The search for the Ancestry of Captain John Dominis, of Boston, and Hawaii

 

For many years I have been trying to find the ancestry of my 5th great grandmother, Elizabeth Lambert (1775- 1834).  She married the son of a British customers officer, Owen Jones (1768 - 1850) in Boston on 11 May 1793 at the Second Baptist Church. Part of the problem was researching the name JONES. It was much too common in Boston during this time period, and so was the name LAMBERT with all its possible spelling variations.

Once I found the connection between the Jones family and Hawaii, I was able to find research help from the archivists at the Hawaii State Archives, Washington Place, and also at the Bishop Museum.  I even took a trip to Hawaii in 2010 to see the Dominis collections of papers, and also Queen Liliuokalani's personal papers and photograph collection.  Through the letters written back and forth between Boston and Hawaii between the Queen and her husband's family members I was able to piece together a family tree of the JONES family.  

Also in the Hawaii archives, letters and manuscripts showed me that the sisters of Mary Lambert Jones (1803 - 1889) included my 4th great grandmother Catherine Plummer Jones (about 1799 - 1828).  Other sisters included Laura Williams Jones, who was the mother of William Lee (1826 - 1906) a famous Boston publisher from the house of Lee and Shepard, and publisher of Hawaii's Story, the Queen's autobiography. There were also letters showing that another sister (Sarah Dargue Jones (1794 - 1875)) was married to Enoch Howes Snelling, a Boston glazier, who sent building materials to Honolulu for the construction of Washington Place. And another sister, Ann Marie Stanwood Jones (1811 - 1832) married a Holt and had two daughters who went west to Hawaii.  Elizabeth Holt (1830 - 1865) died in California, and Ann Marie Holt (1832 - 1851) died very young in Honolulu.  

It is interesting to read the news article (above, and transcribed below) from the Hawaii Archivist in 1926.  He appears fascinated by the fact that Queen Liliuokalani was trying to trace her husband's genealogy.  The Queen's autobibliography is full of family history, and another book she wrote, The Kumulipo, is an ancient chant that includes the royal genealogies.  She was always interested in genealogies, of her own family and other people. 

So sometimes researching the siblings of an ancestor yields very good results! I would never have known much about this 4th great grandmother without knowning so much about her sisters!  

Warning - the news article from 1926 includes some very racist remarks. 

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Transcribed from Honolulu Star-Bulletin, Honolulu, Hawaii, Saturday, November 27, 1926, page 1

"QUEEN SOUGHT TITLE FOR HUSBAND, GENERAL DOMINIS, RECORDS

HERE CLUSTER MEMORIES OF THE DIM AND FRAGRANT PAST

DUCAL LINEAGE WAS CLAIMED FOR LILIU'S CONSORT

Attemp to link Dominis With Nobility of Italy and Austria is Revealed

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Incidentally Much Early History Clusters Around Sea Captain and His Son

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As Told to

Howard D. Case

by Albert Pierce Taylor

Librarian of the Archives of Hawaii

This is the story of how a queen of Hawaii searched Europ in an effort to find a royal title for her commoner husband, and how she failed. 

From the sea of the Adriatic to the lazy latitudes of the Pacific ocean is a far cry.  But from the shores of Italy, washed by the Adriatic, probably came the Dominis family whose name is written indelibly upon the pages of Hawaiian history.

But the mystery of ancestry, like the mystery of the disappearance at sea of Capt. John Dominis, a pioneer ship captain i the Pacific in the '30s and '40s of the last century, remains unsolved to this day. 

Capt. John Dominis, who first entered the Pacific area from Boston via Cape Horn in the early '30s, who became closely identified with the comercial development of the Hawaiian islands, and who was associated with firms which assumed important roles in Hawaii's dramatic egress from barbarism to civiliation, must have been a man of high ideals.

Builder of Washington Place

One of the monuments to the achievements of the business pioneers, and which Captain Dominis erected at Honolulu, is Washington Place, the present official home of the governors of the territory.

Strangely enough, Washington Place in the middle '40s became the official residence of the consular representative of the United States of America.  Within 10 years it has become the home of governors, these officals, omitting the interval of 75 years, being the personal representatives of American presidents.

In the interval between such occupation, Washington Place was the home of the widow of Capt. Dominis and her daughter-in-law, who became Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii and who died within the mansion in 1917.

Washington Place was the first handsome home to be erected in Honolulu, and it has withstood the ravages of time and period.  It is still a stately mansion whose architecture wins the admiration of all who behold it.

