Peter Kaeo

Peter Young Kaeo Kekuaokalani March 4, 1836 - November 26, 1880 was a Hawaiian prince and cousin of Queen Emma of Hawaii also the grandson of John Young Olohana advisor to Kamehameha the Great.

Peter was born March 4, 1836 at Pa'loha, Honolulu on the island of Ookinaahu. He was born into a noble Hawaiian family. His mother was Jane Lahilahi, the youngest daughter of John Young and Ka'o'ana'eha. His father was The Hon. Joshua Kaeo, sometime Judge of the Supreme Court of Hawaii, and great grandson of King Kalaniopuu. [http://www.4dw.net/royalark/Hawaii/hawaii5.htm] He was, according to Hawaiian tradition, "hanaied" (adopted) by his maternal uncle John Kaleipaihala Young at birth. His uncle was the fourth Kuhina Nui and the Minister of the Interior. He was chosen by Kamehameha III to attended Chiefs' Children's School along with his cousin Emma because of their descent from Kealiimaikai, Kamehameha III's uncle. The school was ran by Amos Starr Cooke and Julliette Montague Cooke an American missionary couple. He was declared eligible to succeed the Hawaiian throne by the Royal Order of Kamehameha III.

He serve as a member of the House of Nobles and assisted in formulating laws of kingdom. He also served as Aide-de-camp to Kamehameha IV. He contracted leprosy, known as the Hansen's disease, which was uncurable at the time. He was exiled and isolated to the leper colony at Kalaupapa on the island of Molokai. He arrived on the settlement on the same boat as William P. Ragsdale, landing June 29 1873. He had the means to maintain a comfortable existence for himself, including two servants, but was not unaware of the poverty and desperation around him.

During his exile at Kalaupapa, he and his cousin Emma Kaleleonalani, at the time Queen Dowager of Hawaii, exchange letters revealing record of their personal lives during this three-year period. In addition, as an account of the affairs of the Hawaiian Kingdom during the same interim, as viewed through the writers’ Hawaiian eyes and as expressed in their own words—a reflection of island politics, dynastic intrigues, interethnic rivalries and animosities, American-Hawaiian diplomatic strains and frustrations during a time of grave national crisis. [Alfons L. Korn, August 1975, Honolulu] All in total they wrote 122 letters having no close counterpart elsewhere in Hawaiian historical archives. From Peter Kaeo to Queen Emma, August 11, 1873:

"Deaths occur quite frequently here, almost dayly. Napela (the Mormon elder and assistant supervisor of the Kalaupapa Settlement) last week rode around the Beach to inspeck the Lepers and came on to one that had no Pai [taro] for a Week but manage to live on what he could find in his Hut, anything Chewable. His legs were so bad that he cannot walk, and few traverse the spot where His Hut stands, but fortunate enough for him that he had sufficient enough water to last him till aid came and that not too late, or else probably he must have died."

[NEWS FROM MOLOKAI: Letters between Peter Kaeo & Queen Emma 1873-1876, Edited with Introduction and Notes by Alfons L. Korn, The University Press of Hawaii ~ Honolulu, Copyright 1976 by The University Press of Hawaii]

In November 26, 1880 at the age 44, he died at Kalawao, after 7 years of suffering on the leper colony. Yet the Hawaiian Gazette, Dec. 1, 1880 has to say: "The Hon. P. Y. Kaeo died at his residence on Emma Street on Friday night [November 26, 1880] . The funeral took place on Sunday and was largely attended by the retainers and friends of the family. The hearse was surrounded by Kahili-bearers as becomes the dignity of a chief." [ [http://homepage.mac.com/gencea/Nui/ps03/ps03_062.htm Peter “Kekuaokalani” KAEO ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.flickr.com/photos/cosmorific/457536516/sizes/l/ Alii Photos]
* [http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~royalty/hawaii/i282.html#I282 Rootsweb:Peter Young KAEO]
* [http://cgi.ebay.com/QUEEN-EMMA-Correspondnce-LETTERS-FROM-MOLOKAI-1873-1876_W0QQitemZ6558322925QQcmdZViewItem?_trksid=p4295.c15.m136.l1275 QUEEN EMMA Correspondnce~LETTERS FROM MOLOKAI~1873-1876]