DECEMBER 13, 1855

NATIVE HAWAIIAN ARMY OFFICER/DIPLOMAT/PUBLIC SERVANT CURTIS PI’EHU I’AUKEA BORN

Born December 13, 1855, at Waimea, Hawaiʻi, and reared in Honolulu by his uncle, a personal attendant to King Kamehameha III, he received the name Piʻehu from Kamehameha IV. After attending St. Alban’s College, Kamehameha V sent Curtis to Lāhainā to learn sugar operations. Following the king’s death in 1872, he served King Kalākaua and, by 1880, was chief secretary of the department of foreign affairs. ʻIaukea represented Hawai’i in the United States, Europe, and Asia. In Japan, he negotiated immigration to Hawaiʻi of sugar plantation workers. He also served as: King’s personal staff & Tax Collector, 1878; Customs Collector General, 1884; Adjutant General & King’s private secretary, 1886; Chamberlain & Crown Land Agent, 1886; secretary & attaché to President Dole, 1898; County Sheriff, 1906; Territorial Senator, 1912; Territorial Secretary, 1917; and acting Governor, 1919. He also received numerous Hawaiian and foreign government distinctions. ‘Iaukea died on March 5, 1940 in Honolulu.

Sources:
  Peter T. Young, “Curtis P ʻIaukea,” Images of Old Hawaiʻi, 6/5/2022.  Retrieved 9/13/2022, Curtis P ʻIaukea | Images of Old Hawaiʻi (imagesofoldhawaii.com)
Wikipedia
Photo: Author unknown, 1883.  Public Domain. Source: Hawaii State Archives. Call Number: PP-73-3-021