Both Princess Victoria Kamamalu and Princess Ruth Keelikolani sold their Kauai landholdings.
As to Princess Victoria Kamamalu (1838-66), she was a granddaughter of Kamehameha I, and the daughter of Princess Elizabeth Kinau and Mataio Kekuanaoa.
Her brothers, Prince Alexander Liholiho and Prince Lot Kapuaiwa, became kings of Hawaii as Kamehameha IV and Kamehameha V, respectively.
And, she became Kuhina Nui, the highest office in the Kingdom of Hawaii next to the king, in 1855, the year her brother, Alexander Liholiho, was crowned King Kamehameha IV.
In 1849, Victoria Kamamalu sold Henry A. Peirce, William L. Lee and Charles R. Bishop 1,870 acres in Lihue for $9,350, as well as an additional acre for a landing on Nawiliwili Bay, upon which Peirce, Lee and Bishop founded H. A. Peirce &Co., which later became Lihue Plantation.
Princess Victoria also sold the 21,844-acres Makaweli Ahupuaa to Scotswoman Eliza Sinclair in 1865 for $15,000.
When Princess Victoria died in 1866, the Niumalu Ahupuaa, comprised of 1,767 acres of the more than 51,000 total acres of her Kauai properties, was inherited by Kamehameha V, and then by her half-sister, Princess Ruth Keelikolani (1826-83).
The remainder of Princess Victoria’s 51,000 acres of Kauai land were also eventually inherited by Princess Ruth.
In 1881, Princess Ruth sold the ahupuaa of Kipu and Haiku to George Norton Wilcox and William Hyde Rice for $27,500, with Rice taking possession of Kipu and Wilcox acquiring Haiku.
Ruth also sold the Mahaulepu Ahupuaa to the Hui of Mahaulepu, composed of 45 Native Hawaiians, for $10,000 in September 1882.
Koloa Sugar Plantation eventually purchased most of the Mahaulepu Ahupuaa from the hui.
In 1883, Princess Ruth also sold the Niumalu Ahupuaa to Paul P. Kanoa (1832-95).
When Kanoa died in 1895, his wife, Kaleipua, inherited Niumalu, and when she passed away in 1897, her heirs were: Kanehiwa, Hoomalu, Kaleipualiilii, Eva Kapualanilehua and Lukela.
Ruth Keelikolani willed nearly all of her remaining island estates to her cousin, Princess Bernice Pauahi Bishop (1831-84).
Princess Pauahi’s will specified that her estates be used to establish and maintain Kamehameha Schools.
