Mahele Documents

3/20/2011 7:40:01 PM - last modified
Claim Number: 00387*H
Claimant: ABCFM (Mission)
Other claimant:
Other name: American Board of Missions
Island: Hawaii
District: Hilo, Kona, South, Kau, Kohala, North, Kohala, South
Ahupuaa: Punahoa, Kealakekua, Kaawaloa, Hinanaloli, Honuaula, Waiohinu, Waimea, Niuli
Ili: Punahoa 1, Punahoa 2, Waiaha, Kamakua, Halekii, Iole, Kupeleao
Statistics: 29841 characters 5004 words
[No. 387*H], [Sandwich Island Mission], Hilo, Hawaii, from page 20 [No. 509]
F.R. 45-50v2


Lands held by the Mission at Hilo

1st Punahoa. This land was given by Kaahumanu I & is bounded
East by Byron's Bay
North by Piihonua &
South by Punahoa.

The boundaries of this land are well understood by natives of the vicinity. All the dwelling houses at the station, belonging to the Mission are on this land; also the buildings & yards of the two boarding schools together with all the cultivation connected with the school for boys, & a considerable portion of that belonging to the school for girls. A portion of this land is worthless, except for pastureage & is used for that purpose. A small portion is occupied by natives; another & probably the largest portion is still a forest.

On the shore this land is supposed to be from 10 to 15 rods wide. The section occupied for the schools & dwelling houses may be from 25 to 30 rods in breadth.

2d. That portion of Punahoa 2d & Ponahawai which is situated on the hill surrounding an old crater, directly back of the land now cultivated for the boarding schools. This land was granted the mission for a pasturage at or about the same time as the former & was enclosed together with that portions of Punahoa 1st on the same hill, previously to 1831.

3d. A section of Punahoa 2d 34 rods long & 18 broad, given about the same time, as those before specified. On this plot of ground, a large protestant meeting house & a native school house now stand. Also a stone building erected by the mission for a dwelling house, but now occupied as a school house.

This land is bounded:
North by Punahou 1st
East by Punahoa 2d
South by Ponahawai &
West by Punahoa 2d.

(Note Received 2 August a survey from Mr. Metcalf of the above premises, registered in full page 92.)

Kealakekua
Dimensions & bounds of the Mission Premises of Kealakekua & Kaawaloa.

At Kealakekua my dwelling house & garden is enclosed by a stone wall: 72 fathoms long & 48 wide, given by Kanihomauole, the owner. The church is also enclosed by a stone wall about 40 by 30 fathoms, given by Kaluahine, the owner.

The Mission house at Kaawaloa is enclosed by a stone wall 60 fathoms long & 40 fathoms wide. This spot was presented by Naihe, who then owned the land. There is also one land (ahupuaa) called Halekii, running from the sea back to the foot of the mountain, bounded on the north by the land called "Kanaueue," on the south by land called "Keekee." This land was given by Kaahumanu to the Mission at the time Mr. Ely resided at Kaawaloa. The spot where the Meeting house at Kuapehu stands was also given for the purpose by Kamakau, the owner, in exchange for the old building spot.
C. Forbes
Kealakekua, April 17, 1843

Mission property situated at Kealakekua now occupied by me.
It lies about 3/4 of a mile from the sea shore, and north of Mr. Forbes' place of residence, from which it is separated by a highway. It extends to a pali or ledge of rocks on the east to a grove of lauhalas on north east, is enclosed by a wall on the west & partly on the north. It was given by Nihomauole, the owner,
Mark Ives
Kealakekua, May 8, 1843

continued page 126

Kailua, Hawaii, September 14th

Dear Brother,

1. I occupy a land, ahupuaa, received from Mr. Bishop. It is called "Waiaha: Bounded:
North by Puaa, South by Waiaha iki & extends from the sea shore back indefinitely.

2d. A low yard 67 feet square, situated upon Hianaloli.

