William Hyde Rice
Encyclopedia
William Hyde Rice was a businessman and politician during the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He collected and published legends of Hawaiian mythology
.
(1813–1863) , and mother was Mary Sophia Hyde, Protestant missionary teachers at the Punahou School
.
At an early age Rice began to amass knowledge of Hawaiian culture, myths and legends — along with his fortune. Like his father, he was a student of Hawaiian legends, especially the myth of Pele.
In 1854 the family moved to Līhue on the island of Kauai
. His father became manager of a sugarcane
plantation, and in 1856, his father completed the first irrigation system for sugar for the Lihue Plantation in East Kauai.
He attended a boarding school at Kōloa
, run by Reverend Daniel Dole
.
He then attended Punahou School, and Braton's College in Oakland, California
. In Honolulu, on October 17, 1872 he married Mary Waterhouse (1847–1933), and had 8 children:
In 1872, 26-year-old Rice formed Kipu Plantation and Lihue Ranch, purchasing the Kipu parcel from Princess Ruth Keelikōlani
for $3,000 to breed cattle and fine horses. His family became one of the top ten private landowers on the island.
Rice loved politics, serving in the Hawaiian House of Representatives
from 1870–1890. He was appointed the last of the Governors of Kauai
in 1891 by Queen Liliuokalani. When the monarchy ended in 1893, with the house arrest of the Queen, Rice adapted easily, serving his childhood friend Sanford B. Dole
(son of his school-master), who was named President of the new Republic of Hawaii
, in the senate from 1895–1898.
Rice helped to draw up the 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
(known as the "Bayonet Constitution").
Rice spoke the Hawaiian language
as his first language and published a valuable collection of Hawaiian Legends, a reprint of which is available online from the Bernice P. Bishop Museum's Special Publications section.
William Hyde Rice died June 15, 1924. Charles Atwood Rice took over the business at that time. Charles would serve in the legislature of the Territory of Hawaii
from 1905–1937.
Still in the Rice family, Kipu Ranch offers ranch tours to visitors.
Hawaiian mythology
Hawaiian mythology refers to the legends, historical tales and sayings of the ancient Hawaiian people. It is considered a variant of a more general Polynesian mythology, developing its own unique character for several centuries before about 1800. It is associated with the Hawaiian religion...
.
Life
William Hyde Rice was born at Honolulu, Hawaii on July 23, 1846. His father was William Harrison RiceWilliam Harrison Rice
William Harrison Rice was a missionary teacher from the United States who traveled to the Hawaiian Islands and managed an early sugar plantation.-Life:...
(1813–1863) , and mother was Mary Sophia Hyde, Protestant missionary teachers at the 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...
.
At an early age Rice began to amass knowledge of Hawaiian culture, myths and legends — along with his fortune. Like his father, he was a student of Hawaiian legends, especially the myth of Pele.
In 1854 the family moved to Līhue on the island of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
. His father became manager of a sugarcane
Sugarcane
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...
plantation, and in 1856, his father completed the first irrigation system for sugar for the Lihue Plantation in East Kauai.
He attended a boarding school at Kōloa
Koloa, Hawaii
Kōloa is a census-designated place in Kauai County, Hawaii, United States. The population was 1,942 at the 2000 census. Kōloa is often incorrectly translated as native duck, which is the correct translation for the similar-looking koloa . Kōloa has no known translation...
, run by Reverend Daniel Dole
Daniel Dole
Daniel Dole was a Protestant missionary educator from the United States to the Hawaiian Islands.-Life:Daniel Dole as born September 9, 1808 in Skowhegan, Maine...
.
He then attended Punahou School, and Braton's College in Oakland, California
Oakland, California
Oakland is a major West Coast port city on San Francisco Bay in the U.S. state of California. It is the eighth-largest city in the state with a 2010 population of 390,724...
. In Honolulu, on October 17, 1872 he married Mary Waterhouse (1847–1933), and had 8 children:
- Son William Henry Rice was born June 24, 1874, married Mary Agnes Girvin on June 8, 1897, managed Līhue ranch, and then became deputy Sheriff in 1900 and Sheriff of Kauai county in 1905. He died in 1945.
- Son Charles Atwood Rice was born September 12, 1876 and married Grace Ethel King (1880–1940) on June 20, 1899. He served in the legislature of the Territory of Hawaii as representative from 1905 to 1911, and then in the Territorial Senate from 1913 through 1937. He died in 1964, and his daughter Juliet Rice Wichman (1901–1987) was co-founder of the Kauai Museum.
