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Francisco de Paula Marín

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Francisco de Paula Marín
man in 19th-century military uniform
Born
Francisco de Paula Marín y Grassi

(1774-11-25)25 November 1774
Jerez de la Frontera,Spain
Died30 October 1837(1837-10-30)(aged 62)
Honolulu,Hawaii
NationalitySpanish
Other namesMarini, Manini
Known forHorticulture
SpouseAt least three
ChildrenMany
Parent(s)Juan Marín
María Grassi
Signature

DonFrancisco de Paula Marín(25 November 1774 – 30 October 1837) was aSpaniardwho became influential in the earlyKingdom of Hawaii.Often calledManini,Marinior other variations, he became aconfidantof Hawaiian KingKamehameha I.Marín acted as ajack-of-all-trades,sometimes even acting as a physician, probably without any formal education, and is credited with introducing many agricultural products.[1]

Life

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Marín's early life is not generally known, but he probably was born 25 November 1774, inJerez de la Frontera,an area of Spain nearCadiz.His father was Juan Marín and mother was María Grassi.[2] It was likely he was an apprentice pilot on a ship associated with theAlessandro Malaspina expeditiontoNootka SoundandVancouver Island.At some point he deserted the Spanish and came aboard the American brigLady Washington,captainJohn Kendrick.He arrived in theHawaiian Islandsin 1793 or 1794. He became an interpreter and advisor in the acquisition and use of Western military weapons to KingKamehameha Iwho was just capturingOʻahuisland in theBattle of Nu'uanu.For his service Marín was given land in present-dayHonolulunearPearl Harbor.He took at least one more trip off the islands. In 1804 he went as a pilot with captain James Rowan of theHazardwhere he interpreted for Rowan with the Native Americans of thePacific Northwest.[1]

Diplomacy and horticulture

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Despite deserting them, Marín kept on good terms with the Spanish inAlta California.A natural charmer, he also had good relations with pirates such asHippolyte de Bouchardon his visit in 1818, and with the French navigatorLouis de Freycinetin 1819.[1] He often asked for and received seeds, plants and animals, and then experimented with planting new kinds of fruits and vegetables in the Hawaiian Islands.[3]: 46–49  He established Hawaii's firstgrapevineyard in 1815,[4]and produced its first wine andbrandy.He distilledsugarcaneintorum,and experimented withbeer.[5] In 1813, Marin cultivated the Hawaiian Islands' firstpineapplecrop,[6]and is usually credited with the firstcotton,[7]mango,[8]andorange[9]cultivation. He raised some of the first horses and cattle.[10]Although some of these products might have been grown in household gardens, he ran the first Western-style commercial farming operation. His home became a boarding house, as he rented rooms and served meals to visiting merchants.[11]

Marín at Hale Kauila with the royal court receiving the French Captain Du Petit Thouars, 1837

As the speaker of several languages, he was the unofficial diplomatic corps of Honolulu, acting as accountant and tax collector as he sold his products to restock ships. In April 1819 he was sent to attend the ailing Kamehameha as de facto royal physician and stayed with the king until he died on 8 May.[5]The new King,Kamehameha II,and his young French drinking companionJean Baptiste Riveswere happy to offer Marín's refreshments to visitors. On 10 December 1819, Kamehameha II officially commissioned Marín as a captain in the Hawaiian Army.[12]

Family

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His son Paul Marin (right) photographed withHenry A. Neilsonin the uniform of the Hawaiian Cavalry, 1855

Marín was also known for his family of at least threenative Hawaiianwives and many children. His exact number of offspring is clouded by his penchant for exaggeration. One daughter married Portuguese stonemason Antonio Ferreira, who in 1810 built one of the first stone houses in Honolulu for the Marín family. Daughter Cruz Marín married English sea captain Joseph Maughan. Daughter Lahilahi had children with AmericanConsulJohn Coffin Jones(even though Jones was already married). Sons Nicolas and Paul F. Marin developed some early commercial facilities of the waterfront.[13]His youngest daughter Antoinette Francesa Manini (1832–1905) married businessman Lyman Swan in 1851.[14]Although Swan was accused of fraud in Hawaii,[15]the family moved toSanta Cruz, Californiaand became stable members of the early community there. Marín wrote to governorLuis Antonio Argüelloabout moving to Alta California himself, but was told his multiple wives would not be welcome.[16]

