-In Hawaiian Gazette 6/5/1896, p6-c1, mentions first wife died in child birth and a relative of Karaimoku (Kalanimoku)1223

-She was a chiefess.1215

-He ran King Kamehameha’s fleet of ships during sandalwood days. He is attributed with designing the first Hawaiian flag, so that his Hawaiian vessel might enter Makao and trade sandalwood. A Scottish merchant mariner, Alexander served Kamehameha well.1217

-1st Honolulu Harbor Pilot1217 of Oahu, (on Headstone)135,1215

-He came to Hawaii in 18111217. He was captain of a ship and a trader. He was engaged in sandalwood trade for the Hawaiian monarch in the early days.

-He served as the King’s advisor.

-Became a great friend of King Kamehameha who put him in charge of the King’s fleet1217, (9 square riggers and 15 small craft), and who skippered the King’s merchant ship w/a cargo of sandalwood to China, (Canton). The merchant ship was “Ka’ahumanu”. Was appointed the Kam I as first regular pilot for Honolulu Harbor, which he held for 40 yrs. (Ref.: Friend, Dec. 1871 and Builders of Hawaii, 1925, p. 51)

-Was the designer of the Hawaiian flag.1217 When his ship got to Makao, China, that government required that his ship wave some kind of flag. Not having any, he designed one out of the Union Jack, (the British flag), and the American flag.

-Introduced many fruit trees, including mangoes, from China, N. & S. America.

-He and Andrew Auld were old cronies for years in Kalihi Valley.

-His companion was John Young, close advisor of the king. He and John Young influenced King Kam II to permit American missionaries to land in 1820. (Ref.: Advertiser, 6/3/1896)

-Aided Kam I in 1817 in expelling the Russians from Kauai, (Ref.: Advertiser, 6/3/1896)274

-King Kam I & Kaahumanu gave him 2000 acres at Niu. His granddaughter, Mrs. Mary Lucas, has this, (1925), grant intact. (Ref.: Builders of Hawaii, 1925, p. 51, at Archives)

-Two of Auld's children married two of Capt. Adams' children. HIs first son and his first daughter.1218

-”Prof. Alexander, in his "History of the Hawaiian People” has the following interesting item concernlng her (Victoria Tell) father, Captain Alexander Adams:
"Kotzebue (of the Russian dlscovery-ship Rurick who visited the islands in
1816) had found in the harbor, besides the ship Albatross and other vessels,
the brig Forester which had been purchased by the king from Captain Piggott
In exchange for sandal-wood, and her name changed to Kaahumanu, in
March, 1817, Kamehameha sent her, under Captain Alexander Adams, with
a cargo of sandal-wood to Canton, touching at Kauai to haul down the
Russian colors and hoist his own, and returning October 17, 1817. The result
was that the king lost about three thousand dollars by the speculation, partly because the Chinese authorities would not recognize the Hawaiian flag.”1227

-Born in Forfarshire, Scotland, Adams went to sea at the age of twelve and served in the Royal Navy until 1810, when he arrive in Hawaii on the American ship Albatross. He took up residence ashore and through the good offices of John YOUNG was placed in command of the small collection of vessels owned by Kamehameha I. Adams sailed the king and crew of the brig Kaahumanu to Kauai in 1816 to expel the Russian filibusters under George Anton SCHEFFER. Adams is supposed to have inspired the design of the present Hawaiian flag, putting the Union Jack in the upper corner. On a voyage to China in 1817 with a cargo of sandalwood, Adams was refused entrance to the harbor of Macao because the colors were not recognized.

Along with Young, Adams advised Kamehameha II to allow the American missionaries to remain in the kingdom. When that monarch left for England in 1823, Adams was asked to act as pilot for the port of Honolulu, a post he held for nearly thirty years. He then retired to his estate of more than two thousand acres granted to him by Kamehameha I in Kalihi, Oahu. Adams married three times, twice to daughters of John Harbottle, harbor pilot; the sisters had been reared at the court by Queen KAAHUMANU.1228

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Capt. Adams left Scotland age 12, worked 4 years aboard "Zephyr" belonging to Husson & Co. Newcastle on Tyne England. Age 16, left Zephyr, joined "Calcutta" on the Lancaster for 2 trips. Drafted into Navalservice aboard "Elizabeth" during the Sea battle of Trafalgar, 1805. Possibly arrived in Hawaii 1809. Anchored in Kawaihae Bay on 01-21-1816, aboard "Forrester". Purchased with Sandlewood, King Kamehameha made trade with Adams, and Capt. Ebbetts. Purchase had to be done with the condition that Adams command the ship. The Forrester's name was changed to "Kaahumanu". It was mostly a cargo and dispatch vessel. He served for the Hawaiian Government under Kamehameha, and in 03-07-1817, King Kamehameha sent Adams to China on a Sandlewood voyage, crew members died while inroute due to changes in climate. While in China,ordered to pay $3000. in port charges. Upon returning 10-05-1817, Hilo, and hearing of the charges Adams had to pay, King Kamehameha ordered Hawaii do the same. After 30 years of piloting, Adams retired, resided in Kalihi and was great host to many. Adams kept a journal which his notes were taken from and printed in Honolulu Star Bulltein 05-04-1935. He is noted for the a controversy on the making of the Hawaiian flag and the rittish jack in the flag. He had three wives, Sarah "Sally" Davis, daughter of Isaac Davis, Sarah Harbottle separated after 8 years. Third wife, Charlotte Harbottle(d.09-23-1893), still lived at the time of his death. He had 15 children and at the time of his death, 10 were currently alive. Last address was the corner of Hotel St and AdamsLane in Oahu.1223

