Henry Nicholas Greenwell (9 January 1826 – 18 May 1891) was an English merchant credited with establishing
Kona coffee
Kona coffee is the market name for coffee ('' Coffea arabica'') cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Only coff ...
as an internationally known brand.
His family became major land-holders in the
Kona District
Kona is a ''moku'' or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii, known for its Kona coffee and the location of the Ironman World Championship Triathlon. In the current system of administration of Hawaii County, the ''moku'' o ...
of the
island of Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii ) is the largest island in the United States, located in the state of Hawaii. It is the southeasternmost of the Hawaiian Islands, a chain of volcanic islands in the North Pacific Ocean. With an area of , it has 63% of th ...
.
The
Greenwell Store is now a museum and historical center.
Life
Henry Nicholas Greenwell was born 9 January 1826 in
Lanchester,
County Durham
County Durham ( ), officially simply Durham,UK General Acts 1997 c. 23Lieutenancies Act 1997 Schedule 1(3). From legislation.gov.uk, retrieved 6 April 2022. is a ceremonial county in North East England.North East Assembly About North East E ...
,
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...
. His father was William Thomas Greenwell (1777–1856) and mother was Dorothy Smales (1789–1871).
His oldest brother was
William Greenwell
Canon William Greenwell, (23 March 1820 – 27 January 1918) was an English archaeologist and Church of England priest.
Early life
William Greenwell was born 23 March 1820 at the estate known as Greenwell Ford near Lanchester, County Durham, E ...
(1820–1918)
an English
archaeologist
Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscap ...
who became
canon
Canon or Canons may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Canon (fiction), the conceptual material accepted as official in a fictional universe by its fan base
* Literary canon, an accepted body of works considered as high culture
** Western can ...
at
Durham Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of Christ, Blessed Mary the Virgin and St Cuthbert of Durham, commonly known as Durham Cathedral and home of the Shrine of St Cuthbert, is a cathedral in the city of Durham, County Durham, England. It is the seat of t ...
.
His sister Dorothy (1821–1882) published poetry under the name
Dora Greenwell
Dora Greenwell (6 December 1821 – 29 March 1882) was an English poet. The name "Dora Greenwell" was for many years supposed to be the pseudonym of a writer of rare spiritual insight and fine poetic genius. It was very generally surmised that ...
.
He had two other older brothers Francis Greenwell (1823–1894) and Alan Greenwell (1824–1914).
As fourth son he had little chance of inheriting the family estate called Greenwell Ford.
He attended
Durham School
Durham School is an independent boarding and day school in the English public school tradition located in Durham, North East England and was an all-boys institution until 1985, when girls were admitted to the sixth form. The school takes pupils a ...
and
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (RMAS or RMA Sandhurst), commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is one of several military academies of the United Kingdom and is the British Army's initial officer training centre. It is located in the town of ...
expecting a military career.
In 1844 Greenwell purchased a commission as a
Lieutenant
A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations.
The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...
in the
70th Regiment of the British Army which was stationed in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
during the
great Famine. He became disenchanted, sold his commission in 1847 and on 15 March 1848, left for
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
,
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. Arriving in June 1848, he traveled to
Sydney
Sydney ( ) is the capital city of the state of New South Wales, and the most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Located on Australia's east coast, the metropolis surrounds Sydney Harbour and extends about towards the Blue Mountain ...
looking for a sheep or cattle station, but came instead to
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
in 1849 for the
California Gold Rush
The California Gold Rush (1848–1855) was a gold rush that began on January 24, 1848, when gold was found by James W. Marshall at Sutter's Mill in Coloma, California. The news of gold brought approximately 300,000 people to California fro ...
.
When the ship arrived in
San Francisco
San Francisco (; Spanish language, Spanish for "Francis of Assisi, Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the List of Ca ...
, the crew immediately left and headed for the gold fields, leaving him with goods he intended to sell.
After injuring himself unloading, he sailed to the
Hawaiian Islands
The Hawaiian Islands ( haw, Nā Mokupuni o Hawai‘i) are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, and numerous smaller islets in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kur ...
in January 1850 to recover.