3d. My house lot situated upon Hianaloli & Honuaula. the whole is enclosed by stone walls & contains 1 acre, 1 rood, & 31 rods. the whole, except about 30 rods, I received from Mr. Bishop & must refer you to him for evidence of title.

The 30 rods were a school house yard adjoining mine, the people left it for a new location & by their consent I added it to my yard. there is a small corner of about 35 rods notched into my yard, which out [ought] to come into it. It lies common and is of no use to any one else, being little but rocks & a lime kiln. part of it is the highway into my yard. This plan will make it plain.

H. House, G, Entrance to Yard, L, Lime Kiln

[DIAGRAM c]

The full lines represent my boundary walls, the dotted lines represent the space I wish to add to my yard. It is not occupied by anyone so much as by myself. It is of no value to anyone else. It is upon Honuaula which belongs to Kaniha, who is at Honolulu. I should be glad to have it included in receiving the claim & probably no difficulty would occur in obtaining it from Kaniha.
Seth L. Andrews

Kailua, January 12, 1847
The premises of the undersigned are enclosed by a strong fence including about 5 acres of ground. The spot was granted in 1824 by John Adams Kuakine, late governor of Hawaii, for the purposes of buildings, yard, &c. It is designated Laniakea from a well known volcanic cave of that name, whose entrance is in the enclosure. A part of this yard belongs to Honuaula & a part to Hianaloli 1.

There is also a small ahupuaa, Hianaloli 5th, originally given by Kaahumanu, but is now held under the King. It is not held by lease or written document, but in the same manner as other lands are held under him. It is subjected to the same regulations & taxation as other lands. Whether there are any witnesses to the act of giving the land, I am unable to say, probably some of her attendants may know. But there are not wanting witnesses of the fact of undisturbed occupation for 23 years & it is thought if the circumstances of the undersigned & the laws of the land favored, it would be an act of injustice in his Majesty - to grant an allodial title to the lan ....

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.... he beginning. The remaining area makai of the chapel has been disputed. This place has been given by Kaahumanu to Keiki, the missionary, a long time ago and since that time, several missionaries have lived there. Keiki, Andrew, Clark, Garina(?) [Green?], Dibela [Dibble?], Laimana (Lyman), Wilikoki (Wilcox). The missionaries had allowed Piopio to live there and upon her death, her husband thought the place is hers. There were no objections until 1846, when he claimed that the land was his because Piopio had lived there under the missionaries, so he threatened to break down the school house and sell it to Wm. Beckley. The missionaries did not approve the sale conveyance of this place by Kaeo."

Lyman, sworn and stated, "I have seen the missionaries' land in Hilo in 1842 and I have lived there since that time to the present. I think the surveying done by Melekapu is correct.

The missionaries have lived there peacefully since I have lived there to this time. A small parcel only, makai of the chapel, remains outside of the missionaries' boundaries. I had built my house on that disputed area and have stopped living there after three years. However, there is cultivation there by some natives with my permission and Piopio had asked for taro land to which Coana had consented. When we came to the legislature last year, Kaeo Eleele sold that land."

Andrew, sworn and stated, "I have seen the disputed land while I was living there as a missionary in 1829. I had lived there for nine months in the house of Keiki and on the land which was given for farming. No one denied the missionaries living there and when I returned to Maui, Palina went there."


N.T. 466v3
No. 387, Missionaries' Claim - Kailua, Section IV, Section 2, Kona, Hawaii, May 5, 1849

Isa [Asa] Thurston, sworn and stated, "Two sections, one is mine and the other is for Andrew. I have seen personally the lands of the missionaries in Kailua of one section and a house lot and it is in the ahupuaa of Hianaloli. One portion of the house lot has been enclosed with a stone wall. I have lived there from 1824 to the present time and Kaahumanu had given it to me in the same years. No one has ever objected and I have lived peacefully to this day.

The house lot: Kuakini has given this place for himself on which to live. Some people were living under me on the mauka land; here are the names: Kuae /only one name given/.

