Description:

"I have lately read in the paper that the Roman Catholics are building a Chapel in Honolulu, which news I am very sorry to hear...ƒ We yesterday received a pamphlet printed at Honolulu containing the correspondence between the American missionaries & Consul of the Officers of the East India squadron. The missionaries ought to be protected & I hope they willƒ"

This small archive consists of four long family letters to Charles Burnham, manager of Hawaii's first sugar plantation, 1839-1844, mailed from Tolland, Connecticut, to Kauai, Sandwich Islands.

In 1833, Peter Brinsmade, William Ladd, and William Hooper arrived on the island of Kauai. In 1835, the three New Englanders obtained the first major land lease in Hawaiian history from King Kamehameha III: 980 acres in Koloa, on the Island of Kauai, which was set aside for sugar cane production. On September 13, 1835, Ladd & Co. established Hawaii's first major sugar plantation. William Hooper was designated the first manager of the Koloa Sugar Plantation. Work began on the plantation in 1836 and, in 1837, the plantation completed its first harvest yielding two tons of raw sugar.

In December 1837, Hooper asked his partner Brinsmade, then in the United States, to negotiate with Charles Burnham, a carpenter, to come to Kauai as manager of the plantation. Burnham had been in the Sandwich Islands earlier, in Honolulu, supervising the building of the Bethel Church and a house for the chaplain. Then he had been in charge of building operations at Lahainaluna on the island of Maui. He had a good reputation and worked especially well with the native Hawaiians. Charles Burnham and his wife arrived at Koloa on April 27, 1839, and on May 6th, took over the operation from an overworked William Hooper. Burnham remained as plantation manager for five years.

(1) Autograph Letter Signed "your affectionate Mother / Sally Bliss," three pages, 7.5" x 12.5". Tolland [Connecticut], January 1, 1839, but completed in March. Verso of third page addressed to: "Mr Charles Burnham / Koloa / Island of Kauai / Sandwich Islands" and penned near the fold: "After arriving at the Islands / To the Care of Messrs Brinsmade Ladd & Hooper" Manuscript postal markings " Tolland Ct. March 13 / Paid 10."Docketed "Mrs. S. Bliss / Jan 1st 1839 / Rec Nov 1839 / Ans Jan 1840." Slight separation at folds. Hole in text from seal tear. Very Good condition.

In part, "I have for sometime had it in mind that I should commence a letter to you this day if nothing prevented. Ten weeks have passed away since you took leave of your native land. I presume I thought of you almost every hour in the day for sometime ... I know not when you will receive these lines, perhaps never ... I know that you are in the hands of One that doeth right May He protect you from all dangers seen and unseen. And may I experience the happiness of receiving good news from a far country. I sincerely wish you & your companion a happy New Year. May you enjoy the light of God's countenance ... We have heard that there has been a great work carried on at the Islands. I have thought that if you ever arrived there your hearts would be rejoiced in view of what God had done for the poor heathen..."

(2) ALS "Your affectionate sister Emeline E. Bliss," three pages, 7.5"x 10.25". Tolland, July 9, 1839. Verso of third page addressed to: "Mr Charles Burnham / Koloa / Island of Kauai / Sandwich Islands" and penned near the fold: "After arriv[ing] at the Islands / To the Care of Messrs Brinsmade Ladd & Hooper." Manuscript postal markings "Tolland Ct July 11 Paid 10." Docketed "Miss E.E. Bliss / July 9th 39 / Rec Mar 40."Folds. Hole in text from seal tear. Very Good condition.

In part, "On the 4th of the present month, we were assembled under our parents roof to celebrate the day in company with other friends € if anything remarkable takes place we say, I wonder what they would think of it at the Sandwich Islands? So you see dear friends you are not forgotten, though pen ink and paper have expressed a great share of affection for you € Shall expect a long letter from you as soon as it is possible for you to send to America€"

(3) ALS, "Your affectionate Mother Sally Bliss,"3.5 full pages, 7.75" x 12.25". Tolland, January 1, 1840, but completed July 19, 1840. Fourth page addressed to: "Mr Charles Burnham / Koloa, Island of Kauai / Sandwich Islands / Care of Messrs Brinsmade, Ladd and / Hooper / of the same place."Manuscript postal markings "Tolland Ct. July 27. Paid 10."Docketed "Mrs Sally Bliss / Journal 40 / Rec Mar 9 41." Folds. Fine condition.

In part, "As this day commences a new year I will now sit down to commence a letter to my children who if living are separated far from me. May these lines find you enjoying all the blessings which you anticipated. May your lives & health be precious in the sight of your heavenly parent who alone is able to bestow upon you all the mercies which you need € I feel anxious to hear from you again. I know not what news we shall hear. I am hoping for the best although I am fearing the worst. I have lately read in the paper that the Roman Catholicks are building a Chapel in Honolulu, which news I am very sorry to hear. All the consolation we can have respecting it is that there is an overruling hand in all events that take place. God is able to bring good out of evil. The Devil can go no further than the length of his chain € March 5th I have been looking & hoping to receive a letter from the Sandwich Islands but have received none as yet since the one dated at Honolulu April 10th € We yesterday received a pamphlet printed at Honolulu containing the correspondence between the American missionaries & Consul of the Officers of the East India squadron. The missionaries ought to be protected & I hope they will € May 31st We have this day received your letter dated or commenced Jan. 1st. I think it is singular that we commenced writing to each other about the same time & that your letter should arrive here before my letter was finished € I should be glad of some of your native help. I know of none that I can get here € Everything from the S.I. is interesting to us. I should like to have a particular description of the cockroaches which are so troublesome to you€" At the edges of two pages are two and three line ALSs of "John Bliss"and "Emeline Bliss."

(4) ALS,"Your loving sister, Mary" and an additional note added, "Your affectionate brother Lucius G. Fuller", 4 full pages, remnants of red wax seal, 8 x 13", Tolland Ct., September 29, 1841, postal markings "Oct 4, Paid 10", docketed "Mary E. B. Fuller, Sept 29/41". Addressed to "Mr Charles Burnham / Koloa, Island of Kauai / Sandwich Islands After arriving at the Islands to the care of Messrs Ladd & Co, Oahu".

In part: "I suppose...the melancholly tidings have reached you that our dear sister Emeline is not more. Yes, the cold clods of the valley now cover the remains of her whom we all loved. But, 'It's all for the best' has her motto, & we trust that she now finds it to be so. Therefore we will be still, knowing that it is our heavenly Father that hath chastened us, & that it was done in love....People are very much engaged in the cause of temperance again. Reformed drunkards are lecturing in various parts of the country. The to-total pledge is the one to sign now. The first evening the temperance agent lectured here over seventy names were added to it. Two reformed drunkards here this week...I have not taken John to meeting but once this summer. He says almost every sabbath, he wants to go to meeting & hear the minister preach...I think he is most too young to go so for now....There is considerable feeling in the United States in relation to the safe keeping of the public revenue, an extra session of Congress was convened & after some three or four months they chartered a U. S. Bank which was vetoed by the President Mr. Tyler & another was immediately chartered under a different name. This did not meet the views of the President & was vetoed & Congress adjourned without establishing anything of the kind..."

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