Eliza Meek

Eliza Meek (March 3, 1832 – February 8, 1888) was the daughter of Captain John Meek, an early settler of the Kingdom of Hawaii, and the royal mistress of King Lunalilo.

Early life

Eliza Meek was born on March 3, 1832 to Captain John Meek (1792–1875), a New Englander from Marblehead, Massachusetts, who first arrived in Hawaii about 1809 and served for many years as harbor master and pilot of Honolulu.[1][2][3][4] Her mother was Betsy W. Meek, the Hawaiian wife of Captain Meek, who died on May 5, 1848.[5] She grew up with many siblings. Her youngest sister was Elizabeth "Betsy" Meek (1841–1895), who married American settler Horace Gate Crabbe in 1857 and had five children.[6][7][8][9] In her youth, Eliza was noted for her equestrian skills on her father's lands at Lihue and Wahiawa on the island of Oʻahu where their family raised thorough-bred horses which were well known across the islands. According to archivist and historian Albert Pierce Taylor, Eliza was often "seen riding the horse through the streets of Honolulu garbed in a wonderful pa-u, with a dozen or more followers riding behind her wearing the same color of garment."[10][4] Eliza was considered a great beauty in her youth and possessed green-color eyes indicative of her hapa-haole (half-European) heritage.[11][2][12]

Relationship with King Lunalilo

Although King Lunalilo remained a bachelor for his entire life, he took Eliza Meek as his mistress.

Eliza became the mistress of King Lunalilo, who had remained a bachelor for his entire life.[1][13] According to Queen Emma - the widow of Kamehameha IV and close friend of Lunalilo - an elderly palace attendant Waiaha, as well as several other older women, had given Lunalilo a "piece of bananannah [sic] stalk pressed to drink, medicated with love potions, to produce intense affections for Eliza Meek."[1] Along with her brother-in-law Horace Crabbe, who was Lunalilo's chamberlain, Eliza was among a group of his personal attendants and relatives present during the final months of his illness. During this period, Eliza was notoriously hostile to Queen Emma, who occasionally visited the ailing King to help nurse him at this time. According to Dr. Georges Phillipe Trousseau, the King's personal physician, Lunalilo would have married Queen Emma had it not been for Eliza's influence. Never leaving Queen Emma alone with Lunalilo, she would refuse to leave the room even at the King's command.[12][14][15] One night, in a fit of rage, Lunalilo threw a chair and a spittoon at Eliza's head after an argument with her. Queen Emma recounted the instance to her cousin Peter Kaʻeo:

The last bit of news yesterday morning is the King's anger against Eliza Wednesday (yesterday) night for being impudent to him. He threw a chair at her head and a spitoon also, which made a great cut on the side of her head. The nearest Doctor was sent for [and] both McGrew and McKibbin arrived. It seems the King told her to come to bed — she replied what right has a dog or a bitch there, which instantly gave vent to his ill temper that he had been brooding some days, and used a word of four letters belonging only to Waterclosets. She retorted, "Oh, I suppose that is what you eat to exist on." This brought the King's rage to an instant climax and [he] threw the articles at her head. I had intended to call yesterday to see how he continues to improve, but this domestic fracas of the Royal household puts it out of the question, till a few days more when the King will be settled and not so upset.[16]

Despite the scuffle, Eliza was present when Lunalilo sailed to Kailua-Kona, in November, 1873, the following month, in the hope that the dry weather would improve his tuberculosis. However, the trip had no lasting effect on Lunalilo's health. After returning to Honolulu, Lunalilo succumbed to the disease and died on February 3, 1874.[2][17]

Later Years

Little is known of Eliza's life after Lunalilo's death. She died at Peleula – her brother-in-law and sister's residence – on February 8, 1888, at the age of fifty-five. In later life, Eliza was financially well-off and owned a half interest in property on King street, near Maunakea. According to The Daily Bulletin newspaper, she had been ill for a month before she died and her death was "caused by a general breaking."[4][18][19][20]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kaeo & Queen Emma 1976, p. 95.
  2. 1 2 3 Kanahele 1999, p. 274.
  3. ↑ Wakeman 1878, p. 315–316.
  4. 1 2 3 "Death of Eliza Meek". The Daily Bulletin (Honolulu). February 8, 1888. p. 3.
  5. ↑ "Died". The Polynesian (Honolulu). May 6, 1848. p. 3.
  6. ↑ Prall 1997, p. 55.
  7. ↑ "Mrs. Crabbe Dies Suddenly". The Hawaiian Gazette (Honolulu). December 10, 1895. p. 5.
  8. ↑ "A Kamaaina Passes Away Horace Gates Crabbe – Died Last Night". The Hawaiian Gazette (Honolulu). December 8, 1903. p. 3.
  9. ↑ Genealogical Journal. Salt Lake City: Utah Genealogical Association. 1990. pp. 32–34.
  10. ↑ Taylor 1922, p. 223.
  11. ↑ Dye 1997, p. 80.
  12. 1 2 Haley 2014, p. 223.
  13. ↑ Although Lunalilo and Eliza were never married, Edgar Wakeman, a friend of her father Captain John Meek, wrote in 1878 that she was "married to King William, I." (Wakeman 1878, p. 315–316)
  14. ↑ Kaeo & Queen Emma 1976, pp. 91–92, 110.
  15. ↑ Blount 1895, pp. 520–521.
  16. ↑ Kaeo & Queen Emma 1976, p. 112.
  17. ↑ Galuteria & Burningham 1993, pp. 59–63.
  18. ↑ "Local and General". The Pacific Commercial Advertiser (Honolulu). February 9, 1888. p. 3.
  19. ↑ "Death". The Friend 46 (3) (Honolulu). March 1, 1888. p. 22.
  20. ↑ "Died". The Daily Bulletin (Honolulu). May 6, 1891. p. 3.

Bibliography

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