After a brief time in
Honolulu
Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...
working at the H. J. Holdsworth store, he moved to
Kailua-Kona
Kailua-Kona is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Hawaii County, Hawaii, United States. It is also known as Kailua (a name it shares with a community located on the windward side of Oahu), as Kona (a name it shares ...
, and opened his own retail store in the
Kona District
Kona is a ''moku'' or district on the Big Island of Hawaii in the State of Hawaii, known for its Kona coffee and the location of the Ironman World Championship Triathlon. In the current system of administration of Hawaii County, the ''moku'' o ...
in late 1850.
In late 1852 one of his Chinese servants died after being accused of theft. Greenwell was arrested and charged with
second degree murder
Murder is the unlawful killing of another human without justification (jurisprudence), justification or valid excuse (legal), excuse, especially the unlawful killing of another human with malice aforethought. ("The killing of another person wit ...
.
Asher B. Bates was prosecutor,
William Little Lee
William Little Lee (February 25, 1821 – May 28, 1857) was an American lawyer who became the first chief justice of the Supreme Court for the Kingdom of Hawaii.
Life
William Little Lee was born February 25, 1821 in Sandy Hill, New York. His fat ...
judge, and a jury of British subjects was found for the trial in January 1853. Witnesses testified that Greenwell had beaten or whipped the man, but others said the man was already ill and that Greenwell treated his employees fairly.
After half an hour the jury unanimously found him not guilty.
The case formed a precedent still cited in the Hawaii state criminal code.
He became successful growing
Orange
Orange most often refers to:
*Orange (fruit), the fruit of the tree species '' Citrus'' × ''sinensis''
** Orange blossom, its fragrant flower
*Orange (colour), from the color of an orange, occurs between red and yellow in the visible spectrum
* ...
s to send to the expanding California market. However, in 1866 the crop was destroyed by
blight
Blight refers to a specific symptom affecting plants in response to infection by a pathogenic organism.
Description
Blight is a rapid and complete chlorosis, browning, then death of plant tissues such as leaves, branches, twigs, or floral organ ...
, so he looked to diversify.
In 1867 on what would be a
circumnavigation
Circumnavigation is the complete navigation around an entire island, continent, or astronomical object, astronomical body (e.g. a planet or natural satellite, moon). This article focuses on the circumnavigation of Earth.
The first recorded circ ...
of the earth, he visited
New Zealand
New Zealand ( mi, Aotearoa ) is an island country in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It consists of two main landmasses—the North Island () and the South Island ()—and over 700 smaller islands. It is the sixth-largest island count ...
and returned to England to visit family. On his return he picked up a new variety of Oranges in
Brazil
Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
, and ideas for other potential crops. He also met his future wife on the voyage.
Greenwell married Elizabeth Caroline Hall (1841–1934) 9 April 1868 and had six sons, four daughters, and 23 grandchildren. The new crop being grown in this area was
coffea
''Coffea'' is a genus of flowering plants in the Family (biology), family Rubiaceae. ''Coffea'' species are shrubs or small trees native to tropical and southern Africa and tropical Asia. The seeds of some species, called coffee beans, are use ...
, the tree bearing the fruit made into "beans" for
coffee
Coffee is a drink prepared from roasted coffee beans. Darkly colored, bitter, and slightly acidic, coffee has a stimulant, stimulating effect on humans, primarily due to its caffeine content. It is the most popular hot drink in the world.
S ...
. The first trees were brought to the Kona area by missionaries at nearby
Kahikolu Church
Kahikolu Church is one of only two stone churches from the 19th century on the island of Hawaii. It was built from 1852–1855 on the site of an earlier building known as Kealakekua Church that was built around 1833 in the Kona district.
History
...
in the late 1820s.
The few earlier attempts had uneven results, but the Greenwell brand developed a reputation for consistent quality for
Kona coffee
Kona coffee is the market name for coffee ('' Coffea arabica'') cultivated on the slopes of Hualalai and Mauna Loa in the North and South Kona Districts of the Big Island of Hawaii. It is one of the most expensive coffees in the world. Only coff ...
