Tag Archives: LEE

A Hawaiian Lady – Ellen Kamae

25 Jul

Ellen Kamae was a half sister of Joseph Kauhimaka my Great-great-grandfather through my FERNANDEZ line. They shared the same mother Anahua.  She was born in April 1858 and died at the age of 70 in March 1929.

Ellen falls into the history books due to her marriage to the prominent Chinese merchant Goo Kim Fui (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Goo_Kim_Fui). He came to Hawaii in 1867 and married Ellen in 1872. Mr. & Mrs. Goo Kim were members of the Bethel Church under the pastorate of the Rev. Dr. Damon. Source: Annual Report, Volume 86 by the Hawaiian Evangelical Association “A Pioneer Chinese Christian”

Together they had the following children: Annie A., Ella S.Y.  and John K..  Annie and Ella took up teaching positions at Royal School and Kaahumanu Elementary respectively and were also very active in the operations of the Aala Sunday School their father pastored. (1910 US Census)

She is in the 1900 Census as Kamae Goo and her husband as Kim Goo.  It states that she had four children with only two living… so will have to uncover where Ella comes in as only Annie and John are listed as children.. There are a few other children listed as a neice and boarder.. so perhaps one of these children were hanai’d or adopted as their own later.  Ellen’s brother Joe Kauhimaka, sister Kuhihewa married to Aaron KANAI, and her mother Anahua are in nearby households.

Goo Kim Fui and my great-great-grandfather LEE Toma were from the same province of China.  Goo Kim was a contemporary and friend of LEE Toma which shows the link between my LEE and KAUHIMAKA lines much earlier in Honolulu history then the meeting of my Great-grandmother’s at Ma’eMa’e Chapel which later led to the marriage of their children / my grandparents Marilyn Han Jin LEE and Lino FERNANDEZ III.

Both LEE Toma and Goo Kim Fui are buried at Makiki Cemetery in the Chinese Christian section. Goo Kim Fui precedes Ellen in death in 1908. He and Ellen Kamae are buried in a gated section on the lower walkway near the Wilder Street Corner.  Their son John Kameeualani Yin Fook Goo Kim (1889 – 1963) is also in the family cemetery plot in a nearby grave.

Headstones at Makiki Cemetery of Ellen & Goo Kim Fui

Headstones at Makiki Cemetery of Ellen & Goo Kim Fui

She was a remarkable woman dedicated to her husband’s Christian values in uplifting the Chinese community and building the Chinese Christian faith and following in Honolulu and beyond.  She learned his language and traveled with him to Leen Tong to erect a church.

“Mrs. Goo Kim accommodated herself to this change in life and work so gracefully as to make a strong impression upon her husband’s country folk.” Source: The Friend, Volume LXV, Number 6, 1 June 1908 Edition 01 – The State of Hawaii.

An influencer in the elite circles of Honolulu life – Ellen’s prowess stood on its own and afforded her invites to the most posh events like those hosted by the Dillinghams or Queen Liliuoukalani.  She hosted her own share of gala events like her husband’s 60th birthday bash in their Nuuanu home (on Liliha between Judd and Wylie).  Ellen could often be found traveling with the who’s who of Honolulu on occasions like an impromptu lava viewing excursion aboard the steamer Kinau.

Other Sources & References

1878 – pupils for the Sabbath School at Makiki are from Mr. Goo Kim’s rice field in Waikiki.

http://books.google.com/books?id=VkgQAAAAIAAJ&pg=RA5-PA43&lpg=RA5-PA43&dq=ellen+goo+kim&source=bl&ots=DiAixy9VAH&sig=dyGhrGqYNL_CthVPVhVLdErhLhI&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SQKiUbqoOaHhiAKF7IHoCw&ved=0CFIQ6AEwCA#v=onepage&q=ellen%20goo%20kim&f=false

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1880 – Property Ownership – Transfer of deed  [IMAGE]  http://www.flickr.com/photos/cosmorific/4716330473/

Transfer of deed….
Mika Kauhao to Samuel Smith, then Samuel Smith to Ellen Kamae Goo Kim on Feb. 20, 1880, 4pm.

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1887 – Lava Flow viewing excursion aboard the Kinau – but too late for the show from madam Pele

The daily herald. (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands), 07 Feb. 1887. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047239/1887-02-07/ed-1/seq-2/>

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1897 – Goo Kim’s 60th Birthday Dinner — hosted lunch for the Chinese ladies as thanks at their home on Nuuanu Avenue

The Hawaiian gazette. (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]), 22 Oct. 1897. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83025121/1897-10-22/ed-1/seq-1/>

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1904 Children: Daughters help with Sunday School at AALA MISSION.

books.google.com/books?id=vV69FuG6oQcC

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1905 – Mention of daughter Annie Goo Kim

The Independent. (Honolulu, H.I.), 07 July 1905. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn85047097/1905-07-07/ed-1/seq-4/>

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1908 –

The Friend, Volume LXV, Number 6, 1 June 1908 Edition 01 — THE STATE OF HAWAII. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]
http://books.google.com/books?id=m-HkAAAAMAAJ&pg=RA2-PA12&lpg=RA2-PA12&dq=Ellen+kamae+honolulu&source=bl&ots=mBtYTxJ2YN&sig=4r4CUudhrwakVs4cJAdyKMPknU4&hl=en&sa=X&ei=tPuhUbTjOOGliQLuiYCQAQ&ved=0CDMQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=Ellen%20kamae%20honolulu&f=false

he married a Hawaiian lady, Miss Ellen Kamae, a most fortunate and happy union. Mrs. Goo Kim set herself to learn her husband’s language and succeeded remarkably well.

