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George H. Dole Papers: Finding
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mssHM 57700-57962
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Title: George H. Dole Papers
Dates (inclusive): 1846-1902
Bulk dates: 1858-1878
Collection Number: mssHM 57700-57962
Creator:
Dole, George H.
Extent:
263 pieces in 3 boxes
Repository:
The Huntington Library, Art Collections, and Botanical Gardens.
Manuscripts Department
1151 Oxford Road
San Marino, California 91108
Phone: (626) 405-2129
Email: reference@huntington.org
URL: http://www.huntington.org
Abstract: This collection contains the papers of George H. Dole (1842-1912) of Hawaii and California, and chiefly consists
of family correspondence discussing life in Hawaii, travel in the 1870s, and churchgoing,
as well as some correspondence from Riverside, California, in the 1890s. The collection also contains Hawaiian school essays
chiefly by Dole.
Language: English.
Open to qualified researchers by prior application through the Reader Services Department. For more information, contact Reader
Services.
The Huntington Library does not require that researchers request permission to quote from or publish images of this material,
nor does it charge fees for such activities.
The responsibility for identifying the copyright holder, if there is one, and obtaining necessary permissions rests with the
researcher.
[Identification of item]. George H. Dole Papers, The Huntington Library, San Marino, California.
Purchased from Robert Van Dyke in February 1985.
George H. Dole (1842-1912) 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.
Arrangement
Arranged alphabetically in two sections: Correspondence (Boxes 1-2) and Essays (Box 3)
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the
Huntington Library's Online Catalog.
Dole family.
Dole, George H.
Dole, Sanford B. (Sanford Ballard), 1844-1926.
Gregg, David L.
Kamehameha II, King of the Hawaiian Islands, 1797-1824.
Kamehameha V, King of the Hawaiian Islands, 1830-1872.
Wyllie, Robert Crichton, 1798-1865.
Young, Brigham, 1801-1877.
Punahou School.
Education -- Hawaii.
Missionaries -- Hawaii -- 19th century.
Petroleum industry and trade -- California.
Plantations -- Hawaii.
California -- History -- 1850-1950 -- Sources.
Hawaii -- History -- To 1893 -- Sources.
Hawaii Island (Hawaii) -- History -- Sources.
Hawaii -- Kings and rulers.
Hawaii -- Politics and government -- To 1893.
Hawaii -- Social life and customs -- 19th century.
Hawaii -- Religion -- 19th century.
Hawaiian language.
Kauai (Hawaii) -- History -- Sources.
Maui (Hawaii) -- History -- Sources.
Molokai (Hawaii) -- History -- Sources.
Oahu (Hawaii) -- History -- Sources.
Essays -- Hawaii.
Letters (correspondence) -- Hawaii.
Love letters -- Hawaii.
Newsletters -- Hawaii.
Dole (Family)
Dole, Charlotte Close Knapp, 1813-1874.
Dole, Clara Rowell.
Dole, Daniel.
Dole, Sanford B. (Sanford Ballard), 1844-1926.
Dole, Sanford B. (Sanford Ballard), 1844-1926.
- Addressee for 2 letters (1871) by Charlotte Close Knapp Dole, 1813-1874. HM 57769-57770.
Dole, Sanford B. (Sanford Ballard), 1844-1926.
- Addressee for Daniel Dole letter (1870, June 27-28). HM 57815.
Dole, Sanford B. (Sanford Ballard), 1844-1926.
- Addressee for George H. Dole letter (1899, Apr. 11). HM 57909.
Gregg, David L.
- Subject in essay "Dear Sir" (1860, Aug. 28). HM 57962.
Kamehameha II, King of the Hawaiian Islands, 1797-1824.
- Subject in George H. Dole essay "The Last War of Kauai" (1860, Jan. 11). HM 57933.
Kamehameha V, King of the Hawaiian Islands, 1830-1872.
- Subject in essay "Dear Sir" (1860, Aug. 28). HM 57962.
Minnehaha Oil Company.
- Subject in George H. Dole letter (1900, Aug. 10) to William E. Rowell. HM 57916.
Wyllie, Robert Crichton.
- Subject in essay "Dear Sir" (1860, Aug. 28). HM 57962.
Young, Brigham, 1801-1877.
- Subject in Charlotte Close Knapp Dole, 1813-1874, letter (1871, May 20) to George H. Dole, Clara Rowell Dole and Sanford B. (Sanford Ballard) Dole, 1844-1926. HM 57745.
- Subject in Daniel Dole letter (1871, May 25) to George H. Dole, Clara Rowell Dole and Sanford B.(Sanford Ballard) Dole, 1844-1926. HM 57802.