Was Native of Boston

Captain Dominis was born at Boston and was of Italian ancestry. [sic - I have found Capt. John Dominis' naturalization papers, which state he was born in Trieste and wished to become a United States Citizen]  He married a Boston lady and they had one son whom they named John Owen Dominis, destined to become a high officer of the Hawaiian monarchy, and, in time, to be officially designated prince consort as the husband of Queen Liliuokalani. 

Mrs. Dominis from all accounts was a woman of rare culture and distinction; a New England woman with much family background.  Captain Dominis, like most shipmasters of his day, turned his eyes toward the vast stretches of the Pacific ocean as a sea of opportunity, for there whale oil and whale bone were to be found in great abundance, and the whaling fleets of New England owners had grown steadily unti the sails of vessels flying the American flag fairly clouded the ocean.

Honolulu and Lahaina were the largest towns in the Hawaiian islands during the '20s, '30s, '40s and '50s of the last century, and were the rendezvous for the fleets of whaling ships which returned from the fishing grounds in the north and brought great cargoes of oil and bone for trans-shipment to vessels en route to New England.

Whalers Spent Freely

It was at these ports that the whaling fleets outfitted.  It was there that the crews spent most of their money, and very often in the manner that sailors are reputed to do.  And the whaling industry became the foundation of Hawaii's prosperity.

New England firms found it worth while to establish branches at Honolulu, and so we have the firm of C. Brewer & Co., established by James Hunnewell in 1826 with many changes in name, including that of Peirce & Brewer Co., C. Brewer & Co., Ltd, recently observed its 100th anniversary of continuous business.

Recently there was turned over to the Archives of Hawaii a mass of letters, documents and papers, some offical, some private, but all more or less having in their pages chronicles of Hawaiian life and history, some dating as far back as 1831. 

Dominis' Letters Found

It is natural, therefore, that in this collection received by the archives there should be a number of letters of Captain Dominis and his son, as well as sheaves of letters written by the captain to Mrs. Dominis. 

The earliest letter indicates that in 1831 Captain Dominis already had achieved fame as a man worthy of responsibility, and admiration.  Josiah Marshall wrote at Boston on November 15, 1831, as follows:

"The bearer, Capt. John Dominis, has been in my employ 11 years now last past, a considerable part as commander of a vessel along the northwest coasts on the Pacific ocean.  I do most cheerfully recommend him as a capable, honest, and industrious man."

On the previous day Bryant & Sturgis wrote to Captain Dominis regretting that he had concluded not to go out in their brig to the Pacific, but adding that if it was to his interest to remain ashore they could not complain of his decision. "The fact that we are all desirous of having you in our employ is the best tribute we can give in the estimation in which we hold you." the letter read.

In 1834 P.J. Farnham & Co. of New York appointed Joseph Moore master of the brig Joseph Peabody of Salem, then loading an assorted cargo for the Sandwich Islands, California, and the northwest coast of America.  He was to proceed to Oahu and deliver the cargo to Captain Dominis of the Bolivar Liberator, and to follow Dominis' instructions regarding the further use of the Joseph Peabody.

Captain Dominis received the cargo.  He sold part of it at Honolulu and, transferring the remainder to his own ship, sailed for the northwest coast where he traded for furs.

Trading with Alaska

Instructions in those days to Dominis as well as to other ship captains going to Alaska were to call upon the Russians and sell at high prices "but get your pay in furs, sealskins.  They will offer you their bills of exchange which are good and promptly met, but they pay no profit.  The skins will be 100 per cent if obtained at the usual price."

The Russians regulated the prices of fur by its value in China. 

Captain Dominis' instructions also included orders to call at Monterey, Angeles, and other lower California ports - San Francisco was practically unknown then- and obtain deckloads of horses for transportation to Hawaii.

Upon their return to Oahu, Captain Dominis and the other captains would collect the proceeds of all sales and invest them in furs, skins, hides, tortoise shell and other commodities and then set sail for New England.

It will be seen from this that ship captains in those days were required to be not only navigators but keen Yankee traders, for it was necessary to turn money over again and again.

He Got $10 a Month

It may be strange to hear that a man of the ability of Captain Dominis received as salary the sum of $10 a month.  P.J. Farnham & Co. on November 22, 1836, in outling instructions to Captain Dominis, who had been appointed master and supercargo of the bark Jones then loading for Oahu, stated that "for performing this voyage you will receive $10 a month... and 4 percent commissions on the net sales int he United States of all proceeds of the outward cargo, and the earnings of the vessel."

