Harvey Rexford Hitchcock
| Harvey Rexford Hitchcock | |
|---|---|
Circa 1855
|
|
| Born |
March 13, 1800 Great Barrington, Massachusetts |
| Died | August 25, 1855 (aged 55) Molokaʻi |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Missionary |
| Spouse(s) | Rebecca Howard |
| Children | David Howard Hitchcock H. Rexford Hitchcock Edward Griffin Hitchcock |
| Parent(s) | David Hitchcock Sarah Swan |
Harvey Rexford Hitchcock (March 13, 1800 – August 25, 1855) was an early Protestant missionary to the Kingdom of Hawaii from the United States. With his three sons, he and his wife started a family that would influence Hawaii's history. He had at least three namesakes in the subsequent generations.
Harvey Rexford Hitchcock was born March 13, 1800 in Great Barrington, Massachusetts. His father was David Hitchcock and mother was Sarah Swan. He was the oldest son of 11 children. He graduated from Williams College in 1828, and Auburn Theological Seminary in 1831. His younger brother George B. Hitchcock (1812–1872) also became a minister, and was active in the American abolitionism movement known as the Underground Railroad. He married Rebecca Howard (1808–1890) on August 26, 1831 in Auburn, New York, and sailed on November 26 to the Hawaiian Islands, as part of the fifth company from the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. They arrived in Honolulu May 17, 1832. Also on this voyage were missionaries William P. Alexander, David Belden Lyman, and Lorenzo Lyons. His sister Elizabeth Hitchcock (1802–1857) arrived 3 years later and in 1836 married missionary printer Edmond Horton Rogers (1806–1853).
They were assigned to start the first mission on the island of Molokaʻi. He took a short scouting mission around the island in the summer of 1832, and in September held the first Christian service in the open air. By June 19, 1833, with the assistance of Lowell Smith (1802–189), a thatched hut was chartered as the first church in an area called Kaluaʻaha. Ka lua ʻaha means "the gathering pit" in the Hawaiian language, the name of the ahupuaʻa (ancient Hawaiian land division) there. On December 6, 1835 a more permanent meeting house was dedicated with a stone base and wooden frame, about 90 feet (27 m) long by 42 feet (13 m) wide. From 1843 to 1847 they were assisted by Peter Johnson Gulick (1796–1877) and his wife. An even larger church building was dedicated April 3, 1844 for the growing congregation. This stone building with plaster finish was about 100 feet (30 m) long by 50 feet (15 m) wide with a gallery level above. Another home was built at a higher elevation called Maunaʻoluʻolu to escape the heat.
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