Religion

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Despite hispolygamy,Marín favored theRoman Catholic Church.When the first priests arrived, his growing family made a substantial part of the congregation.[17] He acted as interpreter when the firstChristian missionariesarrived in 1820.[18]WhenRichard Charlton,the first official British trade representative, arrived he brought a letter addressed to Marín saying that land should be provided for the consulate.[19]When Charlton pressed his claim, he produced a lease witnessed by Marín.[20]

WhenHMSBlondearrived in 1825 with the bodies of Kamehameha II and his queen, who died in London, more plants were left off with Marín, including some of the firstcoffee trees.Although the English gardener John Wilkinson sent on theBlondesoon died, many of the plants thrived on Marín's farm.[21] Over the next few years, thepuritanicalviews ofProtestantmissionaries such asHiram Bingham Ibegan to lessen Marín's influence. Alcoholic beverages were put under strict regulation, and Catholic priests were banished.[11] [22]

Legacy

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Marín died in Honolulu on 30 October 1837. AfterRobert Crichton Wylliefound Marín's diary as he started the Hawaii archives, he said:

...much of the present wealth of the islands, is owing to the seeds, roots, and plants introduced by that one man. In my own opinion, it may be fairly questioned if there existed on these islands, or exists at present, any man, to whom the Hawaiian people are generally so much indebted.[5]

Marin street near theHonolulu Harborwas named for him21°18′38″N157°51′49″W/ 21.31056°N 157.86361°W/21.31056; -157.86361(Marin street).[23][24]A 28-story high-rise apartment house called Marin Tower was built in 1994[25]on the site of his house,[26]marked by a plaque and a sculpture titledSite of Passageby Laura Ruby.[27]Vineyard street and boulevard at21°18′41″N157°51′19″W/ 21.31139°N 157.85528°W/21.31139; -157.85528(Vineyard street)is also named for his vineyard.[28]

