The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-05-26
THE DAILY
A TRUE FRIEND OF HAWAII.

The late James F. B. Marshall, was at
the time Of his death in Kendall Green,
near Boston, one Of the oldest foreigners
who took part in assisting the Hawaiian
Government in its early organization, at
a time when true and trusty men were
scarce. He arrived here about 1888 or
1889 quite young man, twenty years OF
age, as supercargo OF one OF Pierce q
HunnewelPs traders, and must have re-
NAMED here in their employ, as in l843,
at the tine Of the cession Of the Islands
to Lord George Paulet, when the Ha-
yaiian Government wanted some person
TO dispatch az a messenger to WASH
ington and London, TO convey correct
account of the affair to the American
and British Governments, he was
selected for this purpose, as the trusty
confidential envoy TO be found, and so
successfully did he carry out his mission
that Sir George Simpson, who went IN
the same ship TO procure the ratification
Of the cession, was completely defeated,
seizure, and approving OF Admiral
Thomas restoration of the sovereignty
to King Kamehameha III. This signal
service of General Marshall to Hawaii
has never been az fifty acknowledged or
rewarded az it deserved to be.
After mis- return here from England,
he was connected with the Hunnewell
firm till 1849 when he went to Cali
fornia, attracted thither by the golden
stories of wonderful fortunes, returning
here two or three years later, when he
became interested in the starting OF the
Lihue Sugar Plantation, OF which he was
the first manager, and the Hon. IL. A.
Widemann was his head luna; but
things not looking very prosperous for
sugar he retired and returned to Boston,
where he remained till the breaking out
Of the civil war. This brought him to
the front, and he became quite promi-
nent as one of the aids on Governor
Andrews staff, where he rendered yalu-
able service to his native State in recruit
ing the many regiments which were en-
listed from the old Bay State.
At the close of the war, he joined Cen
eral Samuel G. Armstrong in starting
the Hampton School enterprise and
sii-a Zoe ton or fifteen years the Mace OF
treasurer, and Ia tbis nsauner gave great
assistance to Armstrong, who more than
once said that he could never have made
if success without the very valuable
aid of General Marshall.
When General Marshall left these
Islands for his home il 1853 or 1854, he
had what was then considered sufi-
cient competence to maintain him and
his wife, (they had no children) but hav-
ing invested his money in Texas railroad
bonds, he, like many others, lost it all
and was dependent on his labor for a
support.
His visit here in the fall of 1889,
accompanied with his wife, will be re-
membered by many of our readers. He
made number of addresses, rehearsing
his early adventures in Hawaii in the
early days, and on all occasions showed
himself to be intensely interested in the
progress and prosperity of the Hawaiian
people, who never had a more devoted
and true friend than he. On more than
one occasion, when Hawaii was traduced
abroad, he sprang forward to defend he,
cause against those who sought to injure
her. He died at the ripe age of three
score and thirteen years, at the old
home in Massachusetts,, honored and be
loved by all who knew him, and who viii
long remember him for his kindly deeds
and words.