HAWAIIAN JOURNALIST/DIPLOMAT JOHN MĀKINI KAPENA BORN
Kapena, born at Lahaina, on Maui, was of the Kalākaua family. Adopted hānai by Jonah Kapena, John attended the Royal School and Oahu College. In 1870, he became editor of the newspaper Ke Au Okoa. Under Kamehameha V, he was an officer in the Yeomanry (the king’s volunteer military). Under King Lunalilo, Kapena was on both the Board of Education and the king’s personal military staff and was a circuit court judge on Oahu (1873-74). Under King Kalākaua, Kapena served as: Governor of Maui (1874-76); Minister of Finance (1876-78 & 1883-86) and Foreign Affairs (1878-80); Postmaster General (1881-83); Collector General of Customs (1886-87): Member, House of Nobles (1876-86); Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 negotiator; and Envoy Extraordinary & Minister Plenipotentiary to the Court of Japan. Honors: Royal Orders of Kamehameha I, the Crowns of Hawaii, Kalākaua, Prussia, Rising Sun of Japan, the Cross of Takovo of Serbia; and Belgian Red Cross. He died in Honolulu, on October 23, 1887.
Source: Wikipedia
Photo: Bradley & Rolofson, 1874. Public Domain. Source: Hawaii State Archives. Call Number: PP-96-13-03
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