William H. Purvis
Encyclopedia
William Herbert Purvis was a plant collector and investor in a sugar plantation
on the island of Hawaii
during the late nineteenth century.
William Herbert Purvis (also known as Herbert Purvis) was born in Sussex
, England. He and his father John Purvis (1820–1909) came to Hawaii in 1878.
A distant cousin, Edith Mary Winifred Purvis, also came to Hawaii and married into the Holdsworth family; their daughter married into the Greenwell family
(early Kona coffee
merchants) and had daughter Amy B. H. Greenwell (1920–1974).
The Purvis family were early investors in the Pacific Sugar Mill at Kukuihaele near Waipio Valley
on the northeast coast "Big Island" of Hawaii.
The lands were from the estate of King Lunalilo
, consolidated by Purvis and the royal doctor Georges Phillipe Trousseau
.
In 1882 he was the first to import macadamia
seeds into the Hawaiian Islands
after visiting Australia
. He planted seed nuts that year at Kapulena, Hawaii at 20°6′4"N 155°31′40"W, just southeast of the Pacific Mill. For many years, the trees were grown just as ornamental plants. Macadamias have since become an important tree crop in Hawaii
. Total area in macadamia production is 20200 acres (81.7 km²) and Hawaii’s macadamia industry is valued at $175 million annually. Major macadamia production is on the island of Hawaii.
Purvis introduced the mongoose
to control rats at the plantation in 1883. The mongoose has become an invasive pest.
In 1889 he was elected into the Royal Colonial Institute.
In 1887, Purvis hired Scottish arboriculturalist David McHattie Forbes
from his position as Foreman Forester of the estate of Fletcher's Saltoun Hall
to import and cultivate cinchona trees above the sugar line in Kukuihaele, Hawaii at the Pacific Sugar Mill.
He married Mabel Vida Turner and had at least four children: Arthur Frederic Purvis (1890–1955), Inez Adele Isobel Kapuaimohala Purvis (1891–1961), John Ralph Purvis (1894–1915), and Herbert Charles Purvis (1897–1945).
He died December 31, 1950.
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...
on 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...
during the late nineteenth century.
William Herbert Purvis (also known as Herbert Purvis) was born in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
, England. He and his father John Purvis (1820–1909) came to Hawaii in 1878.
A distant cousin, Edith Mary Winifred Purvis, also came to Hawaii and married into the Holdsworth family; their daughter married into the Greenwell family
Henry Nicholas Greenwell
Henry Nicholas Greenwell was an English merchant credited with establishing Kona coffee as an internationally known brand.His family became major land-holders in the Kona District of the island of Hawaii....
(early Kona coffee
Kona coffee
Kona coffee is the market name for coffee cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Only coffee from the Kona Districts can be described as "Kona"...
merchants) and had daughter Amy B. H. Greenwell (1920–1974).
The Purvis family were early investors in the Pacific Sugar Mill at 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...
on the northeast coast "Big Island" of Hawaii.
The lands were from the estate of King Lunalilo
Lunalilo
Lunalilo, born William Charles Lunalilo , was king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 8, 1873 until February 3, 1874...
, consolidated by Purvis and the royal doctor Georges Phillipe Trousseau
Georges Phillipe Trousseau
Georges Phillipe Trousseau was a French physician who became the royal doctor of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and engaged in a variety of agricultural ventures.-Biography:Georges Phillipe Trousseau was born in Paris on May 1, 1833...
.
In 1882 he was the first to import macadamia
Macadamia
Macadamia is a genus of nine species of flowering plants in the family Proteaceae, with a disjunct distribution native to eastern Australia , New Caledonia and Sulawesi in Indonesia ....
seeds into 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...
after visiting Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. He planted seed nuts that year at Kapulena, Hawaii at 20°6′4"N 155°31′40"W, just southeast of the Pacific Mill. For many years, the trees were grown just as ornamental plants. Macadamias have since become an important tree crop in 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...
. Total area in macadamia production is 20200 acres (81.7 km²) and Hawaii’s macadamia industry is valued at $175 million annually. Major macadamia production is on the island of Hawaii.
Purvis 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"...
to control rats at the plantation in 1883. The mongoose has become an invasive pest.
In 1889 he was elected into the Royal Colonial Institute.
In 1887, Purvis hired Scottish arboriculturalist David McHattie Forbes
David McHattie Forbes
David McHattie Forbes was a Scottish botanist, ethnologist, explorer on the island of Hawai'i. He practiced forestry, agronomy, and horticulture and served as the first district forester of South Kohala in 1905, and twenty years later was appointed a judge in Waimea...
from his position as Foreman Forester of the estate of Fletcher's Saltoun Hall
Saltoun Hall
Saltoun Hall is an historic house standing in extensive lands off the B6355, Pencaitland to East Saltoun road, about 1.5 miles from each village, in East Lothian, Scotland...
to import and cultivate cinchona trees above the sugar line in Kukuihaele, Hawaii at the Pacific Sugar Mill.
He married Mabel Vida Turner and had at least four children: Arthur Frederic Purvis (1890–1955), Inez Adele Isobel Kapuaimohala Purvis (1891–1961), John Ralph Purvis (1894–1915), and Herbert Charles Purvis (1897–1945).
He died December 31, 1950.