William Luther Moehonua
Encyclopedia
William Luther Kealii Moehonua (1824–1878) was a native Hawaiian noble and politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii
.
. His mother was Mary Napuaelua. There is some dispute about his father. Some sources give it as Chief Keaweamahi.
Others say his father was Aikanaka (1790–1868), who did marry his mother about that time.
Around 1848 he married Kaunuohua, a noble who was attendant to King Kamehameha IV
.
On September 11, 1849 he married Lucy Muolo who died in 1865, and then might have remarried to Kapeka Kahele in 1875.
His probable half-sister Analea Keohokālole
became a civil leader in her own right.
On February 6, 1873 Moehonua was given the rank of Major in the royal guard of King Lunalilo
.
On September 10, 1873, Moehonua was put in command of [[ʻIolani Barracks]] after a mutiny against their Hungarian-born commander.
He was elected to the Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
of 1874 as a representative for Oahu island
.
Lunalilo died after reigning for only one year without naming an heir, so the legislature according to the constitution was to elect a new king. Moehonua and Samuel Garner Wilder
counted the ballots and announced the results. The winner was Kalākaua
, who was probably a nephew since Kalākaua's grandfather Aikanaka was (probably) Moehonua's father. Moehonua was injured when his carriage was torn apart in the protests that followed, since Queen Emma of Hawaii
was favored by the Hawaiian people.
On April 27, 1874 he was promoted to rank of Colonel. On October 31, 1874 he was appointed minister of the interior, until December 5, 1876 when he was replaced by John Mott-Smith
. He became commissioner of the crown lands November 20, 1875.
On December 15, 1876 Moehonua was appointed Royal Governor of Maui
.
On April 15, 1878 he was appointed to the upper House of Nobles of the legislature.
He died September 8, 1878. He was replaced as Maui governor by John Owen Dominis
, who was married to his niece Lydia Kamakaeha, later Queen Liliuokalani. He was granted much land for his service, although some had to be sold to satisfy his debts by executor Charles T. Gulick
.
He probably had at least one child: Kalākaua filed a lawsuit which reached the supreme court in 1883, claiming some land that G. W. Keaweamahi had inherited from Moehonua. The court ruled against the king.
In her autobiography, Liliuokalani downplays his family background, not mentioning if they were related:
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...
.
Life
William Luther Moehonua was born May 5, 1824, in MokulēiaMokule'ia, Hawai'i
Mokulēia is a North Shore community and census-designated place in the Waialua District on the island of Oahu, City & County of Honolulu, Hawaii. Mokulēia means isle abundance in Hawaiian. As of the 2000 Census, the CDP had a total population of 1,839...
. His mother was Mary Napuaelua. There is some dispute about his father. Some sources give it as Chief Keaweamahi.
Others say his father was Aikanaka (1790–1868), who did marry his mother about that time.
Around 1848 he married Kaunuohua, a noble who was attendant to King Kamehameha IV
Kamehameha IV
Kamehameha IV, born Alexander Iolani Liholiho Keawenui , reigned as the fourth king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 11, 1855 to November 30, 1863.-Early life:...
.
On September 11, 1849 he married Lucy Muolo who died in 1865, and then might have remarried to Kapeka Kahele in 1875.
His probable half-sister Analea Keohokālole
Keohokalole
Analea, Ane or Annie Keohokālole was a Hawaiian chiefess and matriarch of the Kalākaua Dynasty that ruled Hawaii from 1874 to 1893.-Life:...
became a civil leader in her own right.
On February 6, 1873 Moehonua was given the rank of Major in the royal guard of King Lunalilo
Lunalilo
Lunalilo, born William Charles Lunalilo , was king of the Kingdom of Hawaii from January 8, 1873 until February 3, 1874...
.
On September 10, 1873, Moehonua was put in command of [[ʻIolani Barracks]] after a mutiny against their Hungarian-born commander.
He was elected to the Legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
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...
of 1874 as a representative for Oahu island
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...
.
Lunalilo died after reigning for only one year without naming an heir, so the legislature according to the constitution was to elect a new king. Moehonua and Samuel Garner Wilder
Samuel Garner Wilder
Samuel Gardner Wilder was an American shipping magnate and politician who developed a major transportation company in the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:Samuel Gardner Wilder was born June 20, 1831 in Leominster, Massachusetts....
counted the ballots and announced the results. The winner was 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...
, who was probably a nephew since Kalākaua's grandfather Aikanaka was (probably) Moehonua's father. Moehonua was injured when his carriage was torn apart in the protests that followed, since 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....
was favored by the Hawaiian people.
On April 27, 1874 he was promoted to rank of Colonel. On October 31, 1874 he was appointed minister of the interior, until December 5, 1876 when he was replaced by 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,...
. He became commissioner of the crown lands November 20, 1875.
On December 15, 1876 Moehonua was appointed Royal Governor of Maui
Governors of Maui
The Governor of Maui was the royal governor or viceroy of the Island of Maui in the Kingdom of Hawaii. The Governor of Maui resided at Lahaina and was usually a Hawaiian chief or prince and could even be a woman. The Governor had authority over four of the eight islands: Maui, Molokai, Lānai, and...
.
On April 15, 1878 he was appointed to the upper House of Nobles of the legislature.
He died September 8, 1878. He was replaced as Maui governor by John Owen Dominis
John Owen Dominis
John Owen Dominis was an American-born statesman. He became Prince Consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii upon his marriage to the last reigning monarch, Queen Liliuokalani...
, who was married to his niece Lydia Kamakaeha, later Queen Liliuokalani. He was granted much land for his service, although some had to be sold to satisfy his debts by executor Charles T. Gulick
Charles T. Gulick
Charles Thomas Gulick was a politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii. He was one of the few members of missionary families to side with the monarchy in the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii.-Life:...
.
He probably had at least one child: Kalākaua filed a lawsuit which reached the supreme court in 1883, claiming some land that G. W. Keaweamahi had inherited from Moehonua. The court ruled against the king.
In her autobiography, Liliuokalani downplays his family background, not mentioning if they were related:
He was a most edtimable man, far superior to many of a corresponding rank, which was not of the highest; yet he was a good specimen of the Hawaiian race, of noble birth and patriotic sentiments.