The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-02-10

Presented to Oahu Co
adopted land, to many of you they were
entirely unknown.
''Samuel Northrop Castle, and Mary
Tenney, his wife, came to Hawaii from
central New York although their fam
lies belonged to New England. Mr. Cas-
tie came here in 1887 as commercial
agent for the American Board of For
eign Missions and was engaged in the
distribution or sale of supplies for the
missionaries sent here by the board.
He died in 1894, at the age of eighty
six. Mrs, Castle, to whom he was mar
ried in lS41, came here in 1912, aud
died in 1907, at the age Of eighty-seven.
MIR Castle continued to be the agent
of the American Board while it had
charge Of Hawaiian missionary work
and until his death was identified with
the mission cause.
"He became the head of the present
house of Castle & Cooke, which estab-
lished an extensive business through
out the Islands in general merchandise
and as agents for plantations, as well
as for the missionaries and their
descendants, house which commanded
the respect and confidence of the entire
community 1t was by their financial
aid that many of the struggling sugar
: plantations in early days were carried
through times of great anxiety owing
to the uncertainty of the labor and the
market, and to the political conditions
of Hawaii. Through all vicissitudes it
was largely owing to Mr.. Castle Is calm,
wise Judgment that general prosperity
in these Islands was secured. Indeed,
I know no one whose business sagacity
was superior, and only two, Charles R.
Bishop, the generous friend of Oahu
College and of Hawaii and Charles
: Pfuger, the former head of Hackfeld &
Co., who were his equals.
"But Mr.. Castle, while preeminently
merchant, was far from being an.
sorbed with commercialism. I do not
know how extensive his reading was.
People used to read fewer books than
now, and perhaps for that reason read
more thoughtfully AS I new him he
was always ready to discuss with keen
interest and intelligence any, questions
of the day-whether upon law, theo-
logy, science, politics, or amy subject of
general interest remember that when
he first called upon me, on my arrival
here in 1868, during the conversation
he asked whether T thought it was
necessary to express in written agree
ment the consideration for it. fancy
he had read up the law on the subject
and perhaps had definite opinion, but
wanted to test my familiarity with it.
He would be classed now as a good
all round man. l am sure he would
have made good lawyer and an excel
lent Judge.
q His wise counsels as one of the
King IS privy councillors were highly ap'
lpreciated by his colleagues and by the
King. During times when there was
unsparing criticism of certain high Off
cials he formed and expressed a con
siderate, charitable opinion concerning
them which in later years was confirmed
by the Judgment of the entire com
munity. There were many things il
the monarchy which he disapproved
but instead of carping and complaining
he loyalty tried to make the best Of
texisting conditions. He felt that il
was largely due to the American mis-
sionaries that the kingdom of Hawai-
had been established with a constitu
tional government, and therefore he ii(
all that he could to uphold it. WheI
,, the change came, in 1898, his age pre-
vented his taking part in the public
discussions and events which followed
, cit is often thought that the mis-
sionaries lived narrow lives, and tina
their homes were cherries and cold
, where gaiety was frowned upon ant
frivolity unknown. This was not trut
of any of the missionary families which
knew, and it certainly vas not o.
Mr.. Castles family. To be sure, Their
was no bridge whist or dancing goinl
on and no theatef TO go to, but Their
were jolly horseback rides, picnics anl
house parties, in which young peopl
came to know and enjoy each other a
well as, if not better than, they d.
/; today. often had the privilege o
! visiting at Mr.. Castle IS home. Afte
J the morning or evening prayers an
!, family worship, there were won't t
! come in
) Jest and youthful jollity,
/ Quips and eranks and wanton
e Mods and beeks and wreathed
smiles,'
5 when Mother Castles kind face woul
Q show undisgnised pleasure, and on
/ conld more than suspect a lurking smil
/ in the sedate and serious features 0
the paterfamilias.
4 cit was not until after M Castle
5 death that I came, however, to knol
what a remarkably well-read woma
Mrs. Castle was, for while he lived m
calls at the house were occupied j
0 talking with him. ! knew how cor
:. siderate and gentle AMI kind Of hear
: she was, but II was only IN her late
G Years That I learned how familiar 81
i Was with the lest literature Of the da,
r That heF children rise up and call hs
Q blessed Is well, but Il Is better 81
> that 10 such a large extent they hay
+ regarded themselves a. trustees for ID
= public good Of the fortune which thol
q parenis left them. for 10 do they be-
b show Whist manner Of mau aud Q
a woman were samuel NofthFop CHgtl
Z and Mary Tenney. hia wife.