.
Greenwell served as Collector of Customs at the port at
Kealakekua Bay
Kealakekua Bay is located on the Kona coast of the island of Hawaii about south of Kailua-Kona.
Settled over a thousand years ago, the surrounding area contains many archeological and historical sites such as religious temples (heiaus) and also ...
, and as Postmaster and area School Superintendent.
A stone building was built just south of the wooden house, in the traditional land division (''
ahupuaa'') known as Kalukalu (for a type of grass that grows there).
The oranges continued to be mentioned by travelers through the area.
Isabella Bird
Isabella Lucy Bird, married name Bishop (15 October 1831 – 7 October 1904), was a nineteenth-century British explorer, writer, photographer, and naturalist. With Fanny Jane Butler she founded the John Bishop Memorial Hospital in Srinagar ...
, who knew Dora in England, visited the Greenwells in 1873. Greenwell's coffee was honored at the
1873 World's Fair in
Vienna
en, Viennese
, iso_code = AT-9
, registration_plate = W
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code =
, timezone = CET
, utc_offset = +1
, timezone_DST ...
. In 1876 Greenwell provided coffee as part of the
Centennial Exposition
The Centennial International Exhibition of 1876, the first official World's Fair to be held in the United States, was held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from May 10 to November 10, 1876, to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the signing of the ...
in
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Sinc ...
.
The Greenwell family traded in sheep skins and dairy products, eventually using the profits to buy more land in the area. Coffee only grows in a narrow elevation band, so drier areas above the usual cloud cover were used as pasture land for cattle, sheep, and horses.
Early in 1879, the royal physician
Georges Phillipe Trousseau
Georges Phillipe Trousseau (1 May 1833 – 4 May 1894) was a French physician who became the royal doctor of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and engaged in a variety of agricultural ventures.
Biography
Georges Phillipe Trousseau was born in Paris on 1 M ...
sold all of his holdings in Kona to Greenwell.
Other lands were purchased from the family of missionary
John Davis Paris
John Davis Paris (September 22, 1809 – July 28, 1892) was an American Christian missionary to the island of Hawaii. Coming to the island by accident, he supervised construction of several historic churches, some of which survive today.
Life
John ...
.
Legacy
![Greenwell 1880 ad](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fb/Greenwell_1880_ad.jpg)
Greenwell died 18 May 1891 aboard a steamer that he often took between the islands.
He and many family members are buried at the Christ Church Episcopal cemetery, near the store on the
Hawaii Belt Road
The Hawaii Belt Road is a modern name for the Māmalahoa Highway and consists of Hawaii state Routes 11, 19, and 190 that encircle the Island of Hawaii. The southern section, between Hilo and Kailua-Kona is numbered as Route 11. The section betw ...
.
Elizabeth Greenwell operated the store after his death, and many children and grandchildren became active in farming and ranching on the nearby lands.
While the
Reciprocity Treaty of 1875
The Treaty of reciprocity between the United States of America and the Hawaiian Kingdom ( Hawaiian: ''Kuʻikahi Pānaʻi Like'') was a free trade agreement signed and ratified in 1875 that is generally known as the Reciprocity Treaty of 1875.
T ...
had caused most large Hawaii coffee plantations to convert to
sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
, this was not practical in the steep Kona district. Instead, small plots were leased to individual families, often Chinese, Japanese, or Portuguese immigrants after their labor contracts on
sugarcane
Sugarcane or sugar cane is a species of (often hybrid) tall, Perennial plant, perennial grass (in the genus ''Saccharum'', tribe Andropogoneae) that is used for sugar Sugar industry, production. The plants are 2–6 m (6–20 ft) tall with ...
plantation
A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. The ...
s expired. Quality improved further with the introduction of the ''Guatemalan'' variety via
Hermann A. Widemann, which turned out to be well-adapted to higher elevations; it remains a popular variety through modern times.
First-born son William Henry Greenwell was born at Kalukalu 7 June 1869.
