Henry Nicholas Greenwell

Henry Nicholas Greenwell (9 January 1826 – 18 May 1891) was an English merchant credited with establishing Kona coffee as an internationally known brand.[1] His family became major land-holders in the Kona District of the island of Hawaiʻi. The Greenwell Store is now a museum and historical center.

Henry Nicholas Greenwell
Circa 1867
Born(1826-01-09)9 January 1826
Lanchester, County Durham, England
Died18 May 1891(1891-05-18) (aged 65)
Kealakekua, Hawaii
NationalityEnglish
OccupationMerchant, Rancher
Known forKona coffee
Spouse(s)Elizabeth Caroline Hall
Children10

Life

Henry Nicholas Greenwell was born 9 January 1826 in Lanchester, County Durham, England. His father was William Thomas Greenwell (1777–1856) and mother was Dorothy Smales (1789–1871).[2] His oldest brother was William Greenwell (1820–1918)[3] an English archaeologist who became canon at Durham Cathedral.[4] His sister Dorothy (1821–1882) published poetry under the name Dora Greenwell.[4] He had two other older brothers Francis Greenwell (1823–1894) and Alan Greenwell (1824–1914).[5] As fourth son he had little chance of inheriting the family estate called Greenwell Ford.[3] He attended Durham School and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst expecting a military career.[6]

In 1844 Greenwell purchased a commission as a Lieutenant in the 70th Regiment of the British Army which was stationed in Ireland during the great Famine.[7] He became disenchanted, sold his commission in 1847 and on 15 March 1848, left for Melbourne, Australia. Arriving in June 1848, he traveled to Sydney looking for a sheep or cattle station, but came instead to California in 1849 for the California Gold Rush.[8] When the ship arrived in San Francisco, the crew immediately left and headed for the gold fields, leaving him with goods he intended to sell. After injuring himself unloading, he sailed to the Hawaiian Islands in January 1850 to recover.[9] After a brief time in Honolulu working at the H. J. Holdsworth store, he moved to Kailua-Kona, and opened his own retail store in the Kona District in late 1850.[10]

In late 1852 one of his Chinese servants died after being accused of theft. Greenwell was arrested and charged with second degree murder. Asher B. Bates was prosecutor, William Little Lee judge, and a jury of British subjects was found for the trial in January 1853. Witnesses testified that Greenwell had beaten or whipped the man, but others said the man was already ill and that Greenwell treated his employees fairly.[11] After half an hour the jury unanimously found him not guilty.[12] The case formed a precedent still cited in the Hawaii state criminal code.[13]

He became successful growing Oranges to send to the expanding California market. However, in 1866 the crop was destroyed by blight, so he looked to diversify.[14] In 1867 on what would be a circumnavigation of the earth, he visited New Zealand and returned to England to visit family. On his return he picked up a new variety of Oranges in Brazil, and ideas for other potential crops. He also met his future wife on the voyage.[10] Greenwell married Elizabeth Caroline Hall (1841–1934) 9 April 1868 and had six sons, four daughters, and 23 grandchildren. The new crop being grown in this area was coffea, the tree bearing the fruit made into "beans" for coffee. The first trees were brought to the Kona area by missionaries at nearby Kahikolu Church in the late 1820s. The few earlier attempts had uneven results, but the Greenwell brand developed a reputation for consistent quality for Kona coffee.[15]

Greenwell served as Collector of Customs at the port at Kealakekua Bay, and as Postmaster and area School Superintendent. A stone building was built just south of the wooden house, in the traditional land division (ahupuaʻa) known as Kalukalu (for a type of grass that grows there).[16] The oranges continued to be mentioned by travelers through the area.[17]

Isabella Bird, who knew Dora in England, visited the Greenwells in 1873.[18] Greenwell's coffee was honored at the 1873 World's Fair in Vienna. In 1876 Greenwell provided coffee as part of the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.[19] The Greenwell family traded in sheep skins and dairy products, eventually using the profits to buy more land in the area. Coffee only grows in a narrow elevation band, so drier areas above the usual cloud cover were used as pasture land for cattle, sheep, and horses. Early in 1879, the royal physician Georges Phillipe Trousseau sold all of his holdings in Kona to Greenwell.[20] Other lands were purchased from the family of missionary John Davis Paris.

Legacy
1880 advertisement: wool is usually not associated with tropical islands

Greenwell died 18 May 1891 aboard a steamer that he often took between the islands.[21] He and many family members are buried at the Christ Church Episcopal cemetery, near the store on the Hawaii Belt Road.[22] Elizabeth Greenwell operated the store after his death, and many children and grandchildren became active in farming and ranching on the nearby lands.

