Theresa Laanui

Princess Theresa Owana Kaokinaohelelani Laokinaanui (1860–1944) was a Hawaiian princess and prominent figure during the last years of the Kingdom of Hawaiokinai and into the territorial period. Born in 1860, she was the daughter of Prince Gideon Kailipalaki Laokinaanui, a brother of Princess Elizabeth Kekaaniau. Her mother was Kamaikaopa. Princess Theresa was well respected among the community and authority figures of Hawaiokinai and the United States. She a member of the House of Laanui, a collateral branch of the House of Kamehameha. The Princess's children ( except her two daughters by Cartwright) and male-line descendants belong agnatically to the "Wilcox" family.

As a child, she would often go to the palace of King Kamehameha V to make leis for him. She was married four times, although she only had children from her first and second marriages. She was of 1/8 French and 7/8 Hawaiian descent.

Her first husband was Alexander Joy Cartwright III, son of Honolulu businessman Alexander Cartwright II (one of the reported founders of baseball). By this marriage she had two daughters, Princess Daisy Emmalani Cartwright and Princess Eva Kuwailanimamao Cartwright. They divorced, and he eventually moved to San Francisco and married Susan Florence McDonald. [ [http://www.mrbaseball.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=59&Itemid=25 MrBaseball.com - Alexander J. Cartwright Jr. Bio ] ] Her second husband was Robert William Kalanihiapo Wilcox (1855–1903), a prominent Hawaiian soldier and statesman nicknamed the "Iron Duke of Hawaiokinai". By this marriage she had a son, Prince Robert Kalanikupuapaikalaninui Wilcox and two daughters, Princess Virginia Kahoa Kaahumanu Kaihikapumahana and Princess Elizabeth Ka'akaualaninui Wilcox, who died young. She and Wilcox owned and operated two Hawaiian newspapers, called the "Liberal" & the "Home Rule Republic", which were written in Hawaiian and English. She was received at the White House during Wilcox's service (1900-1903) as the Territory of Hawaiokinai's first Delegate to Congress. Her descendants living today exceed over 100 at least. The current heir of the Wilcox line is Owana Kaokinaohelelani Mahealani-rose Salazar (b. October 30, 1953) who is well-known as a slack-key guitarist and singer. [ [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Hawaii/wilcox.htm WILCOX ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.geocities.com/keouanui/Theresa.html Biography from the Hawaiokinai Royal Family's official site]
* [http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Oaks/8010/thesocietya.htm The Society of American Royalty]
* [http://homepage.mac.com/gencea/Nui/ps09/ps09_327.htm Teresa Owana Kaohelelani]