His sons included Henry Alan Greenwell (1908–1919), Jack Brysson Greenwell (1910–1996) and another Henry Alan Greenwell (1919–1992).
William H. Greenwell managed the business from 1891 until he died 17 June 1927 after an operation for
appendicitis
Appendicitis is inflammation of the appendix. Symptoms commonly include right lower abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and decreased appetite. However, approximately 40% of people do not have these typical symptoms. Severe complications of a rup ...
.
William's wife Maud Annandale Johnstone (1883–1976), named for
Annandale, Scotland Annandale may refer to:
Places Australia
*Annandale, New South Wales, a suburb of Sydney
*Annandale, Queensland, a suburb of Townsville
*Annandale Station, a cattle station in Queensland
Guyana
*Annandale, Demerara-Mahaica
*Annandale, Pomeroo ...
where she was born, ran the store until the 1950s. The wooden house was torn down in the 1960s.
Second and third sons continued the ranching business divided into three main ranches after 1927.
Fourth son Wilfrid Alan Greenwell was born 7 November 1878, graduated from
Yale
Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the wor ...
in 1905, became a lawyer and married Lulu J. Law in November 1910. He became a partner in the firm Robertson, Castle & Olson in Honolulu and died in 1931.
Leonard Lanchester Greenwell was born 4 December 1884 married Dora Beebe in 1909 and died in January 1975 in
California
California is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States, located along the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. With nearly 39.2million residents across a total area of approximately , it is the List of states and territori ...
.
Fifth son Julian Greenwell was born 2 September 1880 and died 20 May 1960.
Daughter Dora Caroline Greenwell was born 15 October 1870, married Gerald E. Bryant 6 September 1894, and died in 1952.
Daughter Elizabeth Greenwell was born in 1873, married Howard R. Bryant in 1893, and died in 1903.
Daughter Christina Margaret Greenwell was born 16 September 1874, married Jordan Natscheff in 1910 and died in 1964.
Palani ranch
Francis Radcliffe (Frank or "Palani") Greenwell was born 26 August 1876, worked as a manager of Coffee and Tea plantations and cattle rancher. Frank served from 1903 through 1905 in the House of Representatives of the
Territory of Hawaii
The Territory of Hawaii or Hawaii Territory ( Hawaiian: ''Panalāʻau o Hawaiʻi'') was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from April 30, 1900, until August 21, 1959, when most of its territory, excluding ...
, and some other government positions. Frank married Evelyn Violet Wallace (1888–1985) on 8 February 1910 and died 19 May 1966.
Frank Greenwell lived farther north, on the slopes of
Hualālai
Hualālai (pronounced in Hawaiian) is an active volcano on the island of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. It is the westernmost, third-youngest and the third-most active of the five volcanoes that form the island of Hawaii, following Kīlauea a ...
, above present-day Palani Road at .
Originally called the Honokohau Ranch for its traditional land division name, the ranch and the road from it to the shoreline became known by the Hawaiian variant of his name. Frank's oldest son Robert Francis Greenwell (1911–1992) managed Palani ranch after Frank's death.
Frank's son Radcliffe Leonard "Rally" Greenwell (1913–2006) went to work for
Parker Ranch
Parker Ranch is a working cattle ranch on the Island of Hawaii in the U.S. state of Hawaii, now run by a charitable trust.
History
The ranch was founded in 1847 and is one of the oldest ranches in the United States, pre-dating many mainland ra ...
in 1934 and became manager in September 1962.
James Mallaby Greenwell (1915–2004) went to work for Parker Ranch when he was 18. He then worked at Hawaii Meat Company for 25 years, becoming its president until 1964. He then held management positions at Palani Ranch and organized the Lanihau Properties, LLC real estate company. He was inducted into the Paniolo Hall of Fame in 2001. The ranch had a herd of about 1600 head in 2004.
His wife
Martha Lowery (born 1920) became an artist.
His son James Sherwood "Jimmy" Greenwell (born 1945) then took over the Palani ranch.