While the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 had caused most large Hawaii coffee plantations to convert to sugarcane, this was not practical in the steep Kona district. Instead, small plots were leased to individual families, often Chinese, Japanese, or Portuguese immigrants after their labor contracts on sugarcane plantations expired. Quality improved further with the introduction of the Guatemalan variety via Hermann A. Widemann, which turned out to be well-adapted to higher elevations; it remains a popular variety through modern times.[15]

First-born son William Henry Greenwell was born at Kalukalu 7 June 1869.[23] His sons included Henry Alan Greenwell (1908–1919), Jack Brysson Greenwell (1910–1996) and another Henry Alan Greenwell (1919–1992). William H. Greenwell managed the business from 1891 until he died 17 June 1927 after an operation for apendicitis. William's wife Maud Annandale Johnstone (1883–1976), named for Annandale, Scotland where she was born, ran the store until the 1950s. The wooden house was torn down in the 1960s.[24]

Second and third sons continued the ranching business divided into three main ranches after 1927. Fourth son Wilfrid Alan Greenwell was born 7 November 1878, graduated from Yale in 1905, became a lawyer and married Lulu J. Law in November 1910.[25] He became a partner in the firm Robertson, Castle & Olson in Honolulu[26] and died in 1931. Leonard Lanchester Greenwell was born 4 December 1884 married Dora Beebe in 1909 and died in January 1975 in California. Fifth son Julian Greenwell was born 2 September 1880 and died 20 May 1960. Daughter Dora Caroline Greenwell was born 15 October 1870, married Gerald E. Bryant 6 September 1894,[27] and died in 1952. Daughter Elizabeth Greenwell was born in 1873, married Howard R. Bryant in 1893, and died in 1903. Daughter Christina Margaret Greenwell was born 16 September 1874, married Jordan Natscheff in 1910 and died in 1964.

Palani ranch

Francis Radcliffe (Frank or "Palani") Greenwell was born 26 August 1876, worked as a manager of Coffee and Tea plantations and cattle rancher. Frank served from 1903 through 1905 in the House of Representatives of the Territory of Hawaii, and some other government positions.[28] Frank married Evelyn Violet Wallace (1888–1985) on 8 February 1910[29] and died 19 May 1966.

Frank Greenwell lived farther north, on the slopes of Hualālai, above present-day Palani Road at 19°41′14″N 155°58′24″W.[30] Originally called the Honokohau Ranch for its traditional land division name, the ranch and the road from it to the shoreline became known by the Hawaiian variant of his name.[31] Frank's oldest son Robert Francis Greenwell (1911–1992) managed Palani ranch after Frank's death.[32]

Frank's son Radcliffe Leonard "Rally" Greenwell (1913–2006) went to work for Parker Ranch in 1934 and became manager in September 1962.[33][34]

James Mallaby Greenwell (1915–2004) went to work for Parker Ranch when he was 18. He then worked at Hawaii Meat Company for 25 years, becoming its president until 1964. He then held management positions at Palani Ranch and organized the Lanihau Properties, LLC real estate company. He was inducted into the Paniolo Hall of Fame in 2001.[35] The ranch had a heard of about 1600 head in 2004.[36] His wife Martha Lowery (born 1920) became an artist.[37] His son James Sherwood "Jimmy" Greenwell (born 1945) then took over the Palani ranch.

Robert Francis' son Robert Kelly Greenwell (born 1941) ran unsuccessfully for Mayor of Hawaii County in 2004, and in 2008 was elected to the Hawaii County Council.[38][39] In July 2010 he was arrested after being stopped for speeding.[40]

Kealakekua ranch

Arthur Leonard Greenwell was born 7 December 1871 married Beatrice Holdsworth 12 November 1912, and died 3 June 1951. Arthur's daughter Amy Beatrice Holdsworth Greenwell (1920–1974) attended Stanford University and served as a nurse in World War II. From 1953 to 1957 she served on a Historical Site Commission for the Territory.[41] Amy established a garden to preserve the Kona Field System, and left it to the Bernice P. Bishop Museum on her death.[42]

Arthur's son Sherwood Robert H. Greenwell (1919–2004) managed of Kealakekua Ranch from 1951 to 1989. He founded and was president of Kona Historical society, and became a County Supervisor 1954–55 and 1959–67, and Council member in 1968. Greenwell donated land for a county park which was named for Arthur Greenwell in 1963. Sherwood died 21 September 2004.[43]