References

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  1. ^abcDonald Cutter (1980). "The Spanish in Hawaii: Gaytan to Marin".Hawaiian Journal of History.Vol. 14. Hawaii Historical Society. pp. 20–25.hdl:10524/474.
  2. ^"Baptism record of Francisco de Paula Marín".Jerez Siempre.Retrieved4 April2010.
  3. ^Kenneth M. Nagata (1985). "Early Plant Introductions in Hawai'i".Hawaiian Journal of History.Vol. 19. Hawaii Historical Society. pp. 35–61.hdl:10524/127.
  4. ^Robert C. Schmitt (1980). "Some Firsts in Island Business and Government".Hawaiian Journal of History.Vol. 14. Hawaii Historical Society. pp. 80–108.hdl:10524/577.
  5. ^abcThe Transactions of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society.Vol. 1. Henry M. Whitney, Hawaii Government Press. August 1850.
  6. ^Robert E. Paul; Ching-Cheng Chen (2003), "Postharvest Physiology, Handling and Storage of Pineapple", in Robert E. Bartholomew (ed.),The Pineapple: Botany, Production and Uses,CABI Publishing, p. 253,ISBN0-85199-503-9See also: Collins, J.L. (1934). Introduction of pineapples in Hawaii and some brief accounts of pioneer pineapple growing.Pineapple Quarterly.4pp. 119-130.
  7. ^F. G. Krause (1910). Thomas G. Thrum (ed.)."Cotton Culture in Hawaii".Hawaiian Almanac and Annual.p. 58.
  8. ^Willis T. Pope (1920). Thomas G. Thrum (ed.)."Possibilities of the Mango in Hawaii".All about Hawaii.Honolulu Star-Bulletin.p. 56.
  9. ^Ruth Tabrah.Hawaii: A Bicentennial History.New York City: W. W. Norton & Co. 1980, p. 26.
  10. ^Jacques Arago(1823)."Letter CXIV. Owyhee, Sandwich Islands".Narrative of a voyage round the world, in the Uranie and Physicienne corvettes, commanded by Captain Freycinet, during the years 1817, 1818, 1819, and 1820.Treuttel & Wurtz, Treuttal, jun. & Richter.
  11. ^abRichard A. Greer (1994). "Grog Shops and Hotels: Bending the Elbow in Old Honolulu".Hawaiian Journal of History.Vol. 28. Hawaii Historical Society. pp. 35–67.hdl:10524/489.
  12. ^Robert C. Lydecker (9 June 1906)."The Archives of Hawaii".Papers of the Hawaiian Historical Society Number 13.Hawaiian Historical Society, Honolulu. p. 21.Retrieved6 February2010.
  13. ^Richard A. Greer (1998). "Along the Old Honolulu Waterfront".Hawaiian Journal of History.Vol. 32. Hawaii Historical Society. pp. 53–66.hdl:10524/430.
  14. ^"1832-1910 Oahu marriage records".state archives digital collections.state of Hawaii.Retrieved6 April2010.
  15. ^David W. Forbes (2001).Hawaiian National Bibliography, 1780-1900: 1851-1880.Vol. 3.University of Hawaii Press.p. 156.ISBN978-0-8248-2503-4.
  16. ^Geoffrey Dunn and Kim Stoner (31 March 2010)."Riders of the Sea Spray".Santa Cruz Good Times.Archived fromthe originalon 13 September 2011.Retrieved6 April2010.
  17. ^Kamakau, Samuel(1992) [1961].Ruling Chiefs of Hawaii(Revised ed.). Honolulu:Kamehameha SchoolsPress.ISBN0-87336-014-1.
  18. ^Hiram Bingham I(1855) [1848].A Residence of Twenty-one Years in the Sandwich Islands(Third ed.). H.D. Goodwin.
  19. ^"Instructions from Kamehameha II".state archives digital collections.state of Hawaii. 2 July 1824.Retrieved6 April2010.
  20. ^"Charlton Lease".state archives digital collections.state of Hawaii. 1826.Retrieved6 April2010.
  21. ^James Macrae (1922). William Frederick Wilson (ed.).With Lord Byron at the Sandwich Islands in 1825: Being Extracts from the MS Diary of James Macrae, Scottish Botanist.W.F. Wilson.ISBN978-0-554-60526-5.
  22. ^Ralph Simpson Kuykendall(1965) [1938].Hawaiian Kingdom 1778-1854, foundation and transformation.Vol. 1. University of Hawaii Press.ISBN0-87022-431-X.
  23. ^Mary Kawena Pukuiand Elbert (2004)."lookup of marin".on Place Names of Hawai'i.Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii. Archived fromthe originalon 28 July 2012.Retrieved4 April2010.
  24. ^MarinStreet
  25. ^City Council (2004)."Resolution number 04-42 Requesting the city auditor to conduct a study of city-owned residential and commercial properties".City and County of Honolulu. Archived fromthe originalon 29 February 2012.Retrieved5 April2010.
  26. ^Don Hibbard; Augie Salbosa (2006).Designing paradise: the allure of the Hawaiian resort.Princeton Architectural Press. p. 7.ISBN978-1-56898-574-9.
  27. ^"Public Sculpture".Laura Ruby Artist web site.Archived fromthe originalon 13 July 2011.Retrieved5 April2010.
  28. ^Mary Kawena Pukuiand Elbert (2004)."lookup of vineyard".on Place Names of Hawai'i.Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii. Archived fromthe originalon 16 July 2012.Retrieved4 April2010.

Further reading

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