WRIGHT-L Archives

From: <>
Subject: William E. Wright
Date: Tue, 02 Mar 1999 16:46:22 -1000

Aloha Everyone!

I have posted here before and still patiently await ANY "solid connections"
to my inquiry regarding my ggggrandfather, William E. (Ellis?) WRIGHT. I
have since nicknamed him, "Big William."

Someone MUST be missing this man!!!! I have a LOT of information about his
"Hawaiian" descendants but ABSOLUTELY NOTHING on his ancestors.

William was naturalized in Honolulu on 20 June 1854 (Naturalization Record
on hand), and married my ggggrandmother, Emily Kaaukai (aka Emele Kaaukai
LAKE) on 22 June 1854 in Honolulu (Marriage record on hand). His
naturalization record states that he was from Plymouth, Massachusetts.

For those of you who are new to this list, we (the old-timers) have had a
"runaway" discussion as to the "naturalization" requirements of "Foreigners
to the Kingdom of Hawaii." It was required for "Foreigners" (anyone who
was NOT Hawaiian) to become a "citizen" of the Kingdom of Hawaii PRIOR to
marrying a "native."

I'm not sure why "Big William" came here when he did, or even when he did,
but have found a document through the Hawaii State archives which states
that he was a "boat builder" on the island of Moloka'i in 1862. He was
already married to "grandma" and they had 2 sons, Thomas Harris Wright (b.
1856 in Moloka'i) and William James Wright (b. 1858 in Moloka'i).

I have reason to believe that "Big William" died prior to 1872, because
"grandma" was married to another man then. Also, his son Thomas was
married that same year to a Hawaiian "girl" named Kailani KOO and they were
both minors.

In the Kingdom of Hawaii in those years, it was "required" for Church
Officials to submit a "report" of baptisms, marriages, etc. to the
"Interior Department" (Kingdom of Hawaii). Whether they did or not creates
another problem altogether.

A letter, dated 20 May 1872, was sent by Charles T. Gulick of the Interior
Department of the Kingdom of Hawaii to a "Reverend Papaula" of Kealakekua
on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, who "married" Thomas and Kailani. The
letter "questioned" the Reverend as to why Thomas and Kailani were married
when they were both underaged.

Another letter, dated 31 May 1872, went out to Thomas' father from the same
person (Charles T. Gulick) from the "Interior Department" asking William E.
Wright to "grieve" the marriage of his "minor son." There was no response
to this letter which leads me to believe, moreso, that "Big William" had
already died. Either he died OR he went back to the "mainland." I have
documentation of land records (in Hawaii) concerning Big William up until
1865, but absolutely no knowledge of his whereabouts after 1865.

Is ANYBODY missing a William E. WRIGHT?? I haven't been able to find any
document indicating that "Big William's" middle name is truly ELLIS, but
have made the assumption due to his grandson, gggrandson and ggggrandson
all named "William ELLIS Wright" and another grandson named Harris ELLIS
Wright.

ANY information will be TREASURED!!!!

Thanks, in advance, to ALL who respond!

Aloha!!!

Ethelynne Kaleimokihana Soares-Teves
One of the MANY Hawaiian descendants of WILLIAM E.(Ellis?) WRIGHT of
Plymouth, Massachusetts

This thread:

• William E. Wright by <>