rule. Parker met with both Liberals who demanded wider voting rights, and the American minister John L. Stevens
John L. Stevens
John Leavitt Stevens was the United States Department of State Minister to the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1893 when he was accused of conspiring to overthrow Queen Liliuokalani in association with the Committee of Safety, led by Lorrin A. Thurston and Sanford B...
, who said he would not support the queen if there was an uprising.
On January 16, troops from the came ashore, armed but ordered to be as neutral as possible. Parker protested, and asked Stevens to order them to leave, but was told they were protecting American interests.
The next day 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...
declared the queen deposed. Parker protested to Stevens one more time, but by the time a response was delivered to Parker, the government building had been seized. Only a small police force led by Charles Burnett Wilson
Charles Burnett Wilson (marshal)
Charles Burnett “C.B.” Wilson was a British and Tahitian superintendent of the water works and fire chief under King Kalākaua, and was Marshal of the Kingdom under Queen Liliuokalani. and father of John H. Wilson-Early years:...
was protecting Liliuokalani, so Parker helped negotiate a surrender of to avoid bloodshed.
From San Francisco Parker tried to convince the US to restore the Queen, but the efforts were not successful.
He was interviewed by US Commissioner James H. Blount in preparing his Blount Report
Blount Report
The Blount Report is the popular name given to the part of the 1893 United States House of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee Report regarding the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The report was conducted by U.S. Commissioner James H. Blount, appointed by U.S...
on April 6, 1893. He stated his opinion that a majority of voters would have approved a restoration of the queen.
Family life
Samuel married twice, first to Harriet ("Hattie") Panana Napela (1852–1901) on August 23, 1871.She was the daughter of Jonathan Napela
Jonatana Napela
Jonatana Napela or Jonathan Hawaii Napela was one of the earliest Latter-day Saint converts in Hawai'i. He helped translate the Book of Mormon into Hawaiian with George Q...
who was an early convert to Mormonism, also three-quarters Hawaiian, and also known as Harriet Richardson after her mother's maiden name.
Samuel and Hariet Parker had nine children.
Their first daughter was Mary Kihilani Parker (1871–1895). Second daughter Eva Kalanikauleleiaiwi Parker (1872–1922) married her cousin (son of Parker's sister Mary) James Frank Woods
James Frank Woods
James Frank Woods was a major landowner during the Kingdom of Hawaii 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 Islands in 1860 to work for Janion & Green James Frank Woods (1872–1930) was...
. Third daughter Helen Umiokalani Parker (born 1874), married Carl Widemann, son of Hermann Widemann.
Samuel's fourth child John Palmer Parker III (1875–1893), was adopted by John Palmer Parker II and married Elizabeth Jane Lanakila Dowsett (known as "Aunt Tootsie") April 18, 1893 at the Parker home in Honolulu. They had one daughter Annie Thelma Kahiluonapuaopiilani Parker March 17, 1894. John III died less than two months later on May 8, 1894. Thelma married Henry Gaillard Smart July 25, 1912 in Honolulu. and had one son Richard Palmer Smart, born on May 21, 1913. However Thelma died in 1914 aged 20. Other children were Harriet "Hattie" Kaonohilani Parker (1876–1884), Palmer Kuihelani Parker (1878–1896), Samuel Keaoulilani Parker (1879–1934), Ernest Napela Parker (1884–1945) and James Kekoalii Parker (1886–1962).
His uncle John Palmer Parker II died in November 1891.
Territorial life
Parker supported Sanford Dole as the first governor of the Territory of HawaiiTerritory 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...
, even though he some encouragement to seek that post himself.
In 1900 Parker attended the organizing convention of the Republican Party of Hawaii, and was chosen to attend the national convention in Philadelphia on June 19.
In September Parker was nominated without opposition by the Republicans for the first election of delegate to US Congress
Hawaii Territory's At-large congressional district
Hawaii Territory's At-large congressional district was the congressional district for the Territory of Hawaii, which was established by the Newlands Resolution of 1898....
for the territory.
Prince David Kawānanakoa
David Kawananakoa
Prince David Laamea Kahalepouli Kinoiki Kawānanakoa Piikoi , was the patriarch of the House of Kawānanakoa. He was in the line of succession to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii around the time of the kingdom's overthrow.-Life:...
ran as a Democrat; they both lost. Parker came in a close second to Robert W. Wilcox of 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...
.
His first wife died in July 1901.
His second wife was Abigail Kuaihelani Maipinepine
Abigail Campbell
Abigail Kuaihelani Campbell, born Abigail Kuaihelani Maipinepine Bright was member of the nobility of the Kingdom of Hawaii who married two powerful businessmen.-Life:Abigail Kuaihelani Maipinepine Bright was born August 22, 1858 on Maui....
(1859–1908), widow of industrialist James Campbell. They married January 3, 1902 at the Occidental Hotel in San Francisco, with judge J. C. B. Hebbard officiating. This made him stepfather to Abigail Campbell
Abigail Campbell Kawananakoa
Abigail Wahiikaahuula Campbell Kawānanakoa , was a politician and Princess of Hawaii.-Life:Abigail Campbell was born January 1, 1882 in Honolulu. Her father was James Campbell, one of the wealthiest industrialists in the Kingdom of Hawaii...
and his second wife's other daughters. Parker had acquired a reputation as a notorious spendthrift. Even his supporters said:
"The titled and the wealthy of all lands who have visited the islands know Parker and have partaken of his hospitality. Few men have bet more money at poker on small hands than has Colonel "Sam" Parker."
Three days later, his stepdaughter Abigail married Prince Kawānanakoa, who had been his opponent in the 1900 election.
