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Beatrice or '''Bernice Pauahi Bishop''' ( December 19 , 1831 – October 16 , 1884 ) was a Hawaiian Lady , a direct descendant of the royal House Of Kamehameha , '' Ali‘i '', and philanthropist. She was the great-granddaughter, and became the last surviving descendant of King Kamehameha I . Her estate is the largest private landowner in the state of Hawai‘i . The revenues from these lands are used to operate the Kamehameha Schools , which were established in 1887 according to her last will and testament. Born in Honolulu to Alii Paki and princess Alii Konia, Pauahi was raised by ''kuhina nui'' (prime minister) Kīna‘u and was later educated by Protestant Missionaries . Her father, lord Alii Abner Kuho'oheiheipahu ''Paki'' (c 1808-55), was a noble from the island of Molokai , and son of lady Alii Kawao and lord Alii Kalani-hele-maiiluna Paki who himself descended from Alii Aimoku of the island of Maui . Bernice's mother was Princess Alii Laura ''Konia'' (c 1808-57), declared Royal Highness by decree of her grandfather Kamehameha I. She was the younger daughter of Alii Pauli Kaoleioku (1767-1818), by his official wife, Alii Keoua-Wahine, herself daughter of Kauhiwawaeono of Maui. Pauli Kaoleioku was an illegitimate but legitimated natural (eldest) son of king Kamahameha the Great. Bernice Pauahi was adopted at birth by Princess Kina'u Ka'ahumanu II , Kuhina-Nui. Contrary to a chiefly posthumous but popular belief, the great lady Bernice Pauahi never used in her lifetime, nor was officially entitled to, the title Princess . This frequent error is repeated in a wide variety of modern publications. Pauahi went to a school called the Chiefs Children School for a while, up until about high school. After a little while, it was then renamed to the Royal School. Her teachers were Mr. and Mrs. Cooke. What Pauahi really enjoyed was horseback riding and swimming. She also liked music, flowers, and outdoors. Pauahi married businessman Charles Reed Bishop in 1850 over the objections of her parents. It had been planned from childhood that Pauahi, born into Hawaiian royalty, would marry her hanai brother Lot Kamehameha. Very few people attended her wedding at her request. One of the few witnesses was that of Princess Elizabeth Keka‘ana‘iu, her cousin. The couple had no children of their own; they adopted a son from her cousin Ruth Ke‘elikōlani but the infant died at the age of six months. King Kamehameha V offered her the throne before he died, but Pauahi declined. On the October 16, 1884, at the age of 52, Princess Pauahi died in Keōua Hale, Honolulu, because of cancer. She is interred in the Kamehameha Crypt, Royal Mausoleum, Mauna 'Ala, Nu'uanu Valley, Oahu. After her death, her husband helped establish the Kamehameha Schools in 1887 , and created the Bishop Museum in Honolulu in 1889 as a memorial to her. Her goals were that her entire estate for the establishment of a school to educate orphans and indigents, with preference to those of Hawaiian ancestry (1883). When she wrote her will, only 44,000 Hawaiians remained. Princess Pauahi's Will was consummated upon her death in 1884 and her wishes were carried out. Lately there has been some controversy over the interpretation of her will, with some insisting that her intention was to only admit children of Hawaiian or part-Hawaiian ancestry, and others interpreting her will more liberally. As of this writing, the lawsuit John Doe vs. Kamehameha Schools is still being litigated. |
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