On this trip Captain Dominis ws accompanied by his wife and young son.  They arrived at Honolulu safely and took up permanent residence there. Mrs. Dominis lived to a great age, dying at Honolulu in 1889. [age 85 years, 8 months, and 22 days]  The son, John Owen Dominis, died in 1891 during the first year of the reign of Liliuokalani.

The year 1836 marked the beginning of correspondence between Captain Dominis and Peirce & Brewer.  The Liliuokalani collection is filled with letters by Henry A. Peirce and from Peirce & Brewer, some of a social nature, but the majority in relatins to business. They notified the captain of cargoes to be picked up for Honolulu, which he was to dispose of, and wrote, among other things, of striped shirtings and of ribbons "of good quality". 

Velvet Shawls Popular

Henry A. Brewer, writing to Capatain Dominis from Boston on November 9, 1836, added an "N.B." as follows:

"I have put in one dozen velvet shawls, a very splendid article which I think is well adapted for the natives and for which you will get a great price."

Like all captains sailing from America, to the Pacific islands or to China, Captain Dominis often received requests from friends and others to purchase articles on their account, such as strange fabrics, spices and carved curious from those distant lands.

In 1839, in order to give Captain Dominis better opportunities in California, letters of introduction were written by John C. Jones, American consul at Honlulu, and addressed to Vallejo, the miliatry chief of Alta California, and to Alvardo, the political chief, at Monterey, stating that Dominis was commander of the brig Joseph Peabody and a man to be trusted.

Apparently those letters were never delivered, for later they formed a part of Captain Dominis' own collection.

In 1842 a lawsuit of long standing between the captain and Richard Charlton, British consul at Honolulu was terminated.  In final settlement Captain Dominis came into possesion of the land upon which Washington Place now stands.  In the same year the coral foundations were laid, but the building was not completed until 1846, being delayed from time to time due to lack of funds with which to carry on the work.

An interesting feature of the Dominis collection in the archives is a package in the original wrapping contained the bills and accounts for the "new house".  They cover a wide range, including paiting, delivery of rock and sand, lumber, hardward and various other items of building material; for day labor, masonry work, and glass knobs.

Sought Noble Name

On the lower part of the original wrapper under the name "John Dominis" there appears in the handwriting of Queen Lilioukalani the added name "del Gallo" and the words "The lower name is written by Liliuokalani."  That is the point at which this story really begins.

The notation reveals the efforts of Liliuokalani to establish a relationship between her husband's family and the del Gallo family of Italy, a princely family of considerable fame.  These researches were conducted in Europe by the queen through the consular representatives of the Hawaiian islands stationed at the various capitals.

Liliuokalani had research conducted not in her own name, but as though coming from someone merely interested.  However, it became noted about in Europe that the royal family of Hawaii was endevoring to locate relations, and that a great fortune awaited those who could substantiate relationship.

The result was that Hawaiian consulates in Europe were flooded with applications from persons claiming to be related to the royal family and seeking to share in the purported fortune.  This became so burdensome that some of the consuls complained to the queen, whereupon notice was given that the research was inteded only for genealogical purposes, and that there was no gold at the end of the rainbow.

Totally negative results marked the termination of the research.  The Hawaiian consul at Vienna, Austria, in 1892, in giving the results of the research, stated that "Trieste is full of rumors about a great heritage at Honolulu for the successors of the family of Dominci and del Gallo.  I therefore received a heap of letters and many personal calls from such would-be heirs and had consequently great trouble to quiet the people again.  Some intended forming a company and engaging a solicitor to make necessary inquiries in Honolulu direct."

Ths consul learned that a princess of del Gallo was living in Foligno, Italy.  he wrote her a letter but never received an answer. 

There are reams of letters on this subject in the queen's personal papers, many in foreign languages, but none contains anything to indicate that a connection with the del Gallo family had been made.

Old Portrait Found

Of unusual interest in this connection is a copy of a miniature of Capt. John Dominis which was presented to the late John Aimoku Dominis by Queen Liliuokalani, and which is now in the possession of his widow, Mrs. Siby McInerny Hogue of 2021 Alika Ave, Dowsett tract, Honolulu. 

There are four copies of this miniature in Mrs. Hogue's possession, and three of them bearing inscriptions in the queen's handwiritng as follows:

"Duke Giovanni Dominisi, del Gallo, father of J. O. Dominis, Triest."

