Hermann A. Widemann
Encyclopedia
Hermann Adam Widemann was a businessman from Germany
who was a judge and member of the cabinet of the Kingdom of Hawaii
.
As a teenager he went to work on a whaling
ship. He came to live in the Hawaiian Islands
in 1846, after stopping in 1843.
He came briefly to the California Gold Rush
in 1849, but returned after his companion John von Pfister was murdered.
He married a native Hawaiian Kaumana "Mary" Kapoli in 1854 and lived in Līhue.
He became sheriff of the island of Kauai
in 1854, was elected to the house of representatives in the legislature of the Hawaiian Kingdom
in 1855, and in 1863 appointed its circuit judge.
He started one of the first sugar plantations in Hawaii
known as Grove Farm
.
During the American Civil War
he supported the Confederate States.
After selling Grove Farm to its manager George Norton Wilcox
, in 1865 he moved to Honolulu to work in the capital. On July 10, 1869 he was appointed to the kingdom's supreme court, despite never having any formal law school training.
On February 18, 1874 he was appointed to the cabinet as minister of the interior until May 28, 1874, as well as on the Privy Council
, the board of education, commissioner of crown lands, president of the bureau of immigration, and board of health.
In 1878 he started another plantation in the Waianae district of Oahu island
.
On February 25, 1891 he was appointed as Minister of Finance to Queen Liliuokalani, but had to resign two weeks later on March 10. He was temporarily replaced by Samuel Parker
, and then John Mott-Smith
. After Mott-Smith was sent to Washington, DC to attempt to negotiate a trade treaty, Parker served again briefly until Widemann resumed his duties as minister of finance.
He also filled in briefly as Attorney General
from July 27, 1892 to August 29, 1892.
After the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Widemann was sent with Parker and John Adams Cummins
to Washington, DC, in an attempt to get international support for its restoration
He then continued to London
, and Berlin
but was never successful.
Widemann was interviewed by US Commissioner James H. Blount in preparing his Blount Report
on May 20, 1893.
He was the first to experiment with the Guatemalan variety of coffea tree
, which turned out to be well-adapted to higher elevations; it became the most popular variety through modern times.
He died February 7, 1899.
After a funeral in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
, he was buried in Oahu Cemetery
.
He was survived by two sons and seven daughters.
His son Carl Widemann married Helen Umiokalani Parker, daughter of Samuel Parker in July 1899.
A street is named for him in Mākaha
at 21°28′15"N 158°13′1"W.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
who was a judge and member of the cabinet of the Kingdom of Hawaii
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
Hermann Adam Widemann was born in Hanover, Germany on December 24, 1822.As a teenager he went to work on a whaling
Whaling
Whaling is the hunting of whales mainly for meat and oil. Its earliest forms date to at least 3000 BC. Various coastal communities have long histories of sustenance whaling and harvesting beached whales...
ship. He came to live in the Hawaiian Islands
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...
in 1846, after stopping in 1843.
He came briefly to the California Gold Rush
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The first to hear confirmed information of the gold rush were the people in Oregon, the Sandwich Islands , and Latin America, who were the first to start flocking to...
in 1849, but returned after his companion John von Pfister was murdered.
He married a native Hawaiian Kaumana "Mary" Kapoli in 1854 and lived in Līhue.
He became sheriff of the island of Kauai
Kauai
Kauai or Kauai, known as Tauai in the ancient Kaua'i dialect, is geologically the oldest of the main Hawaiian Islands. With an area of , it is the fourth largest of the main islands in the Hawaiian archipelago, and the 21st largest island in the United States. Known also as the "Garden Isle",...
in 1854, was elected to the house of representatives in 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...
in 1855, and in 1863 appointed its circuit judge.
He started one of the first sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugar plantations in Hawaii
Sugarcane was introduced to Hawaii by its first inhabitants in approximately 600 AD and was observed by Captain Cook upon arrival in the islands in 1778. Sugar quickly turned into a big business and generated rapid population growth in the islands with 337,000 people immigrating over the span of a...
known as Grove Farm
Grove Farm (Lihue, Hawaii)
-History:German immigrant Hermann A. Widemann started one of the first sugar plantations in Hawaii known as Grove Farm in 1854.During the American Civil War, the demand for Hawaii sugar grew, but Widemann supported the Confederate States....
