Abigail Maheha

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Abigail Maheha (July 10, 1832 - ?) was a Hawaiian high chiefess who attended Chiefs' Children's School also known as Royal School.

She was born July 10 1832, the daughter of High Chief Namaile and High Chiefess Kuini Liliha. Her mother was the royal governor of O'ahu and was politically powerful during the regency of Kaahumanu. She was descended from Kahekili II, Moi of Maui, and High Chief Hoapili through her mother.

She had a half-sister Jane Loeau who also attended Royal School. She was adopted or hanaied by her aunt, Princess Anne Kekauonohi.[1] Her hanai mother was a granddaughter of Kamehameha the Great who united the Hawaiian Islands into one kingdom and was also the youngest consort of the deceased Kamehameha II and served as Governor of Kauai.

She the one of the first to attend Chiefs' Children's School. She was chosen by Kamehameha III as one who would be eligible to sit on the throne of Hawaii. She was taught by American missionaries Amos Starr Cooke and his wife, Juliette Montague Cooke. Her teacher look to her and her classmates as heathens and uncivilized beings. During their Sunday procession to church it was customary for boys and girls to walk side by side, so Abigail walked beside Alexander Liholiho, the future King Kamehameha IV.

She left school, around the time her sister got married, to go live with her adoptive mother, Princess Kekauonohi.[2] She had to leave due to the prospect of becoming a mother.[3] The babies father was probably one of the boys at the school. The scandal had to be cover up by the Cookes and the Reverend Bingham with a arranged marriage to a Hawaiian commoner from Lahainaluna High School. Her husband knew about his pregnant wife. As a daughter of Liliha it was probably a disgrace to marry a commoner.[4]

[edit] Reference

  1. ^ Dibble, Sheldon . A History of the Sandwich Islands . Honolulu: T. H., THOS. G. Thrum, 1909. Page 292
  2. ^ Chapters I-V
  3. ^ Kanahele, George S.. Emma: Hawai'i's Remarkable Queen : a Biography . University of Hawaii Press, 1999.
  4. ^ Patterson, Rosemary I. , Ph.D. Kula Keiki Ali'i . Booksurge Llc, 2006. ISBN 1419648756