Kealakekua ranch was about 11,490 acres (4,650 ha) located south of Hōkūkano ranch at 19°29′46″N 155°53′17″W, with access via Greenwell Mountain Road. A ranching complex called Papaloa was built at over 5,000 feet (1,500 m) elevation at 19°30′23″N 155°47′45″W.[44] Kealakekua ranch was sold to Sekin International of Japan in 1990 who proposed to build a golf course and 500 estates, but economic slowdowns caused Sekin to sell it in 2002 for less than half of the 1990 price. The area is now under a reforestation effort.[45] Conservation easements on 9,000 acres (3,600 ha) were sold in 2007.[46][47]

Hōkūkano ranch
The Greenwell Store is now a museum

William H. Greenwell's son Norman Leonard Greenwell (1926–1992) managed the main W. H. Greenwell Estate ranch of 11,000 acres (4,500 ha) located 19°32′22″N 155°50′58″W, just uphill from the Kalukalu store.[48] John Pace purchased it and renamed it Hōkūkano ranch in 1986, and also purchased Kealakekua ranch in 2004. Namesakes of the Pace family include Pace, Florida and the John C. Pace Library. The Pace family put the ranches up for sale in 2009.[49] Hōkūkano ranch was divided into parcels between 400 acres (160 ha) and 1,000 acres (400 ha) for sale.[50] In December 2009 a large fire broke out on Hōkūkano ranch,[51] followed by another at Kealakekua ranch.[52]

Norman's wife Jean Greenwell (1929–2009) was another founder of the Kona Historical society in 1976, and wrote articles on the area history.[53] The Greenwell Store was added to the National Register of Historic Places listings on the island of Hawaii. The society restored the former store and opened it as a museum.

Norman's son Thomas Frederick born 2 June 1958 (great-grandson of Henry Nicholas) and his family still grow and sell coffee on a farm adjacent to the original homestead.[54] Some of the trees were planted in 1903 by Elizabeth Caroline Greenwell.[55] A recent venture was producing a reportedly healthy drink from the pulp of coffee cherries.[56]