- Son Arthur Hyde Rice was born July 25, 1878.
- Daughter Mary Eleanor Rice was born November 25, 1880, married W. H. Scott, and died January 22, 1923.
- Daughter Anna Charlotte Rice (called "Daisy") was born August 5, 1882, and married Ralph Lyman Wilcox (who inherited part of Grove FarmGrove Farm (Lihue, Hawaii)-History:German immigrant Hermann A. Widemann started one of the first sugar plantations in Hawaii known as Grove Farm in 1854.During the American Civil War, the demand for Hawaii sugar grew, but Widemann supported the Confederate States....
from uncle George Norton WilcoxGeorge Norton WilcoxGeorge Norton Wilcox was a businessman and politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii and Territory of Hawaii.-Life:George Norton Wilcox was born in Hilo August 15, 1839.His father was Abner Wilcox and mother was Lucy Eliza Hart...
and grandson of missionary David Belden LymanDavid Belden LymanDavid Belden Lyman was an early American missionary to Hawaii who opened a boarding school for Hawaiians. His wife Sarah Joiner Lyman taught at the boarding school and kept an important journal. They had several notable descendants.-Family life:David Belden Lyman was born in on July 28, 1803 in...
). - Son Harold Waterhouse Rice was born November 10, 1883, attended PrincetonPrinceton UniversityPrinceton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
for one year, and married Charlotte Baldwin (1884–1938) on December 7, 1907. She was daughter of Alexander & BaldwinAlexander & BaldwinFollowing World War II, the company entered a new business: land development and real estate. The company formed a new subsidiary, the Kahului Development Co., to develop housing in the Kahului area. In the following years, the company became more involved in the development of its land and the...
founder Henry Perrine BaldwinHenry Perrine BaldwinHenry 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...
. He was elected to the Territorial Senate for MauiMauiThe 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,...
from 1919 through 1947, and died June 5, 1962. - Son Philip LaVergne Rice was born July 22 1886, became a judge, and died in 1974.
- Emily Dorothea Rice was born September 30, 1889 married L. L. Sexton, and died in 1975.
In 1872, 26-year-old Rice formed Kipu Plantation and Lihue Ranch, purchasing the Kipu parcel from 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...
for $3,000 to breed cattle and fine horses. His family became one of the top ten private landowers on the island.
Rice loved politics, serving in the Hawaiian House of Representatives
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...
from 1870–1890. He was appointed the last of the Governors of Kauai
Governors of Kauai
The Governor of Kauai was the royal governor or viceroy of the island of Kauai and island of Niihau during the Kingdom of Hawaii. The Governor of Kauai was usually a Hawaiian chief or prince and could even be a woman. The Governor had authority over the islands of Kauai and Niihau, and it was up to...
in 1891 by Queen Liliuokalani. When the monarchy ended in 1893, with the house arrest of the Queen, Rice adapted easily, serving his childhood friend Sanford B. Dole
Sanford B. Dole
Sanford Ballard Dole was a lawyer and jurist in the Hawaiian Islands as a kingdom, protectorate, republic and territory...
(son of his school-master), who was named President of the new Republic of Hawaii
Republic of Hawaii
The Republic of Hawaii was the formal name of the government that controlled Hawaii from 1894 to 1898 when it was run as a republic. The republic period occurred between the administration of the Provisional Government of Hawaii which ended on July 4, 1894 and the adoption of the Newlands...
, in the senate from 1895–1898.
Rice helped to draw up the 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii
The 1887 Constitution of the Kingdom of Hawaii was a legal document by anti-monarchists to strip the Hawaiian monarchy of much of its authority, initiating a transfer of power to American, European and native Hawaiian elites...
(known as the "Bayonet Constitution").
Rice spoke 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...
as his first language and published a valuable collection of Hawaiian Legends, a reprint of which is available online from the Bernice P. Bishop Museum's Special Publications section.
William Hyde Rice died June 15, 1924. Charles Atwood Rice took over the business at that time. Charles would serve in the legislature of 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...
from 1905–1937.
Still in the Rice family, Kipu Ranch offers ranch tours to visitors.
External links
- "History of Kipu Ranch" on About.com
- Kipu Ranch tours