Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-11-18
BELOVED WIFE Of
HIRAM BINGHAM
HAS PASSED away

Minerva Clarissa Bingham, beloved
wife Of Rev. Hiram Bingham, died at
the family home in Alexander street
last evening. after an illness covering
period of ten years. She was a suf.
fered from paralysis agitans and last
May she was taken down with the
deugue fever. Since that time she
was confined to her bed.
deceased was born at Northhamp.
ton, Mass, October 10, 1894, so that
| she was Just little over 60 years OF
age. She received her education in
her home town and 1t was in her ma.
tive state that she met Hiram Bling.
ham. son OF one of the earliest mis-.
sionaries to these Islands, who was
being educated with view of him.
self becoming a missionary in the
South Pacific. The two were mar.
ried November IS. 1856, just nine days
after Mr.. Bingham had been ordained
missionary.
As soon as possible after this happy
event the young couple made prepa,
rations for their trip to Hawaii and
two weeks after the event they were
on board the brig Morning Star" the
first missionary vessel OF that name.
They started out on their long voyage
around Cape Horn. reaching Honolulu
! April "a of the following year. A few
months later they were at Ponape. II
was decided by an assembly of mis-.
sionares that the young people should
go TO Apiang. They began work at
this place November is. 1857. II was
while there, undergoing all the hard
ships II was necessary for them to
put up with. that the health of Mrs
Bingham. and also that of Mr.. Bling
ham, was undermined After one
years work Mr. Bingham was forced
to return to Boston on account OF his
health. II was then that the second
Morning Star was built and IL was
Mr.. Bingham who superintendent the
building. The vessel finished. he went
in command of her to Micronesia. liv
ing there until his health again broke
down. He came to Honolulu and In
1865 again returned to the Gilbert
Islands.
Mr.. and Mrs. Bingham saw some
very trOublous times during their stay
In the Gilberts. The people We're war
like and during a war between riva
chiefs, the missionaries were left tC
the mercy Of the savages that poured
in from other islands
One of the children of Mr.. and Mrs
Bingham died in Apiang and was bur
led there. The only other child. Hir
am Bingham. Jr. was also born II
Apiang. He Is an instructor in Har
ward and was out here a short tim
ago to visit his mother, he havin
been sent word of her serious illness
Mrs. Bingham did splendid work II
the Gilbert Islands. She became pei
fectly COnyersant with the natlv
tongue and translated a number o
works into that language. AmonI
these were Reading Book" odd Tes
lament Bible Stories" Primary
Geography" and Primary Arith
metlc." She also assisted Mr.. Bling
nam III 'ldholuNlllS VIC Mhbl' VI III
New Testament into the same Ian
guage.
Mrs. Bingham was always active /,
church work in this city. She was
, prominent member OF Central Unio
Church and of the Woman's Board O
Foreign Missions.
The bereaved husband and his sis
ter Mrs. Lydia b. Coan, were the onl
ones at the bedside when death cam
to claim its victim.
The funeral will take place fror
the Bingham home at 3 o'clock thi
afternoon. Interment will be in tn
old family lot in Kawaiahao. TIL
Rev. w. NJ. Kincald OF Central Unioi
will otiiCiate.