SOURCES:
Advertiser: 08-27/30-1927 "The Journal of Alexander Adams" Testimony Before The Land Commission of 1848
Hawaiian Gazette 1896 June 5, P6. C1.
Brittish in Hawaii by Chris Cook Honolulu Star Bulletin 05-04-1935 p4
"Adventures in the History of Hawaii No.5 Adams, the "Auld" pilot Hawaiian Gazette 1871 Nov. 1 p2c4

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ADAMS, Alexander CAPT., 11/1/1871; p2-c4; died at residence on Hotel St., Honolulu 10/27/1871; aged nearly 92yrs; native of Scotland; resident since 1810. In employ of Kamehameha I and took his brig, the Forrester to China with sandalwood. First pilot of Honolulu 1817-1844; oldest foreign resident and formerly in British Navy; In Hawaiian Gazette 6/5/1896, p6-c1, mentions first wife died in child birth and a relative of Karaimoku (Kalanimoku), 2nd wife, a daughter of Isaac Davis, separated after 8 yrs. 3rd wife, still living (name not given). 15 children/ 10 still alive.1225

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Kamakahonu - The Eye Of The Turtle
by Mikahala Roy

The area known as Kamakahonu and the surrounding Kamakahonu Cove is beyond dispute, the of the most important sites in al! ths Hawaiian islands. Not only was Kamakahonu declared the first capitol site of the united Hawaiian islands under the leadership of Kamehameha the Great, it was here that he spent his last years and organized the preparation of Hawaii for her future.

Here the Kapu System, the evolved condition of the faith of the Hawaiian people to that point, was abrogated foliowing the historic "Ai Noa" ceremony.

Here the first missionaries to reach the islands made their initial "official" landing. They did so upon a stone promontory of pahoehoe islets recorded in history as the "Plymouth Landing" of Hawai'i. Here, the ships of other countries of the world landed to receive permission from Kamehameha I for any and all of their activity in the islands.

Here, the Hawaiian flag flew for the first time in the Kingdom, the product of the collaboration of Kamehameha I and Captain Alexander Adams.


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The Flag of the Lands of Kamehameha IV

From Ka Nūpepa Kū‘oko‘a, January 1, 1862

HAWAIIAN:

Ua hana mua ‘ia kēia Hae i ka makahiki 1816, no Kamehameha I. No ka mana‘o o ke ali‘i e holo kekahi moku ma Kina, e kū‘ai i ka ‘Iliahi. ‘Imi pū ‘o ia me Olohana, ‘o Aikake, a me Alika (ma Kalihi e ola nei i kēia wā), i hae no ka moku, he wahi moku ‘ano manuwā, ua lako i nā pū he ‘umikumamāono, ‘o Forester ka inoa. ‘O Kamehameha I, ka mea nona ka moku.

A i ka pa‘a ‘ana o ka hae, holo akula ka moku ma Makao, ha‘oha‘o ‘ia ka Hae, ‘a‘ole i ‘ae ‘ia he Hae Aupuni. Ho‘ouku nui ‘ia ka moku no ke awa, a kū‘ai pohō ‘ia ka ‘Iliahi, a ho‘i mai i Hawai‘i nei.

Lohe ke ali‘i i kēia pohō, ‘ōlelo ‘o ia e kau i ka uku no ke awa o Honolulu e like me ko nā ‘āina ‘ē. ‘O ia ke kau mua ‘ana i ke uku kūmau no ke awa.

I ka makahiki 1813, i ka lā 25 o Feberuari, huki ‘ia i lalo kēia Hae e Lord George Paulet (Lo Keoki,) me ka mana‘o e lilo kēia pae ‘āina i waiwai no Beretānia Nui, a kau ‘ia ka hae Beritānia ma kona mau pahu hae a puni ka ‘āina, a hiki i ka lā 31 o Iulai o ia makahiki.
Na Admerala Thomas i ho‘iho‘i mai i ka Hae, no ka mea, ua hihia ‘o ia i ka hana a Lord George Paulet (Lo Keoki).


ENGLISH:

The Hawaiian Flag was designed for King Kamehameha I in the year 1816. As the king desired to send a vessel to China, to sell a cargo of sandalwood, he in company with John Young, Isaac Davis and Capt. Alexander Adams, (the latter now living at Kalihi, near Honolulu, and aged about eighty years,) made this flag for the ship, which was a war vessel called the Forrester, carrying 16 guns and owned by Kamehameha I.

The flag having been made, the vessel sailed for Macao, China where the ensign was not credited nor recognized as a government flag. The ship was heavily taxed for the harbor, her cargo of sandalwood sold at a lost and she returned to these islands.

The King having heard of the loss attending his speculation said he would impose a tax on the harbor of Honolulu, similar to that of foreign countries. This was the origin of harbor dues at these islands.

On the 25th of Feb., 1843, Lord George Paulet hauled down this flag with the purpose of adding these islands to the sovereignty of Great Britain, and raised the British flag on flag-staffs throughout the group which remained up until the 31st of July, of the same year, when Admiral Thomas restored the flag, being responsible for the act of Lord George Paulet.