"Captain John Dominis. Triest, Austria." [Triest was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire at this time, then Italy, and now it is in Slovenia]

"For John Dominis Aimoku from a small painting in a locket."

The first inscription would indicate that Captain Dominis' real name was Giovanni Dominisi del Gallo, and that he held the title of duke.  But the accuracy of the legend is another of those mysteries of heritage which appears to be as yet unsolved.  In the Hawaiian archives, at least, there is nothing to indicate that this was the true name of Captain Dominis, nor that he possessed the title state.

The picture of Captain Dominis, however, is both valuable and interesting, as it is beleived to be one of a very few existence. 

Kept Up the Search

It appears that the queen's search for a title for her commoner husband did not end with the overthrow of the monarchy.  Among the papers is a letter to her from F. A. Schaefer, consul for Italy, written at Honolulu on December 24, 1907, and reading in part as follows:

"I have the honor to inform your maject that in response to my official inquiry, his excellency the Italian minister of foreign affairs, writes meon the 22d of November 1907, that the title of Duca del Gallo is in the possession of the family Mastrilli, residing in Naples. The above is all the information I have received in this connection."

In addition, probably, to the effort to establish genealogical connections in Italy for the Dominis family, Queen Liliuokalani was spurred on in her task in order to give her husband, the prince consort, a higher rank than he held - a rank that would be his "by direct descent."

In 1887 when Liliuokalani, then a princess, accompanied Queen Kapiolani to London to attend the jubilee anniversary of Queen Victoria, John Owen Dominis held only the rank of lieutenant general in His Majesty's army.  He was also the governor of the island of Oahu.

Social Embarrassments

Upon the arrival of the Hawaiian party at London, the fact that Liliuokalani was a princess, and Dominis only a general, complicated social matters and often was the cause of their being divided at offical functions.

If the connection with the princely del Gallo family could have been made for Governor Dominis, probably this difference in official rank would have been eliminated.

In fact, on the back of a letter and in Liliuokalani's handwriting appears this note:

"About del Gallo family: News is received the title has gone to another family. From F. A. Schaefer."

There is also the story that the king of Hawaii offered to bestow a royal title upon Governor Dominis, but that he declined it.

Ship Lost at Sea

Capt. John Dominis, on August 5, 1846, embarked as a passenger on the brig William Neilson at Honolulu for a fur trading voyage, but more especially to purchase some handsome Chinese furniture for his new home.  American Consul Brown of Honolulu was also a passenger.  The ship was lost at sea.  What catastrophe occurred is problematic. It was never heard from after leaving port.

The widow, mourning her husband's loss, was upheld for many years by the hope that some day a trace of the captain would be found.  She did not care to live in the home they had planned together, so rented it to the United States minister, Anthony Ten Eyck, for use as the American legation.  It was he who with the consent of the king, named the dwelling Washington Place in memory of the first American president.

John Owen Dominis married Lydia K. P. Kapaakea on September 16, 1862, and they took up their residence with Mrs. Dominis at Washington Place.  Mrs. Dominis died April 25, 1879, and the property descended to her son.  Upon his death on August 27, 1891, his widow, then Queen Liliuokalani, became owner of Washington Place.  She occupied it until her death on November 11, 1917.

The territory, by act of the legislature on April 30, 1919, took over the home as the official residence of the governors of Hawaii."

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For the truly curious:

Hawaii's Story, by Queen Liliuokalani, 1898 (her autobiography), published by Lee and Shepard, Boston.  There have been several reprints, including the latest one in 2013 edited by David W. Forbes. 

The Kumulipo, complete 1897 text by Queen Liliuokalani, was reprinted in 2020. This is a genealogy of the ali'i (nobility) of the Hawaiian Islands. 

The Diaries of Queen Liliuokalani of Hawaii, 1885 -1900, by Liliuokalani, published 2019 by Hui Hanai, and edited by David W. Forbes. 

July 9, 2024 blog post "Missing Vessel in the Pacific Ocean, 1846" about the disappearance of Captain John Dominis' ship:      https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2024/07/missing-vessel-in-pacific-ocean-1846.html   

I have written over 50 blog posts on Captain John Dominis, Governor John Owen Dominis, and John Dominis Aimoku.  You can read them all this link:   https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/search/label/Dominis  

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To cite/link to this blog post:  Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "The search for the Ancestry of Captain John Dominis, of Boston, and Hawaii", posted July 29, 2024, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2024/07/the-search-for-ancestry-of-captain-john.html: accessed [access date]).