.
During the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
he supported the Confederate States.
After selling Grove Farm to its manager George Norton Wilcox
George Norton Wilcox
George Norton Wilcox was a businessman and politician in the Kingdom of Hawaii and Territory of Hawaii.-Life:George Norton Wilcox was born in Hilo August 15, 1839.His father was Abner Wilcox and mother was Lucy Eliza Hart...
, in 1865 he moved to Honolulu to work in the capital. On July 10, 1869 he was appointed to the kingdom's supreme court, despite never having any formal law school training.
On February 18, 1874 he was appointed to the cabinet as minister of the interior until May 28, 1874, as well as on the Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
, the board of education, commissioner of crown lands, president of the bureau of immigration, and board of health.
In 1878 he started another plantation in the Waianae district of 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...
.
On February 25, 1891 he was appointed as Minister of Finance to Queen Liliuokalani, but had to resign two weeks later on March 10. He was temporarily replaced by Samuel Parker
Samuel Parker (Hawaii)
Samuel Parker, known as Kamuela Parker was a major landowner and businessman on the island of Hawaii, heir to the Parker Ranch estate...
, and then 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,...
. After Mott-Smith was sent to Washington, DC to attempt to negotiate a trade treaty, Parker served again briefly until Widemann resumed his duties as minister of finance.
He also filled in briefly as Attorney General
Attorney General
In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general, or attorney-general, is the main legal advisor to the government, and in some jurisdictions he or she may also have executive responsibility for law enforcement or responsibility for public prosecutions.The term is used to refer to any person...
from July 27, 1892 to August 29, 1892.
After the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii, Widemann was sent with Parker and John Adams Cummins
John Adams Cummins
John Adams Kuakini Cummins was a member of the nobility of the Kingdom of Hawaii who became a wealthy businessman, and was involved in politics as the kingdom was overthrown.-Life:John Adams Kuakini Cummins was born March 17, 1835 in Honolulu....
to Washington, DC, in an attempt to get international support for its restoration
He then continued to London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
but was never successful.
Widemann was interviewed by US Commissioner James H. Blount in preparing his Blount Report
Blount Report
The Blount Report is the popular name given to the part of the 1893 United States House of Representatives Foreign Relations Committee Report regarding the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. The report was conducted by U.S. Commissioner James H. Blount, appointed by U.S...
on May 20, 1893.
He was the first to experiment with the Guatemalan variety of coffea tree
Coffea
Coffea is a genus of flowering plants in the Rubiaceae family. They are shrubs or small trees native to tropical and southern Africa and tropical Asia. Seeds of several species are the source of the popular beverage coffee. Coffee ranks as one of the world's most valuable and widely traded...
, which turned out to be well-adapted to higher elevations; it became the most popular variety through modern times.
He died February 7, 1899.
After a funeral in the Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace
The Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace — also known by its original French name Cathédrale de Notre Dame de la Paix, its Portuguese variant Catedral de Nossa Senhora da Paz and its Hawaiian derivative Malia o ka Malu Hale Pule Nui — is the Mother Church of the Diocese of Honolulu and houses...
, he was buried in Oahu Cemetery
Oahu Cemetery
The Oahu Cemetery is the resting place of many notable early residents of the Honolulu area. They range from missionaries and politicians to sports pioneers and philosophers. Over time it was expanded to become an area known as the Nuuanu Cemetery....
.
He was survived by two sons and seven daughters.
His son Carl Widemann married Helen Umiokalani Parker, daughter of Samuel Parker in July 1899.
A street is named for him in Mākaha
Makaha, Hawai'i
thumb|280px|Historically, Mākaha was an [[ahupua'a|ahupuaʻa]], or area of land ruled by chief or king and managed by the members of the [[alii|alii]]Mākaha is a census-designated place in Honolulu County, Hawaii, United States...
at 21°28′15"N 158°13′1"W.