The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-11-20

Death came suddenly and unexpect-
edly to Col William H. Cornwell at
$40 o'clock yesterday morning at his
home at Waikapu, Maui. Before even
his illness was known in Honolulu a
wireless telegram arrived announcing
tives in this city. The telegram gave
heart disease as the cause Of death,
although friends in Honolulu always
believed Col. Cornwell to be sufferer
from acute dyspepsia. Death came
very suddenly, Mr.. Cornwell being i'll
little more than an hour. His wife
and son were at his death bed.
MR.. CORNwELL'S LIFE.
William II. Cornwell was born in
Brooklyn, New York, sixty-one years
ago. He came to Honolulu when a boy
of fifteen years of age, having received
his early education in New York.
The deceased was the son Of the late
Henry Cornwell. The elder Cornwell
came to Hawaii with his two sons in
the latter fifties. His brother-in-law
James Louzada, was already here and
it was at his request that the Corn
wells came to the islands. LouZada
owned the large ranch interests in
Waimea, Hawaii, better known as the
Puuloa Sheep Ranch, adjoining the
Parker ranch. This ranch was later
purchased by Col Macfarlane from w.
l.. Greene and Frank Spencer who
bought it from Louzada. After this
sale the elder Cornwell, in partnership
with LouZada, started the Waikao ou
sugar plantation on Maui, which prob
ably was the first plantation on that
island. Cornwell and Louzada We're
very successful, much of their success
being due to the late Colonel Cornwell,
who for many years was employed as
manager of the property. This planta-
tion was followed very shortly by the
Haiku, Makee, and Campbell planta-
tions, native labor at that time being
obtainable at six dollars per month,
while sugar sold in San Francisco at
from ten to twelve cents per 3ound.
In 1876 Col. Cornwell, with Col. G.. w.
Macfarlane, purchased the plantation,
the elder Cornwell at that time retir-
ing from business. With the planta-
tion Cornwell and Macfarlane also ac-
qured an immense tract of 10000 acres
known as the Great Waikapu Com
mons, which Claus Spreckels after
wards purchased from the partners,
and with the Wailuku Commons start
ed the big Spreckels plantation. To
develop the property Spreckels had to
acquire large water rights from King
Kalakaua and in doing so he started
the first trouble between the King and
his cabinet, ending in Kalakaua dis
missing his ministers, who opposed the
grant, prerogative the King then had.
Col. Cornwell was a close adherent of
the Spreckels. and was well liked by
Claus Spreckels, who always entertain
ed Cornwell upon his visits to San
Francisco, John d. Spreckels and
Samuel Parker We're always said to be
Cornwelrs most intimate friends.
Later Cornwell sold his Interest," In
the Waikapu plantation to the Hawai-
ian Commercial and Sugar Co, while
Macfarlane retained his share, thus
causing the famous million dollar law
suit. After the sale of his share in the
plantation. Cornwell leased large
tract of land at Kula, Maui, from
King Kalakaua and began the raising
of stock on an extensive scale. a busi-
ness he managed most successfully up
to the time of his death.
HIS FRIENDSHIP FOR KALAKAUA
Col. Cornwell early formed friend
ship for Kalakaua which endured un-
I'll the latter's death and many stories
are told OF the regal entertainments
that the two gave each other, the King
entertaining Cornwell in Honolulu and
Cornwell giving grand affairs for the
King at Waikapu. In 1856 Cornwell
was appointed a member OF the Kings
stan and during the revolution OF the
following year he entered politics and
remained staunch supporter of Ka-
lakaua and later OF Lliuokalani, In
1890 he was elected a member of the
House OF Mobiles for a four-year term
and in the years that followed took an
active part in the events which led up
TO the deposing OF the Queen and the
formation of the Provisional Govern