The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-31
CEvENTY- FIVE years of the life d
- C. Brewer & Co. passed with tho

C. Brewer & Co. passed with the
~ close of yesterday Three-quarterS
Of a century has the pioneer of HonoF
lulu business houses to its credit and
the celebration of the event was COM
mensurate with the Importance of the
anniversary.
The stockholders in the house, the
officers and old employees with the
wives of those interested, gathered in
the Directors room at O'Clock yester-
day and the succeeding hour was given
over to "Reminiscences. The offices of the
firm had been closed to the general
public and bouquets of flowers were
placed all over the apartments, adding
color touches to the rich shades of oak
and mahogany. Bunches of color en-
Ivened the rooms at the rear where
the twenty or more people gathered for
the purpose of listening to the history
of the first of the great business houses
of the city.
There was the touch of the pathetic
which drew closer the men and women
who listened 70 the excellent paper of
Mr.. p. C. Jones. AS the only member
of the house who could look back to
a personal recollection of the men
whose names are so closely interviewer
with the commercial history of the city
and islands, there was even greater in
terest in him, than in the history. In
some of the most personal of the many
"reminiscences, there was suspicious
thickening of voice and evidence of
emotion which told of the stirring of the
springs of memories too sacred for
touching even in the presence of friends.
At the close of the meeting there was
a little ceremony not down on the
books, It was when the officers and en-
pioyees of the company presented to
Mr.. Jones a silver loving cup and ebony
stand. The cup is decorated upon the
four sides On one side appears an in
scription to Mr.. Jones as a mark of
esteem from the officers of the corpora
ton. On another are engravings of the
old building of the firm and above it
the new structure, on the third side the
clipper ship John Gilpin," in which Mr..
Jones came to Honolulu and below it
the schooner Missionary Packet,
which brought Capt. HunneweH the
founder of the house.
Not less interesting than all that was
said, was an exhibit which Mr.. Jones
60
a visiting card were attached three
coins. The end pieces were old silver
half dimes, of date in the early fifties
and the center piece was one of the old
silver three cent pieces of the same
date, the three coins being the identi-
cal ones, and the only ones too, that
Mr.. Jones had in his possession when
he landed in this city.
President c. Nj. Cooke of the firm
made an opening address and referred
to some of the events in the recent his
tory of the house. at the close of his
remarks Introducing the address of Mr.
Peter Cushman Jones. the only remain
ing member OF the old firm, and whose
personal acquaintance with the house
dates back forty-four years. Mr.. Jones
referring to the life and work of Capt
remarks by reading prayer which haG
been written by Capt. Brewer at the
age of eighty years, and incorporated
into his "reminiscences. The prayer was
Very touching in it's simplicity ant
grandeur of thought, and, as indicating
the character of the man whose name is
perpetuated in the history of the house
was impressively received. After some
= ~
ancient history of the house saying il
part;
Mr.. James HunneweI visited these ISL
ands as early as 1877, but did not estab-
fish his business here until 1896. He ar
rived in Honolulu in October. 1S26,in the
schooner Missionary Packet of forty
tons. of which vessel he was captain,
having forty casks of merchandise. He
was allowed the freight for his services
as master. On his arrival he at once
established himself in business, trading
his goods and merchandise for sandal
wood, hides and goat skins. and con-
tinued in business until 1880, when he re-
turned to Boston. The following is the
order in which the business was conduct
ed. under the name and style of:
James Hunnewell 1896 to 1890: Henry
A. Pierce, 1880 to 1884; Pierce & FIinckley
1894 to 1885; Pierce & Brewer. 1885 TO 1S43
c. Brewer & Co., 1913 to 1877; S. H. VIII
liams & Co, 1S47 to 1850: B. F. Snow, 1856
to 1885, Charles Brewer End 1856 to 1853