Section III: Andrew's land is apart from mine, probably one third of a mile in distance. It was first given to Bishop where he had lived in peace. I have heard Kuakini has given it to L. Andrew that he might have a place on which to live. He is Kuakini's assistant at this time. I have seen its boundaries and the surveying is correct. The land is called Waiaha.


N.T. 468v3
[No. 387] Missionaries' Claim, Section 3, Kohala, Hawaii, May 5, 1849

Elias Bond, sworn and stated, "I have lived with the missionaries in Kohala, Hawaii. I had lived there for about eight years. There are two sections of land consisting of a house lot in the ahupuaa Iole and a banana lot in the ahupuaa Niulii. The house lot has been enclosed with a stone wall which also serves as the entire property's boundary. The banana patch has not been fenced and there are probably two acres for the house lot; it is not clearly known.

Kuakini had given this place to Bliss and Bailey in 1839 and when Bliss had returned (to his home), I became his successor and no one has objected to this time. I have not heard anyone deny the missionaries of living there.

The konohiki of Niulii, whose name I have forgotten, had given me custody of the place and I have lived in Bliss's house without objections until the past year there was a slight protest by the konohiki who was under Leleiohoku, whose name is Kiaimoku."


N.T. 140v4
[No. 387], (Land of the Protestants)

Kapule, sworn and stated, "I have seen in the ili land at Kapuaiowelu of Niulii ahupuaa in Kohala, 1 section.

Mauka by Kaiholena ili
Kohalawaho by idle land
Makai by idle land
Hamakua by Ahia`a, idle land.

This is dry land. It has been cultivated and it was from Kaneiahuea to Perisa /Missionary/ in 1848. Kiaimoku /konohiki/ has objected recently in 1847."

Paku, sworn and stated, "I have known exactly as Kapule has related here."


N.T. 140v4
[No. 387], Land of the Protestants, September 29, 1848

A house lot is in the ili land of Lahoku, Iole ahupuaa.

Paniani, sworn and stated, "Kuakini had approved that this place in the ili land of Lahoku of Iole ahupuaa which is a house lot be for them.

Mauka by foot path
Kohalawaho by Haaheo's lot, road, idle land
Makai by Puhau, stream
Hamakua by idle land.

They have enclosed the lot wherein are 5 houses. This is from Kuakini acquired in 1839; no one has objected."

Kukeanue, sworn and stated, "I have known [Left blank] Paniani has related here."

[Waiohinu documents: See No. 509, J.D. Paris]

[Award 387; R.P. 1600, R.P. 1624, Punahoa 2; 1 ap.; 5552 Acs; R.P. 1946, Punahoa 2; 1 ap.; 1796 Acs; R.P. 1949, Punahoa Hilo; 108.98 Acs; 1050, Punahoa Hilo; R.P. 1950; Punahoa; 1 ap.; 1840.9 Acs; R.P. 1600, R.P. 1935, Waikoloa S. Kohala; 3 ap.; 1.25 Acs; R.P. 1958, Waiohinu Kau, 2 ap.; 16.07 Acs; Waikaloa Kohala; R.P. 1600, R.P. 1930; Kailua Kona; 4 ap.; 402.04 Acs; Hianaloli Laniakea, Waiaha, Honualula Kailua Kona; R.P. 1600, R.P. 1670, Halaki Kona; 1 ap.; 350 Acs; Kealakekua Kepulu Kona; 1 ap.; 30.39 Acs; Kuapehu Kona, 1 ap.; 1.49 Acs; Kepulu Kahauloa, R.P. 1939 and 1000, Kupeleao in Iole Kohala; 1 ap.; 8.8 Acs; R.P. 1939; Niulii Kohala; 1 ap.; 7.2 Acs; R.P. 1600, 1935, 1958; Waiohinu Kau; 2 ap.; 16.07 Acs; See 509 for Waiohinu documents]