Ka Wai Ola - Office of Hawaiian Affairs, Volume 4, Number 2, 1 February 1987 — Three Other Hawaiians Made it Home with Missionaries [ARTICLE]

Three Other Hawaiians Made it Home with Missionaries

While Henry Opukahaia was the most prominent student to attend the Foreign Mission School in Cornwall Conn., He was not the only youth of Hawaiian ancestry to be enrolled there. Thomas Hopu had left the Big Island on the same ship as Opukahaia in 1807. When they arrived in New York, Opukahaia went to live in New Haven and Hopu eontinued to sail as a seaman aboard other ships. After an eight-year career at sea Hopu returned to Connecticut to visit his devoted friend Opukahaia, and was eonverted to the Christian faith. Together Hopu and Opukahaia enrolled in the Foreign Mission School. Hopu finished his studies at the school and aecompanied the first missionary company to arrive in the Hawaiian islands in 1820. Also aboard that first mission ship, the "Thaddeus," were two other Hawaiians trained at Cornwall. They were William Kanui and John Honolii. Aboard ship an(I later in the islands, the three Hawaiians gave invaluable aid as teachers of the Hawaiian ianguage, as translators, and smooth the way for the peaceful reception of the American mission during the

first weeks. Henry Opukahaia's tombstone inscription as it appears in the Cornwall, Conn., cemetery: IN Memory of HENRY OBOOKIAH a native of OWHYEE. His arrival in this country gave rise to the Foreign mission school, of whieh he was a worthy member. He was onee an Idolater, and was designed for a Pagan Priest; but by the grace of God and by the prayers and instructions of pious friends, he became a Christian. He was eminent for piety and missionary Zeal. When almost prepared to return to his native Isle to preach the Gospel, God took to himself. In his last sickness, he wept and prayed for Owhyhee, but was submissive. He died without fear with a heavenly smile on his contenance and glory in his soul. Feb. 17, 1818; aged 26