This family and its descendants became known as the House of Kawānanakoa
House of Kawananakoa
The House of Kawānanakoa, or the Kawānanakoa Dynasty in Waiting, are presumptive heirs to the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Origins:...
.
As part of their honeymoon, in early 1902 the Parkers traveled to Washington, DC, where he visited Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore Roosevelt
Theodore "Teddy" Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States . He is noted for his exuberant personality, range of interests and achievements, and his leadership of the Progressive Movement, as well as his "cowboy" persona and robust masculinity...
.
They returned to California February 2, 1902; it was rumored that Parker would be appointed as the next governor of the Territory of Hawaii. However, George R. 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...
was appointed instead, descended from American missionaries. It would not be until John D. Waihee III
John D. Waihee III
John David Waihee III served as the fourth Governor of Hawaii from 1986 to 1994. He was the first American of Native Hawaiian descent to be elected to the office from any state of the United States. After his tenure in the governor's office, Waihee became a nationally prominent attorney and...
in 1986 that an ethnic native Hawaiian would become governor.
Parker's wife was a target of a jewel theft when they returned in 1903.
Although Parker stayed active in the Republican party, he was never elected or appointed to a territorial office. He was able to convince 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...
, brother of his stepson-in-law Kawānanakoa, to run as a Republican in the 1902 election of congressional delegate; Kalanianaole won, and was reelected until his death.
Parker served as the first territorial representative on the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
.
In 1904 he partnered with Kohala Plantation owner John Hind on the irrigation project known as the Kohala Ditch and hired Michael O'Shaughnessy
Michael O'Shaughnessy
Michael Maurice O'Shaughnessy was an Irish Civil engineer who became city engineer for the city of San Francisco during the first part of the twentieth century and developed the Hetch-Hetchy water system.-Life:...
to help engineer the project.
He invested in the Hawaiian Irrigation Company of John T. McCrosson, originally called the Hamakua Ditch company, but changed to avoid confusion with the earlier project of a similar name on Maui
Maui
The island of Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at and is the 17th largest island in the United States. Maui is part of the state of Hawaii and is the largest of Maui County's four islands, bigger than Lānai, Kahoolawe, and Molokai. In 2010, Maui had a population of 144,444,...
by Henry Perrine Baldwin
Henry Perrine Baldwin
Henry Perrine Baldwin was a businessman and politician on Maui in the Hawaiian islands. He supervised the construction of the East Maui Irrigation System and co-founded Alexander & Baldwin, one of the "Big Five" corporations that dominated the economy of the Territory of Hawaii.-Life:Henry Perrine...
. It was intended to build another irrigation system for Parker's Paauhau Plantation. Although Parker arranged various leases for ranch land, these projects fell into turmoil over contractual disputes.
Parker was often at odds with Parker Ranch manager Alfred Wellington Carter
Alfred Wellington Carter
Alfred Wellington Carter was a lawyer and judge in the Republic of Hawaii and the Territory of Hawaii who managed the Parker Ranch.-Life:...
(cousin of governor George Carter). Carter was steadily investing in enlarging the ranch, while Parker was more interested in using its profits to support his lifestyle. Carter was appointed guardian of Annie Thelma Parker, heir of her adoptive grandfather John Parker II's half interest in the ranch. Carter proposed mortgaging that half to buy out Parker. Parker claimed he rightfully owned the entire ranch and started a lawsuit to remove Carter as guardian and ranch manager. Annie Thelma Parker's mother, who had remarried to Frederick S. Knight of San Francisco in October 1900, publicly attacked Parker saying she "had personal knowledge of the extravagance of said Samuel Parker and of his inability to manage his own property affairs in a discreet and prudent manner". Although the court battles dragged on for years, eventually Parker accepted $600,000 and a few small parcels in exchange for his share in the ranch, finalized on September 20, 1906.
After his wife Abigail's death in 1908, the Campbell Estate, one of the largest private landholdings in Hawaii, was left in trust to her children from her first marriage.
Parker spent more time in the US, including visiting his distant Boston relations. The press liked to call him the "King of Hawaii". His health started to fail, and he headed back to Hawaii in November 1913 on a new steamship of the Matson Navigation Company
Matson Navigation Company
The Matson Navigation Company, a subsidiary of Alexander & Baldwin, is a private shipping company with roots extending into the late 19th century...
line.
Parker died July 4, 1920, after a heart illness. He an many family members are buried at the original Parker family cemetery near Hale Mana.
The Parker Ranch, estimated worth about $6 million at the time, was left in trust to his six year old great-grandson Richard Smart
Richard Smart (actor)
Richard Palmer Kaleioku Smart was a musical theatre actor and singer who became owner of the largest private ranch in Hawaii.-Early life:...
. Parker's personal estate went to five surviving children. When Smart died in 1992 the ranch passed to a non-profit trust.
Parker's nephew James Frank Woods (1872–1930), widower of daughter Eva, in 1923 married Elizabeth Kahanu Kalanianaole
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...
(1879–1932), who was the widow of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaole.
Although some sources say the US Post Office for Waimea is named Kamuela for Parker, it is more likely from the name of the postmaster of the area, Samuel Mahuka Spencer
Samuel M. Spencer
Spencer Beach Park is a county park named for Hawaii island politician Samuel Mahuka Spencer .Spencer was born in the area in 1875, and died on February 28, 1960.He was named for Samual Mahuka who was a judge in the area from 1893 to 1901....
(1875–1960).
Further reading
(Senate report 227 of Fifty-third Congress, Second Session, known as the Morgan ReportMorgan Report
The Morgan Report was an 1894 report concluding an official U.S. Congressional investigation into the events surrounding the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom, including the alleged role of U.S. military troops in the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani...
)