Family tree
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References
  1. Gerald Kinro (June 2003). A cup of aloha: the Kona coffee epic. University of Hawaii Press. p. 14. ISBN 978-0-8248-2678-9.
  2. George F. Nellist, ed. (1925). "Henry N. Greenwell". The Story of Hawaii and Its Builders. Honolulu Star Bulletin. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  3. Sir Bernard Burke (1871). A genealogical and heraldic dictionary of the landed gentry of Great Britain & Ireland. Volume 1 (5th ed.). Harrison. p. 543.
  4. William Dorling (1885). Memoirs of Dora Greenwell. J. Clarke. p. 1.
  5. "Durham Records Online". Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  6. Military Coll, Sandhurst roy (1844). A list of the Royal military college at Sandhurst. p. 9.
  7. Richard Cannon (1849). Historical Record of the Seventieth, or the Surrey Regiment of Foot. London: Parker, Furnivall and Parker.
  8. "Journal of Henry Nicholas Greenwell". Kona Historical Society archives. Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  9. Amy B. H. Greenwell (1 April 1950). "Article". Kona Echo.
  10. John C. Wright (19 January 1974). "Greenwell Store nomination form". National Register of Historic Places. U.S. National Park Service. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  11. "Supreme Court–January term". The Polynesian. provided by Center for Labor Education and Research, University of Hawaii. 8 January 1853. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  12. "Rex vs. Greenwell (1 Haw. 146)". Hawaiian Reports, 1853: Supreme Court January Term. 1853. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  13. "§ 707-702. Manslaughter". Hawaii Statues, Division 5: Crimes and Criminal Proceedings, Title 37 Hawaii Penal Code, Chapter 707 Offenses Against the person, Part II. Criminal Homicide. Retrieved 18 July 2010.
  14. Transactions of the botanical society. Volume ix. 1868. pp. 83–84.
  15. Baron Goto (1982). "Ethnic Groups and the Coffee Industry in Hawaii". 16. Hawaiian Historical Society. pp. 112–124. hdl:10524/432.
  16. Lloyd J. Soehren (2004). "lookup of Kalukalu". on Hawaiian place names. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library. Retrieved 8 July 2010.
  17. John Roy Musick; Philip E. Flintoff; Freeland A. Carter (1898). Hawaii, our new possessions: an account of travels and adventure, with sketches of the scenery. Funk & Wagnalls. pp. 221–222.
  18. Isabella Lucy Bird; Henrietta Amelia Bird (28 February 2003). Kay Chubbuck (ed.). Letters to Henrietta. Northeastern University Press. pp. 69, 129, 131. ISBN 978-1-55553-554-4.
  19. International exhibition, 1876, official catalogue. Volume 1. J.R. Nagle and Company. 1876. p. 251.
  20. Jean Greenwell (1991). "Doctor Georges Phillipe Trousseau, Royal Physician". Hawaiian Journal of History. 25. Hawaii Historical Society. pp. 121–145. hdl:10524/329.
  21. "A Sudden Death". Hawaiian Gazette. 26 May 1891. Retrieved 13 May 2010.
  22. Geoff Stafford (25 March 2002). "Christ Church Episcopal, Kealakekua". US GenWeb Archives cemetery record. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  23. John William Siddall (1921). Men of Hawaii: being a biographical reference library, complete and authentic, of the men of note and substantial achievement in the Hawaiian Islands. Honolulu Star-Bulletin. p. 175.
  24. Kona Historical Society (1998). A Guide to old Kona. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 48–49. ISBN 978-0-8248-2010-7.
  25. "Law—Grenwell Wedding". Honolulu Times. 1 December 1910. Retrieved 17 July 2010.
  26. Hubert Rutherford Brown (1920). The Lawyers' List: Territory of Hawaii.
  27. "G. E. Bryant and Miss Dora Greenwell Married". Hawaiian Gazette. Honolulu. 11 September 1894. Retrieved 11 July 2010.
  28. "Greenwell, Frank R. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
  29. "Hawaii island 1832-1910 marriage records". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
  30. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Palani Junction
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  32. "Robert Francis Greenwell: Palani Ranch, Hawai`i: 1911–1992". Paniolo Hall of Fame. 2003.
  33. Billy Bergin (December 2006). "The Rally Greenwell Era". Loyal to the Land: The Legendary Parker Ranch, 1950-1970. University of Hawaii Press. pp. 206–298. ISBN 978-0-8248-3086-1.
  34. Rod Thompson (9 June 2006). "Longtime paniolo cared for Big Isle land entrusted to him: L. Radcliffe 'Rally' Greenwell: 1913–2006". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  35. "James M. Greenwell". Paniolo Hall of Fame. Hawaii Cattlemen's Council. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
  36. Mary Vorsino (19 February 2004). "James Greenwell 1915-2004: Big Isle family rancher introduced 'designer' beef". Honolulu Star-Bulletin. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
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  38. Jim Quirk (13 February 2008). "Greenwell running for County Council". West Hawaii Today.
  39. "Council District 8: North Kona (Kailua-Kona, Kealakehe, Kalaoa, Puuanahulu) Council Member Kelly Greenwell". official web site. 16 January 2009. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  40. Jason Armstrong (22 July 2010). "Greenwell unapologetic, still angry over arrest". West Hawaii Today. Retrieved 26 July 2010.
  41. "Greenwell, Amy Miss office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on 6 March 2012. Retrieved 27 March 2010.
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  45. "Hokukano Ranch, Kealakekua Ranch, Partners with nature". web site. 2006. Archived from the original on 25 April 2011. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
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  48. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Hōkūkano Makua Tract
  49. Erin Miller (3 February 2009). "Pace selling mauka Kona ranch lands". West Hawaii Today. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
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  51. Kim Eaton (19 December 2009). "Wildfire continues to burn: South Kona blaze has consumed 1,500 acres". West Hawaii Today. Retrieved 1 April 2010.
  52. Erin Miller (29 December 2009). "Third ranch fire fills West Hawaii skies with smoke: 250 acres ablaze at Kealakekua Ranch". West Hawaii Today.
  53. Chelsea Jensen (16 October 2009). "Jean Greenwell, 80, made Kona's history 'her passion'". West Hawaii Today. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  54. "Kona Coffee History Story of a Family as Rich in Tradition as their Kona Coffee". Greenwell Farms. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  55. Patti Stratton (Spring–Summer 2001). "100% Kona Coffee Industry Strengthens: Three Long Time Processors Lead the Way". Coffee Times. Retrieved 16 July 2010.
  56. Carolyn Lucas (11 January 2010). "Believers say Kona beverage works miracles". West Hawaii Today. Retrieved 26 July 2010.

Further reading
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