James Kānehoa

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James Young Kānehoa (? - 1850) was a Hawaiian chief and son of John Young who was the British advisor of Kamehameha the Great. He was an influential member of the court of Kamehameha II and Kamehameha III. Sometimes he is confused with his half-brother John Kaleipaihala Young II.

Kanehoa was Young's second son by his first wife in Hawaii the chiefess Namokuelua of Oahu aristocracy. He had the blood of chiefs flowing in his veins, for his mother was woman of, though not high, chiefly rank. Kanehoa had an elder brother named Robert Young, born in 1796. In 1802, Robert was sent to Boston for a proper American education. He entered the American Navy at age 16, served in the War of 1812 and was taken as a prisoner to Bermuda, where he became lost to history. His father had four children from another woman name Ka'oana'eha who was the niece of Kamehameha the Great. His half-siblings were Fanny Kekela, Grace Kamaikui, Jane Lahilahi, and John Kaleipaihala.

Kanehoa was entrusted with the official letters of introduction and served as translator. This visit ended sadly, for Kamehameha II, his queen and three other chiefs contracted the measles and died abroad.^[1] He survived and interpreted for High Chief Boki, the new leader of the royal party, when he met King George IV. Later he was a member of the first Board of Land Commissioners under Kamehameha III. Other members were William Richards, John Ricord, John Papa Ii, and Zorobabel Kaauwai. Their duties were to settle or quiet land claims during the Mahele.^[2] He also held the governorships of Kaua'i and Maui at different times and was particuraly strict in dealing with smallpox. He died in 1850 the same year as his step-mother Ka'oana'eha.