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Inventory of the George H. Dole Papers, 1846-1902
HM 57700 - 57962
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Title: George H. Dole Papers,
Date (inclusive): 1846-1902
Collection number: HM 57700 - 57962
Creator:
Dole, George H.
Extent: 263 catalogued items
Repository: The
Huntington Library
San Marino, California 91108
Note:
The collection contains 263 catalogued items, consisting of 218 pieces of correspondence
and 45 essays. The collection spans the period 1846 to 1902, with the bulk of the
collection between 1858 and 1878.
Acquisition number: 1161
Language:
English.
Collection is open to qualified researches by prior application through the Reader
Services Department. For more information please go to following
URL .
In order to quote from, publish, or reproduce any of the manuscripts or visual materials,
researchers must obtain formal permission from the office of the Library Director. In
most instances, permission is given by the Huntington as owner of the physical property
rights only, and researchers must also obtain permission from the holder of the literary
rights In some instances, the Huntington owns the literary rights, as well as the
physical property rights. Researchers may contact the appropriate curator for further
information.
[Identification of item], George H. Dole Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino,
California.
This collection was purchased from Robert Van Dyke in February 1985.
George H. Dole was born in 1842 in Punahou, Hawaii; his brother, Sanford B. (Sanford
Ballard) Dole, 1844-1926, also born in Hawaii, became President of the Provisional
Government of Hawaii in 1893, President of the Hawaiian Republic in 1894, and in 1900 was
appointed the first Governor of the Territory of Hawaii. George and Sanford's parents,
Daniel and Emily Dole, came to Hawaii from Maine as missionaries in 1841. The Doles first
lived in Punahou, where they opened a school for children. Emily Dole died shortly after
Sanford's birth and two years later, in 1846, Daniel married Charlotte Close Knapp, a
fellow missionary in Hawaii. In 1855 the Dole family moved to the island of Kauai and
opened a school in Koloa. George and Sanford attended the Koloa School and in 1864, at
the age of 22, George left to travel in America. In 1867, after returning to Hawaii,
George married Clara Rowell and began employment on several sugar plantations, including
the Koloa, Kealia and the Kapaa plantations. In 1889, George, his wife, and their twelve
children (a thirteenth child was born in 1890) moved to Riverside, California. George
worked for the Riverside Naval Orange Company and various insurance agencies. In 1900
George invested money in the Minnehaha Oil Company located in Bakersfield, California.
George H. Dole died in California in 1912.
The collection is made up of two sections, correspondence and essays (both arranged
alphabetically by author). The bulk of the collection is by George H. Dole, with almost
half of his correspondence to his wife Clara Rowell Dole and several letters to his
children. Thirty-one of the forty-five school essays were written by George H. Dole. Many
of the items, both correspondence and essays, include the use of the Hawaiian language.
George and Clara sign some of their letters with their Hawaiian names (George as Heoki
and Clara as Kaalala).
Correspondence: The 218 pieces of correspondence deal mainly with family events and daily
activities, including churchgoing and visits with friends. The Hawaiian correspondence
gives physical descriptions of Hawaii, commentaries on the Hawaiian government and
details regarding the workings of sugar plantations. Some of the letters of George,
Daniel and Charlotte describe their trips to America, giving an interesting look at
travel in the 1870s. Daniel and Charlotte, while in America, visited Utah and met with
Brigham Young. Two letters record their conversation with Young, in which they discussed
polygamy and other church beliefs; the letters also give a description of the Tabernacle
in Salt Lake City. Thirty-nine of the 102 pieces of George's correspondence are
typewritten letters from Riverside, California. The California correspondence deals with
the Doles' visits to northern California and the birth of one of their grandchildren. The
letters also give some descriptions of Riverside in the1890s. The letter from George H.
Dole to William E. Rowell is an invitation to invest money in the Minnehaha Oil Company
in Bakersfield, California (enclosed with the letter is a summary sheet for the proposed
oil company).
Essays: The essays were written by several of the children who attended Daniel Dole's
schools in Punahou and Koloa. The essays are about various subjects, a few regarding
Hawaii's government and history. The essay entitled "The Last War of Kauai" discusses the
events following the death of King Kamehameha II. The essay entitled "Dear Sir" is an
explanation of Hawaii's government, and the unknown author gives some opinions regarding
politicians of the time. The four newsletters were also written by students. Sanford B.
(Sanford Ballard) Dole was the editor, and probably author, of
The Koloa Evening
Transcript.