The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-11-20
HIRAM BINGHAM.

After an illness that had lasted for
ten years, one contracted through the
hardships of early missionary work
among the natives of Micronesia, Mrs.
Minerva Clarissa Bingham, wife of the
Rev. Hiram Bingham, died at the
family home in Alexander street last
evening.
Mrs. Bingham had been sufferer for
ten years from paralysis agitans. Ev-
cry care has been taken of her during
that time. but she had been gradually
failing in health until last May she fell
victim to the dengue fever. Since
then she has been confined to her bed.
Mrs. Bingham was well known as
a woman of high character and lofty
ideals. Throughout the small islands
that dot the seas of Micronesia she is
known to the natives as a friend and
helper. Had she lived until next Oc-
tober she would have been seventy
years old. She was born at Northamp-
ton, Mass, on October 10, 1884, and re-
ceived her education there. 1t was in
Massachusetts that she met the then
young Hiram Bingham, son of one of
the earliest Hawaiian missionaries, who
was in the East receiving an education
preparatory to leading life of reli-
gious activity in the South Pacific. Her
marriage to MIR. Bingham was soletnniz-
ed on Nov. IS, 1856, only nine days
after he had been ordained minister.
The young couple Immediately made
preparations for their trip to Hawaii
and couple of weeks after the mar
riage were on board the brig Morning
STAR" the first missionary vessel of
that ma lie, starting on long honey
moon voyage around Cape Horn to
Hawaii and the islands of Micronesia.
They reached Honolulu on April a4th
of the following year and within few
months were at Ponape, where an as
sembly of missionaries decided that the
young couple should take up their la
bors at Apiang They commenced their
work at the latter point on Nov 10,
1857, and the hardships they had to en-
dure there for manv years, living on
the food OF the South Seas and in quar-
tiers verv unlike comfortable New
England home, undermined the health
of Mrs. Bingham and also of the Rev.
Mr.. Bingham.
Nearly half a century ago missionary
life in Micronesia was very strenuous
undertaking. Sometime ago Mr. Bing-
ham gave brief account of some OF
the happenings incident to labors of
himself and wife in Micronesia from
the time that they settled at Apiang.
One years work, contending with eli
mate, bad food and other evils, was
enough to break down Mr.. Binghams
health, and he returned to Boston,
where he supperintended the building
of the second Morning Star"
When that vessel was built, he went
in command of her on another voyage
to Micronesia until his health broke
down again and he came to Honolulu.
Here he remained for some time, re-
turning to the Gilberts in 1868
The Gilbert Islands when Mr. Bingham
first went there was very undesirable
place. The inhabitants were warlike
and jealousies among the chiefs excit
ed constant wars. Some chiefs under
the influence of the missionaries began
10 clldCl laws against tIlcIt, anu
other crimes and were trying to estab-
lish somewhat permanent law and order.
This state OF affairs displeased rival
chiefs and great war threatened.
The kim of Apiang. upon which ISL
and the missionary station was, joined
forces with the King of another island
and in withdrawing his men left the
missionaries to the mercies of the at
lacking forces which swarmed over
the island when the king and his men
had left. These people were utter saw
ages and during the several months of