Robert Francis' son Robert Kelly Greenwell (born 1941) ran unsuccessfully for
Mayor of Hawaii
The Mayor of Hawaii is the chief executive officer of the County of Hawaii in the state of Hawaii. The mayor has municipal jurisdiction over the Big Island of Hawaii. The current mayor is Mitch Roth.Hawaii County Council
Hawaii County ( haw, Kalana o Hawaiʻi) (officially known as the County of Hawaii) is a county in the U.S. state of Hawaii in the Hawaiian Islands. It is coextensive with the Island of Hawaii, often called the "Big Island" to distinguish it fro ...
. In July 2010 he was arrested after being stopped for speeding.
Kealakekua ranch
Arthur Leonard Greenwell was born 7 December 1871 married Beatrice Holdsworth 12 November 1912, and died 3 June 1951.
Arthur's daughter Amy Beatrice Holdsworth Greenwell (1920–1974) attended
Stanford University
Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...
and served as a nurse in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. From 1953 to 1957 she served on a Historical Site Commission for the Territory.
Amy established a garden to preserve the Kona Field System, and left it to the
Bernice P. Bishop Museum
The Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum, designated the Hawaii State Museum of Natural and Cultural History, is a museum of history and science in the historic Kalihi district of Honolulu on the Hawaiian island of Oʻahu. Founded in 1889, it is the larg ...
on her death.
Arthur's son Sherwood Robert H. Greenwell (1919–2004) managed of Kealakekua Ranch from 1951 to 1989. He founded and was president of Kona Historical society, and became a County Supervisor 1954–55 and 1959–67, and Council member in 1968. Greenwell donated land for a county park which was named for Arthur Greenwell in 1963.
Sherwood died 21 September 2004.
Kealakekua ranch was about located south of Hōkūkano ranch at , with access via Greenwell Mountain Road. A ranching complex called Papaloa was built at over elevation at .
Kealakekua ranch was sold to Sekin International of
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
in 1990 who proposed to build a golf course and 500 estates, but economic slowdowns caused Sekin to sell it in 2002 for less than half of the 1990 price.
The area is now under a reforestation effort.
Conservation easement
In the United States, a conservation easement (also called conservation covenant, conservation restriction or conservation servitude) is a power invested in a qualified private land conservation organization (often called a "land trust") or gove ...
s on were sold in 2007.
Hōkūkano ranch
![Greenwell Store](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Greenwell_Store.jpg)
William H. Greenwell's son Norman Leonard Greenwell (1926–1992) managed the main W. H. Greenwell Estate ranch of located , just uphill from the Kalukalu store.
John Pace purchased it and renamed it Hōkūkano ranch in 1986, and also purchased Kealakekua ranch in 2004. Namesakes of the Pace family include
Pace, Florida
Pace is a census-designated place in Santa Rosa County, Florida. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 24,684. It is the largest community in Northern Santa Rosa County, and is a part of the Pensacola Metropolitan Statistical Ar ...
and the
John C. Pace Library The John C. Pace Library is the academic library of the University of West Florida and is the largest library in northwest Florida. In addition to the main library on the main campus north of Pensacola, Florida, there is a branch library in Fort ...
.
The Pace family put the ranches up for sale in 2009.
Hōkūkano ranch was divided into parcels between and for sale.
In December 2009 a large fire broke out on Hōkūkano ranch, followed by another at Kealakekua ranch.
Norman's wife Jean Greenwell (1929–2009) was another founder of the Kona Historical society in 1976, and wrote articles on the area history.
The
Greenwell Store was added to the
. The society restored the former store and opened it as a museum.
Norman's son Thomas Frederick born 2 June 1958 (great-grandson of Henry Nicholas) and his family still grow and sell coffee on a farm adjacent to the original homestead. Some of the trees were planted in 1903 by Elizabeth Caroline Greenwell.
A recent venture was producing a reportedly healthy drink from the pulp of coffee cherries.
Family tree
References
Further reading
*
*
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Greenwell, Henry Nicholas
People educated at Durham School
1826 births
1891 deaths
County council members in Hawaii
Hawaii (island)
Businesspeople from Hawaii
19th-century American politicians
Ranchers from Hawaii
People from Lanchester, County Durham