When Town Missionaries Met the King of Hawaii

by Jeffrey Bingham Mead
Greenwich Time: 1995

It was not an everyday event for anyone from Greenwich in 1837 to meet the monarchs of a foreign country. Such was the case, however, for Congregationalist missionaries Horton O. Knapp and his wife, Charlotte Close.  They were probably the first from town to personally meet with the king and queen of Hawaii, in this case Kamehameha IV and Queen Emma Kaleleonalani (*Authors note and correction: they actually met with Kamehameha III and Queen Kalama Hakaleleponikapakuhaili.)

Hawaiian Mission Houses, Honolulu. Circa 1837. Credit: American Antiquarian Society. 

Others from missionary circles already stationed in Hawaii were at this meeting. Included such distinguish individuals as the Rev. Hiram Bingham, leader of the American missions in Hawaii, Amos Starr Cooke and his wife, Juliet, in-laws of the Rev. Chauncey and Sarah Cooke Wilcox of North Greenwich, along with other members of the 8th Company of missionary reinforcements.

Two days before the meeting, on April 10, they arrived at Honolulu.

"As we sailed around Diamond Point, which is a very bold cliff, we came in sight of Honolulu, and on the right was a most beautiful grove of coconut trees with native huts scattered," and Charlotte Close Knapp. "The mountains of these islands, which present the appearance of sand banks on approaching, are most beautiful to the eye. Oahu presents the most romantic and picturesque scenery I ever beheld. Its lofty hills are covered with the most beautiful vegetation."

On April 12, the newly arrived missionaries at the King at the home of Oahu's governor, with the Rev. Hiram Bingham acting as interpreter. "We received with all the cordiality and dignity that could be expected," Charlotte wrote. "He pledged us his protection and extended is warmest salutations."

Kamehameha III, King of the Hawaiian Islands. Reign: 1825-1854. 

The king went on to wish that sin would be discouraged and desired success in their efforts doing good for the Hawaiian people.

Queen Emma (Authors note and correction: actually Queen Kalama Hakaleleponikapakuhaili.), according to Charlotte Close Knapp, "rejoiced that God had sent to us from an enlightened land to one of comparative darkness. It had been partially enlightened, she said, but she hoped we should be the means of increasing its light."

Queen Kalama.

Other notables from the Hawaiian kingdom included the governor of the island of Hawaii, the governor of Maui and his wife, "all of whom received us with becoming dignity and with much apparent satisfaction," Mrs. Knapp wrote.