The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1898-06-15
JAMES |. DONSEIT DEAD
AN OLD AND RESPECTED CITIZEN
CALLED.
He was Born in Honolulu in 1928 and
Lived His Entire Live on These Is
lands.

throughout HaWa1l mel, uleu .yHslcI-
day evening at the Queens Hospital,
at 1925 o'clock. He passed away sur
rounded by members of his family
and those he held dear.
The body was taken last night to
the family residence, Palama. The
funeral will be held at 3 O'Clock TO-
morrow afternoon from the residence
and will be conducted by Rev. Alex
ander Macintosh of st. Andrews ca
thedral. The interment will be at
Nuuanu cemetery. The pail bearers
will be selected later this afternoon,
from among his old friends.
James /. Dowsett was born in Hon.
olulu. December Is, 1929. His mother
was an English woman who emigrated
to New South Wales where she mar
ried his father, sea captain, in 1925.
She died in Honolulu, July 4, 1860.
His father left Honolulu at the
head of a pearl fishing expedition TO
the Piscadores. Going ashore with a
boats crew he was captured bv the
natives The mate of the vessel with
out waiting to learn his fate sailed
away to Honolulu. Mrs. Dowsett i'm
mediately fitted out the Waverly TO
rescue him. but the entire crew of
this expedition with the exception If
the super cargo, was killed. No trace
of Captain Dowsett was ever found,
except his name cut in cocoanut
tree. Later Commodore Wilkes of the
United States navy and British man
of war made search. but without
success.
Mr. Dowsett had brother. Samuel
who died many years ago. and two Sis
ters, Mrs. Henry Rowland, long since
deceased, and Mrs. NJ. c. Monsarrat,
who survives him.
He married Miss Annie Ragsdale,
who died a few years ago. Eleven
children, seven daughters and four
sons, survive him. two others having
preceded him to the grave. The sons
are Edward, Alil<a, David and Sam
uel. The daughters are Mrs. Makee,
Mrs. Parrish of Maui. Mrs. Brennan,
Mrs. John Parker and Rowena, Mari
on and Genevieve Dowsett. Two of
the younger daughters are now at
school in California.
The house in which Mr.. Dowsett
was born is still standing on Union
! street, near the old fire station. Mr..
Dowsett never left these Islands but
once. He went to California, but rr-
manned there only few days. and he
never evinced a desire to we the Is
lands again.
Mr.. Dowsett was n car" able and
successful business ms but singu-
larly enough he never engaged in the
sugar ndustry. though he had ample
oppor mites to, and was not want
ing i" ne perspicacity to see its
posi- les. He was engaged in va
rious : rs of business during his
long bus ness career. With his broth
err Samuel he was in the lumber bust
ness for time. He had large ship
ping interests during the whaling ere
and owned many vessels since. He
owned third interest in the BARI
Harvest which was burned by the
Shenandoah during the civil war. His
claim for damages, however. was new
err allowed.
He owned at the time of his dea Il
the Ulupalakua ranch on Maui. hal
interest in the Sea and Sumner prop
erty on the reef, including the quar-
antine station, the Puuloa salt works
at the mouth of Pearl Harbor, valu
able leases of grazing lands on this
Island, many cattle and horses, be
sides other property.
He spale Hawaiian with "A fiuenc,
few white men have ever equalled
and had more intimate acquaintance
with Hawaiian folk lore than almost
any other white man ever had. Hi:
memory of individuals, localities and
dates was wonderfully accurate ant
retentive, besides which he kept {
dairy extending over many years
which must prove of invaluable ser
vice to some future historian.
He held the confidence and esteem
of the natives, bel called by then
"Makua," and he was indeed to many
of them, guide, philosopher 'ant
friend"
He had few political ambitions. HI
was twice elected a representative il
the early days of the constitutions
monarchy and was appointed a noble
by King Lunalilo.
He was ever an esteemed citizen
generous and liberal, and very many
who were not of kin to him, will miss
| his kindly generosity