The Hawaiian gazette., 1915-06-25
REV. FRANCIS w. DAMON

Death claimed Rev. Francis Williams
Damon, one of the foremost church
workers of the Pacific, at half past five
o clock yesterday morning. Rev. Mr.
Damon died at Moanalua, the suburban
estate of his brother, Samuel NJ
Damon. He had been suffering from q
pervous breakdown during. the past
three years, an extended trip through
! out the mainland recently undertake EN-
being unable to improve the condition
of his health.
Born in Honolulu
Francis Williams Damon was born
in Honolulu on December 10, 1859, and
would have been sixty three years of
age next December He was son OF
the late Rev. and Mrs. Samuel Chenery
Damon, descendants of early church
workers of Massachusetts, and Connec
ticut. His father and mother were
pioneer church workers in Hawaii and
Honolulu, the father having been sea
men 5 chaplain and pastor of the old
Bethel Church, which stood at the cor
ner of King and Bethel streets, for
many years.
"Chinese School and Mission Work.
err" was the title which the decea sed
enjoyed and of which he was proudest
during his long and useful life. In
order to fit himself for work among
the Chinese in Hawaii he learned the
language and learned it we'll
Secretary Of Embassy
He was first educated in the school
of Honolulu and later attended Am
herst, from where he graduated IN 1878,
returning to Honolulu and taking up
Immediately his church career. The
year of his graduation he was appoint
cd to the chair Of languages at Puma
hou, holding this position until 1915.
In 1877 Rev. Mr.. Damon went to Der
lin as private secretary and interpreter
for Henry A. P. Carter, then Hawaiian
minister at the German imperial court
The year following he was appointed
secretary of the Hawaiian legation in
Berlin, a position he held until 1881
when he returned to Honolulu.
While holding this diplomatic posi-
ton Mr.. Damon travelled extensively
in Europe, particularly in Germany
Norway, and Sweden. and wrote enter
tainingly to the "Fripnd," the local
missionary organ, on these travels un,
der the caption of "Rambles in the
Old World"
Met Wife in China
Mr.. Damon returned from Europe to
Hawaii by way of India and China. In
China he made a deep study of the
language and customs of the people. In
Canton he met the girl who shortly
after was to become his wife and life
partner. In 1884 Mr.. Damon visited
China again, to continue his studies
among the Chinese people. On May
of that year he was married to Miss
Mary Happier, daughter of Rev. and
Mrs. A. P. Happier, American mission
aries among the Chinese. Rev. Damon 5
parents were with him on this trip
Miss Happer's father, assisted by Rev
Damon S father, performed the mar
riage ceremony.
The newly married couple came to
Honolulu soon after, both eminently fit
ted for the life work which was then
beginning in earnest for them. Here
they took up religious work among the
Chinese of the city for the Hawaiian
Board of Missions, making their resi-
dence at the old Damon home on Chap
lain street, an old landmark of the city
long since removed.
Surviving him, besides his wife. Mrs
Marv HaDner Damon, ar" five children
Violet Happier, wife of DR.. Frank Put
nam Of Lihue, Kauai; Miss Mary Vera
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