► Stylish Missionary Wedding: 1855

The Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Monday, January 19, 1959 - "Clarice B. Taylor's Tales about Hawaii"

     The early missionary families formed a close circle of friends further cemented when their children attended Punahou school.

     The children became lifelong friends such as Mary Jane Chamberlain, daughter of Levis Chamberlain, and Abigail, daughter of Dr. Dwight Baldwin.

     When the girls were separated, they wrote letters relating the gossip and latest news to each other.

     The intense interest taken in each other's affairs is reflected in a letter written by Mary J. Chamberlain to "Dear Abbie" in May 1855.

     "I must be up betimes tomorrow, for I am going to help Anna C. make her last dress on her wedding list. This is her last week as Miss Clark - she is to be married Saturday eve'g in the annual meeting of the H(awaiian) M(ission) C(hildren's) Society.

INTERRUPTED
     The letter interrupted by the session of the General Meeting of the mission and resumed a week later. The young people being married were Orramel Gulick, son of Reverend P. J. Guilick and Anna Clark, daughter of Ephraim Clark.

     About the wedding - Anna is now no longer a girl like us - but a married woman. She did look sweet dressed in simple muslin which however was made elegantly.

     She had two skirts & the upper was looped up at .... with white satin ... text is unclear

     ...Reverend Mr. Strong. After it was through the bridal party sat down, & remained through the meeting allowing those who sat near to have a good view - the house was very full - 

     "Immediately after the bridal party left for Mr. Clark's - where a few friends were invited to stop in and present wedding  congratulations & eat cake. - Our family was one of the privileged & we spent fifteen to twenty minutes there."

     NEXT: Death of Lunalilo.

Maria P. Chamberlain's Molokai Trip

The Saturday Star-Bulletin, January 17, 1959 - "Clarice B. Taylor's Tales about Hawaii"

     After the death of Missionary Levi Chamberlain July 29, 1849, his wife Maria P. Chamberlain, continued living in the mission premises in "Chamberlain House" still standing today on South King Street, near Kawaihao Church.

     There she reared her family of eight on $350 a year allowed by the American Board of Missions.

     Her daughters Maria Jane was married in 858 to the Reverend Anderson O. Forbes, and went to live on Molokai where he was stationed.

TELLS VISIT
     Mother Maria P. Chamberlain visited them in 1864 and wrote of her trip to the children at home. The first letter is dated October 19, 1864 and tells of the passage of 18 hours from Honolulu.

     The second letter written October 20 is from Kaluaha, Molokai.

     "My Dear Mattie,
    " I left Lahaina yesterday morn about 9 o'clock and took passage in a stanch boat with four natives. -
    "A strong native picked me up in his arms and set me in the boat. I asked where  Iwas to go - they pointed to a little hole in the stern, about 2 and 1/2 feet squarem and said you go down there.
     "Down I went - and there was a little place decked over - with a lauhala mat spread down and no other article of comfort. - I was quite seasick, and they gave me for a basin, an old paint keg.
     "- There were two owners to the boat, one a nice young man with clothes on, and the other an old opakiki (show-off), quite destitute of either shirt or pants.

OFF COURSE
     "The young man wanted to put in (at Molokai) and leave me quite near Mr. F(orbes) place, the strong one would have his way, and carry me three miles below.
     "To my honor I found we were anchored a mile from shore and the old man presented his bare back for me to ride in on! I positively refused and the young man hailed a canoe which I engaged for a real and rode in, in a civilized way.
     "One of the half owners brought out the buckets and said 50c was all I ought to pay, seeing I was not left out at the right place.
     "With love to all aff mother M.P.C."