…

In — therefore he and his wife went to Leen Tong and labored with such success that he was soon enabled to erect a Church building, for which he himself paid,and to gather a number of converts. Mrs. Goo Kim accommodated herself to this change in life and work so gracefully as to make a strong impression upon her husband’s country folk. After…years of successful evangelism the exigencies of business called Mr. and Mrs. Goo Kim back to Honolulu.

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1908 – Mrs. Goo Kim — aboard the Bethel Street Workers Reunite Train Ride and Dinner party hosted by the Dillinghams

Evening bulletin. (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii), 04 June 1908. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82016413/1908-06-04/ed-1/seq-4/>

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1913 – At Queen Lilioukalani’s 75th birthday at Washington Palace:

Honolulu star-bulletin. (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii), 06 Sept. 1913. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress. <http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82014682/1913-09-06/ed-1/seq-13/>

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Research Ramblings – brick by brick and brick walls

28 Feb

Been busy with field research continuing at MaeMae Cemetery in Puunui. Nearly finished with photographing all the headstones and still have to transcribe to my spreadsheet. Then to compare to the items found in digital archives of other known burials to the site. Still need to map the stones and reach out to Kaumakapili Church to see what records and information they might have as well as sharing my research with them.

I’m also spending much time in Facebook Groups – like Helu Papa Kūʻauhau and also the Native Hawaiian Genealogy Society (NHGSoc) page. Another useful resource has been the group Portuguese Hawaiian Genealogy. The camaraderie of the groups is infectious and there are many ‘ohana connections.

Spent some time learning more of my North Carolina roots – and learned that some of my ancestors and family were brick makers and instrumental in building and supplying the brick for buildings like the Mills River Chapel Methodist church. The Chapel is one of a few antebellum churches in Henderson County and the only one used for worship since its construction. The King family farm passed this craft down through generations. Building more family history – brick by brick.

Looking forward to the Akana ‘Ohana reunion coming up in mid-July and will be returning to Hilo where my Great-Great-Grandparents Wong Sing Akana and Kaili Kaapuiki made their home. My Great-Grandmother Ami Akana Lee was the eldest child. It will be exciting to meet many distant cousins in person for the first time after months of corresponding online.

Finally a brick wall has been busted — and I’ll post a more detailed article about this find. In September, I discovered that Virginia K. Ayres – my husband’s great-grandmother – had a blood connection to the name KAMA. It turns out her birth father was known as Kama. Well I ran the search again on Chronicling America and a new article came up this time “Missing Girl has been found” … with his first name and the brother’s first name. Very exciting and now some concrete material to continue the search to find her blood kin and perhaps more of her story.

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Ma’eMa’e Sunday School Headstone Mapping & Transcriptions

22 Dec

Yesterday on a wet and rainy Puunui morning my helper and I visited my Grandparent’s grave at the former site of the Ma’eMa’e Sunday School. I have many fond memories of attending family functions, holiday potlucks, and Sunday School there. I miss the warmth of the pews; the Na Himeni bound in red dotting each row. I miss ringing the bell – its cheerful tone marking the start of another Sunday afternoon service. I miss the scent of the plumerias that used to shade my grandparent’s graves….removed I guess to make the landscaping and upkeep of the grounds fuss-free.

A surreal feeling envelopes you as you wander this tiny cemetary.  We took a brief shelter from the Nu’uanu rains under the last remaining large tree on the top side of the chapel.  Many of the Mahoe family are buried in this area of the grounds.  Kaumakapili Church Deacon Charles Mahoe started this sister chapel with his wife Haleaka. I understand the Ma’eMa’e bell is now at Kaumakapili and continues to be rung every Sunday.

Stairway to Nowhere

Stairways to Nowhere

The stark foundation and concrete steps leading to nowhere where the little green chapel in which my parents were married once stood till extreme winds blew down the 137 year old chapel in May 2000.  Orange “safety” netting now surrounds the stone foundation. Garish and out of place in this peaceful setting.

a fragment of the paint color still evident on this crawl space gate built into the stone foundation

Not only are my grandparent’s there, but also my great-grandparents Lino Fernandez, II and Phillipa Fernandez, great-great-grandparents Joseph & Sarah Kauhimaka, and great-great-great-grandmother Momona Kanohokai. Countless other aunts, uncles and close family ties surround.

In my last few visits there I’ve been working at photographing the headstones in the churchyard. With umbrella shielding the steady rain we added another 30 headstones to our growing collection of documentation yesterday morning. Many of the headstones are quite ornate with carvings and designs. Some with photos of the beloved, so haunting.  Ever more haunting the headstones of infants.

Findagrave.com lists 47 internments as of this writing — some of the transcription data is incorrect and doesn’t match headstone information however.  Many more of the memorials are not yet recorded there. I hope to get the information corrected and add the photos and memorials not yet on the grave search results.  I believe there are possibly many more internments for which no headstone remains…I’ve found some reports in turn of the century newspapers of folks being buried there and want to compare those names against the inventory and transcription of headstones I’m building…

My Grandparents Lino Fernandez, III and Marilyn Hann Jin (LEE) Fernandez

Today is my grandmother Marilyn Hann Jin (LEE) Fernandez’ birthday.  She would have been 91.  She died at an early age the day after her last child, my Uncle Lee, was born due to complications during delivery.  I’ve only ever known her from  photographs, other’s stories and memories, and my own quiet visits to her graveside through the years. She grew up nearby on Rooke Avenue and her mother and my grandfather’s mother were good friends at the Sunday School. It’s where they met and fell in love.

Visit: Ma’ema’e Chapel Cemetery – 401 Wyllie Street

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