David Kahalekula Kaʻauwai

David Kahalekula Kaʻauwai[1] (c. 1833 – January 26, 1856) was a lawyer and politician of the Kingdom of Hawaii. He served two terms as a member of the House of Representatives of the Legislature of the Kingdom from 1854 to 1855. His father and younger brother were also legislators while his niece became a Princess of Hawaii.[2]

David Kahalekula Kaʻauwai
Member of the Kingdom of Hawaii
House of Representatives
for the district of Kāʻanapali, Maui
In office
April 8, 1854 – August 12, 1855
MonarchKamehameha III
Kamehameha IV
Personal details
Bornc. 1833
DiedJanuary 26, 1856
Honolulu, Oʻahu
NationalityKingdom of Hawaii
Spouse(s)Jane B. Humphryes

Life

Kaʻauwai was born c. 1833, as the eldest son of Zorobabela Kaʻauwai and Kalanikauleleiaiwi III. His father was a successful Hawaiian politician, judge and entrepreneur who owed his rise to prominence to High Chief Hoapili, a trusted friend and companion of King Kamehameha I and the Governor of Maui. Through his mother, he descended from the ancient Hawaiian Mōʻī of Maui, Piʻilani. His mother was also a relative of Governor Hoapili.[3] He had three siblings: William Hoapili Kaʻauwai (1835 – 74), George Kaleiwohi Kaʻauwai (1843 – 83) and a sister who died in infancy before 1848.[4] His niece became Princess Elizabeth Kahanu Kalanianaʻole, wife of Prince Jonah Kūhiō Kalanianaʻole, the second Congressional Delegate from the Territory of Hawaii.[5]

The Old Courthouse used for the sessions of the Legislature of Hawaii from 1852 to 1874

In January 1854, Kaʻauwai was elected as a member of the House of Representatives, the lower house of the Hawaiian legislature, for the district of Kāʻanapali on the eastern edge of the island of Maui. He was re-elected to serve a second term for the same district during the regular election of January 1854.[6] He sat in on the legislative assembly during the regular session of 1854 (from April 8 to August 12), the regular session of 1855 (from April 7 to June 1855), and the extraordinary session of 1855 (July 30 to August 12), which was called to passed the Appropriation Bill and other unfinished business from the previous session. Except for the extra session of 1855, he served alongside his father Zorobabela who was a representative for Hamakua, Maui and later Honolulu.[7][8][9]

Kaʻauwai married Jane B. Humphryes, on January 23, 1854, at Wailuku, Maui.[10] They had no children. From 1854 to 1855, he was also an annual member of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society. He was also a member of the Hawaiian bar. Kaʻauwai predeceased his father and died in Honolulu, on January 26, 1856.[11][12] Later Hawaiian newspapers, reporting the election of his younger brother William Hoapili Kaʻauwai as the representative of Wailuku in 1862, noted that he was "one of the finest Hawaiian orators" and that William possessed "some of the characteristics of his brother, but has never been in public life, or had the opportunity for rhetorical display" unlike David.[13]

He was mentioned in a letter dated to June 29, 1874, written by Peter Kaʻeo to his cousin Queen Emma, a patron of his younger brother. While residing at the Kalaupapa Leper Settlement, Kaʻeo wrote how a fellow leprosy patient, Kitty Keliʻikuaʻāina Napela, wife of Jonatana Napela, had dreamed of Kahalekula (i.e. David), William and their mother sitting by her bedside dressed in white robes. He also mentioned that this was the third time Napela had dreamt this dream which she had described as kuluma (customary) since David's death. Both brothers and their mother had also died by the time of this third dream.[14]

gollark: Fascinating.
gollark: There are fancier and possibly more accurate ways to explain this but I can't currently be bothered.
gollark: `x mod y` is just the remainder when `x` is divided by `y`.
gollark: While you're here, consider some x where x^2 mod 384 = 8.3. Continue considering it. This is NOT to distract you.
gollark: So they should line up.

References
  1. His middle name of Kahalekula is cited to the 1874 letter by Peter Kaʻeo (Kaeo & Queen Emma 1976, pp. 209–210). His name is also given as David Kaaeiu Kaauwai in "David Kaaeiu Kaauwai". geni.com. Retrieved July 2, 2013.
  2. Muir 1952, pp. 5, 11; Hawaii & Lydecker 1918, pp. 32, 35, 55, 61, 64, 86, 117; Peterson 1984, p. 186–189
  3. McKinzie 1983, p. 49; "Mookuauhau Alii – Na Iwikuamoo o Hawaii Nei Mai Kahiko Mai". Ka Makaainana. VI (6). Honolulu. August 10, 1896. p. 2. Retrieved September 26, 2016.
  4. Muir 1952, p. 5.
  5. Muir 1952, p. 11; Peterson 1984, p. 186–189
  6. "Results of the Election". The Polynesian. 10 (35). Honolulu. January 7, 1854. p. 2.; "Further Election Returns". The Polynesian. XI (36). Honolulu. January 13, 1854. p. 2.; "Representatives elect – Session of 1855". The Polynesian. XI (40). Honolulu. February 17, 1855. p. 2. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  7. Hawaii & Lydecker 1918, pp. 55, 61, 63–64; Osorio 2002, p. 109; "Kaauwai, D. K. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved December 4, 2016.
  8. "Journal of the House of Representatives, 1854". Ka Huli Ao Digital Archives. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  9. "Journal of the House of Representatives, 1855 through 1856". Ka Huli Ao Digital Archives. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  10. Hawaiʻi State Archives (2006). "Kaauwai-Humphries marriage record". Retrieved June 5, 2014 – via Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library.
  11. Muir 1952, pp. 5, 11.
  12. "Died". The Polynesian. XII (39). Honolulu. February 2, 1856. p. 2.; "Died". The Friend. XIII (3). Honolulu. March 1, 1856. p. 24. Retrieved August 5, 2015.
  13. "Notes of the Week – Wailuku,. E. Maui". The Pacific Commercial Advertiser. VI (29). Honolulu. January 16, 1862. p. 2.
  14. Kaeo & Queen Emma 1976, pp. 208–210

Bibliography
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