The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-09-09
STRANGE
SEARCH
Editor Hendricks
Mission in
Hawaii.

In 1894 Captain John Kcndrlck OF the
sloop Lady Washington. which was the
FIRST Yankee vessel after The American
Revolution to carry the now flag COM
/ plctcly around the world was killed in
hunolulu-sumC authorities say in one
way and some Ia auother-Whi,e the
/ vessels In the harbor wo.e hriur sa-
/ lutcs In honor of i<glani6upuIe's vic
tory over the forces OF aged kaco la the
herce tribal war OF that year. Kendrick
was Yankee adventurer who had sail
ed the world over. He had title from
Indian chiefs to all the land upon which
the city OF Vancouver, Il. G., now
stands. Today, a hundred and eight
years later, his great-great grand
nephew, a. j. Kendrick editor and pro-
prietor of the Fort Smith. Arkansas.
Daily News-Record, is in the city
searching for the title deeds of the
British Columbian city and looking up
the history of his ancient mariner an
oestor. Editor Kendrick. IL he finds
the deeds, Will not lay claim to valuable
Vancouver. but will simply keep them
In his family as u souvenir of its early
members.
Editor Kendrick is one of those bright
men who have built up modern bust
ness enterprises on the turbulent Dor
der of the Indian Territory and made a
success of them. Since coming here he
has gained some valuable information
concerning Captain Kendrlck. Ken
drick was one of the early sea rovers
of the type of the famous Paul Jones.
He first sailed out of Boston I'm the 300
ton brigantine Columbia. and made
such success of this venture that
party of Englishmen fitted out for him
the Lady Washington and he sailed her
under the American flag. He made his
way into the Pacific and journeyed
from island to island gathering sandal
wood, which he sold in China. Captain
Vancouver an early Pacific rover. after
whom the island and city of Vancouver
Were named declared that Hendricks
idea of making the sandalwood business
pay was foolish. yet to this day "A pros
porous trade is carried ON with China
in that article. Hendricks had many
experiences in the Pacific. He went to
British Columbia and bought of Chiefs
Maguinna and Wicanish and other
chiefs 22O square miles of territory. The
deeds We're duly signed by the chiefs.
and witnessed by the officers of the
Lady Washington. Attempts were
made in London in 1893 by the owners
of the Lady Washington to sell this
extensive area of land but no buyers
could be found. Appeals were later ad-
dressed by the legal representatives OF
Captain kendrick and the owners of
the sloop to the government of the
United States for confirmation of the
title, but no action resulted.
In 1894 the adventurous skipper came
to Hawaii. When Kamehamehas star
was just coming to it's ascendency on
Hawaii, Kaeo was ruling Maui. Kala-
nikupule ruled Oahu. The former tried
to capture oahu. The Oahu ruler was
being slowly but surely beaten when
Captain Brown with the schooner jack
al, Captain Gordon with the sloop
Prince Lee Boo, and kendrick In the
Lady Washington arrived In Honolulu
harbor. Brown sold the Oahu ruler
arms and ammunition to assist him in
the war, and finally, as the battles were
going against Kalanikupule, Brown lent
him some sailors to assist in fighting
the foe. Kaeo was defeated and killed
and his army dispersed. After the VIC
tory Captain Brown fired salute In
honor of the event. Captain Kendrick
was standing at a portfolio of his ves-
sci and a stray piece of grape shot or
a wad from one of the JackaIs cannon
hit him and inflicted n fatal wound. His
funeral was the first service of the kind
ever witnessed on oahu, and 1t is said
that the natives supposed 1t to be an
act of sorcery to cause the death OF
Captain Brown.
Editor Kendrick has secured mass
of information concerning these events
and is now trying to find the old title
deeds to Vancouver, which he thinks
were kept here. Data concerning these
may be in possession of Prof. Alexan-