Hawaii History Blog Profiles: Brig Thaddeus (Hawaiian Mission Houses)

The Hawaiian Mission Houses Historical Site and Archives presents public programs that include historic house tours, lectures, family days, workshops, backpacks, teas, exhibitions, and special events. 

In 2010 a blog was created taking visitors day by day on the journey aboard the brig Thaddeus to the Sandwich Islands with the first group of Protestant missionaries to Hawai`i. It was part of a program entitled Coming to Hawai`i: A Trunk Show. The program commemorated the 190th anniversary of the arrival of the Thaddeus in Hawai`i. 

The trip on board of the Thaddeus took around six months to bring the first company of New England missionaries and Christian Native Hawaiians to Hawai`i.  That journey began on October 23, 1819. It was, as one writer has observed, "…the voyage was a time for forging new relationships between husbands and wive, with fellow members of the mission and between the newly covenanted church and its God." 

"We will share each day's log entry as it was entered.  Hopefully, we will then enjoy some interesting and thought-provoking discussions - from how a word's meaning has changed between the 19th and 21st centuries to how people passed the time on board ship to discussions of who does what on the ship.  At journey's end, we hope everyone who participates will come away with a better understanding of these people who hoped to make a difference in their world." Members of the pioneer missionary company left  Boston along with four Hawaiian youths:  Thomas Hopu, William. Kanui, John Honolii, George Tamori.

Click here for a link to the Thaddeus Journal Blog. It is also listed on the Hawaii History Blog Project's list.  

We also invite our visitors to this article featured in the Honolulu Advertiser, dated Thursday, April 15, 2010.