page_title: Mary Dillingham Frear
section_title: Public life
hierarchical_section_title: Mary Dillingham Frear / Public life
caption_attribution_description: English: Last of Island Monarchs and Representatives of the New Regime Meet to Welcome Secretary of State at Fete on Governor's Lawn. Seated – Queen Liliuokalani and Mrs. Knox. Standing (from left to right) – Mrs. Frear, Secretary Knox and Governor Frear. In the background are Colonel and Mrs. Jones.
context_page_description: Mary Emma Dillingham Frear was First Lady of the Territory of Hawaii from 1907 to 1913, and was a regent of the University of Hawaii for two decades. The granddaughter of missionaries, she was the first Hawaii-born wife of a governor of Hawaii.
context_section_description: Walter was an associate justice of the Supreme Court of both the Provisional Government of Hawaii and the Republic of Hawaii, and chief justice of the Territory of Hawaii. In 1907, he was appointed Governor of the Territory of Hawaii. 
  Mary was a poet, writer and community activist.  Her poems were published in newspapers, eventually compiled into books. Two of her books were about the flora of Hawaii.  She published a book on the lives of her grandparents Lowell Smith and Abigail Willis Tenney. Known for her community involvement, she was active with a local theatre group, was instrumental in building the YWCA in Honolulu, and was a regent of the University of Hawaii for two decades. During World War II, she sat on the advisory board of the Hawaiian Chapter of the Committee to Defend America by Aiding the Allies. Among their endeavors was fund raising to provide ambulance trailers and soup kitchens to the allies.
  The Frears built a home in 1908 at 1434 Punahou Street. It was considered a mansion in its day. Upon moving in, they held a housewarming party for hundreds of guests. They continued throughout their lives to make the home available for groups who needed accommodations for social gatherings or business meetings.
caption: Mary Dillingham Frear (standing left) at a reception for Secretary of State Philander C. Knox, along with her husband and Queen Liliuokalani (seated dressed in black), 1912
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