In 1841, American Protestant missionary teacher William Harrison Rice (1813-1862) and his wife, Mary Sophia Hyde Rice (1816-1911), arrived in Honolulu aboard the ship “Gloucester” out of Boston and were assigned to the Hana mission. Three years later, they were
In 1841, American Protestant missionary teacher William Harrison Rice (1813-1862) and his wife, Mary Sophia Hyde Rice (1816-1911), arrived in Honolulu aboard the ship “Gloucester” out of Boston and were assigned to the Hana mission.
Three years later, they were transferred to Punahou School, where Mr. Rice taught and Mrs. Rice served as matron. The Rices remained at Punahou until 1854, when Mr. Rice resigned from mission support to become manager of Lihue Planation Co.
On Kauai, the Rices lived at Koamalu and were the parents of five children, one of whom was William Hyde Rice (1846-1924), the governor of Kauai during the reign of Queen Liliuokalani.
What follows is a correct listing of all the Hawaii land transactions of William Harrison Rice. It was obtained from the Indexes and Original Conveyances at the Office of the Registrar of Conveyances, Honolulu, and the Office of the Commissioner of Public Lands, as published in Miss Jean Hobb’s comprehensive study of land tenure in Hawaii, “Hawaii, A Pageant of the Soil,” published in 1935.
Grant 161, Vol. 1, 513 acres, Koloalii, Oahu, $513, 1849; joint deed with 32 others; sells two shares to S. C. Damon for $100, Deed Vol. 9, Pg. 92, 1857.
Grant 458, Vol. 3, 45 acres, Oahu, $45, 1850.
Grant 605, Vol. 3, 542 acres, Wahiawa, Oahu, $542, 1851; sold (Deed Vol. 5, p. 939) to A. Bishop for $642, 1853.
Deed Vol. 1, p.162, 5.88 acres, Manoa, Oahu, $10, 1850; sold (Deed Vol. 22, p. 323) for $735, 1855, to W. H. Bray.
Deed Vol. 5, p. 285, 45 acres, Waialua, Oahu, $54, 1851; reserving 3 acres.
Deed Vol. 6, p. 111, Kauai, $5,979.97, 1854; 1/16 share in Lihue Plantation from H. A. Pierce & Co., including cattle and equipment, interest in a deed of land, lease and share in land held under R.P. 188.
Deed Vol. 13, p. 283, Lihue, Kauai, $2,100, 1860; two-fourteenths of Lihue Plantation.
Deed Vol. 13, p. 420, Lihue, Kauai, $1,500, 1861; one-fourteenth of Lihue Plantation; sold to P. Isenberg (Deed Vol. 17, p. 318) for $1,500, 1862.
Deed Vol. 13, p. 422, Lihue, Kauai, $1,500, 1861; from C. R. Bishop and sold back to him by Deed Vol. 15, p. 8, for $1,500, 1862; one-fourteenth interest in Lihue Plantation.
Deed Vol. 13, p. 423, Lihue, Kauai, $1,500, 1861; one-fourteenth interest in Lihue Plantation, from E. O. Hall.
Deed Vol. 14, p. 416, a deed with others to 500 acres, Lihue Plantation, $1,500, 1861.