African American History Month
February 2004
Betsey Stockton
First single woman and African
American missionary to Hawaii
Betsey Stockton (1798-1865) began life as a slave, and went on
to become a schoolteacher, medical nurse, and missionary.
This is the only known photo of her, taken late in life.
From
Betsey Stockton's diary:
April
1823
On the 24th, we saw and made Hawaii (Owhyhee). At the first sight of the
snow-capped mountains, I felt a strange sensation of joy and grief. It soon
wore away, and as we sailed slowly past its windward side, we had a full
view of all its grandeur. The tops of the mountains are hidden in the
clouds, and covered with perpetual snow. We could see with a glass the white
banks, which brought the strong wintry blasts of our native country to our
minds so forcibly, as almost to make me shiver.
But it was not long before objects that were calculated to have a chilling
effect of another kind, were brought to our sight. Two or three canoes,
loaded with natives, came to the ship: their appearance was that of half man
and half beast -- naked -- except a narrow strip of tapa round their loins. When
they first came on board, the sight chilled our very hearts. The ladies
retired to the cabin, and burst into tears; and some of the gentlemen turned
pale: my own soul sickened within me, and every nerve trembled. Are these,
thought I, the beings with whom I must spend the remainder of my life!
They are men and have souls -- was the reply which conscience
made.
We asked them where the king was -- at Hawaii, or Oahu? They said at Oahu. We
informed them that we were missionaries, come to live with them, and do them
good. At which an old man exclaimed, in his native dialect, what may be thus
translated -- "That is very good, by and by, know God."
This beginning of missionary labours seemed very encouraging; and in a short
time our unpleasant feelings were much dissipated, and we conversed with
them freely, through the boys, who were our interpreters. We gave them old
clothes; and in return they gave us all the fish they had caught, except one
large one, which we bought. They remained with us until our boat went on
shore, and brought us some potatoes, taro, and cocoanuts, which were very
refreshing to us after a voyage of five months; part of which time we had no
other diet than meat and bread. I brought (Mrs. Stewart's) little boy on
deck, who was two weeks old; some of them took him in their arms, and in
ecstasy exclaimed, aroha maitai - very great love to you; and kissed him. The
last expression of affection we could have dispensed with very well; but we
have to become all things to all men, that we may gain some. They then bid
us many arohas, and took their departure.
May 1823
On Saturday, the 10th of May, we left the ship, and went to the mission
enclosure at Honoruru. We had assigned to us a little thatched house in one
corner of the yard, consisting of one small room, with a door, and two
windows -- the door too small to admit a person walking in without stooping,
and the windows only large enough for one person to look out at a time. Near
us was another of the same kind, occupied by Mr. R., and opposite one much
larger, where Mr. B. and E. resided. Next to them stood another small one,
in which Mr. Ellis, of the London Mission Society resided; and in the
mission house (which at home would be called small) there were Messrs.
Bingham, Thurston, Loomis, Harwood, Goodrich, Blatchley and Chamberlain. The
family all eat at the same table, and the ladies attend to the work by
turns. Mrs. Stewart and myself took each of us a day separately.
I found my time fully occupied during our stay at Oahu, which I was not sorry for. Had I been idle, I should not in all probability have been so happy in my situation as I was. I was obliged to stay within the enclosure all the time, except on the Sabbath, when I went to church, which was a few rods off: and in the morning early I went three or four times, with Mr. Stewart, to Mr. Allen's, about one mile and a half from home, for milk.
Mr. Allen
was very kind to me, and seemed happy to see one of his own country people.
I think he told me he had resided on the island twenty years, and had never
before seen a coloured female. His wife is a native woman, but very
pleasant, and to all appearance innocent. The first time I visited her she
presented me with a very handsome mat, and appeared happy to see me. They
are in good circumstances, and friendly to the mission. I regretted leaving
them very much.
On the 26th of May we heard that the barge was about to sail for Lahaina,
with the old queen and princes; and that the queen was desirous to have
missionaries to accompany her; and that if missionaries would consent to go,
the barge should wait two days for them. A meeting was called to consult
whether it was expedient to establish a mission at Lahaina. The mission was
determined on, and Mr. S. was appointed to go: he chose Mr. R. for his
companion, who was also appointed the next day. On the 28th we embarked on
the mighty ocean again, which we had left so lately.
In the morning of the 31st, we all came on deck, and were in sight of land.
In the middle of the day we came to anchor; the gentlemen left the vessel to
see if they could obtain a house, or any accommodations for us. They
returned in a few hours with Mr. Butler, an American resident, who had
kindly offered us a house. In the afternoon our things were landed, and we
took up our residence in Lahaina.
We had not seen a tree that looked green and beautiful since we left home, until we came here. The water, too, is very good, and the house one of the best that I have seen on the island. -- It is the same that Dr. Holman had while he was in this country. Mr. B. was very kind to us, and did every thing in his power to make us comfortable. His wife is a half-breed, and one of the prettiest women I have seen on the island. She understands English, but will not speak it. The next day, being the Sabbath, the gentlemen went down to the village in the morning, and preached by an interpreter. The people were very attentive, and requested that their instruction might begin the next day; and accordingly the following day it did begin.
June 1823
The 29th was the Sabbath. I went in the morning with the family to worship: the scene that presented itself was one that would have done an American's heart good to have witnessed. Our place of worship was nothing but an open place on the beach, with a large tree to shelter us: on the ground a large mat was laid, on which the chief persons sat. To the right there was a sofa, and a number of chairs; on these the missionaries, the king, and principal persons sat. The kanakas, or lower class of people, sat on the ground in rows; leaving a passage open to the sea, from which the breeze was blowing.
Mr. R. addressed them from these words, "It is appointed unto all men once to die, and after death the judgment." Honoru acted as interpreter: the audience all appeared very solemn. After service the favourite queen called me, and requested that I should take a seat with her on the sofa, which I did, although I could say but few words which she could understand. Soon after, bidding them aroha, I returned with the family.
In the afternoon we had an English sermon at our house: about fifty were present, and behaved well. In the morning one of the king's boys came to the house, desiring to be instructed in English. Mr. S. thought it would be well for me to engage in the work at once. Accordingly I collected a proper number and commenced. I had four English, and six Hawaiian scholars. This, with the care of the family, I find as much as I can manage.
...
Betsey Stockton's career as a missionary was short-lived. Her work in Hawaii ended two years later. Mrs. Stewart became ill after the birth of a second child, and between caring for the family and maintaining a school, Betsey Stockton found her life very tiring. Their residence in Maui was interrupted by lengthy visits to Honolulu, and when Mrs. Stewart's health failed to improve, they all decided to return to the States, arriving in 1826. Still, the school Stockton had established at Lahaina, Maui, went on: it was, she said, a school for "the Maka'ainana, or lower class of people," and a missionary who came shortly after successfully took it over.
In a Lakewood, NY cemetery, this inscription is found on Betsey Stockton's tombstone:
"Of African blood
and born in slavery she became fitted by education and divine grace, for a
life of great usefulness, for many years was a valued missionary at the
Sandwich Islands in the family of Rev. C. S. Stewart, and afterwards till
her death, a popular and able Principal of Public schools in Philadelphia &
Princeton honored and beloved by a large circle of Christian Friends."
(From American National Biography, published by Oxford University Press,
Inc., copyright 2000 American Council of Learned Societies. Further
information is available at http://www.anb.org.)
From inSpire Magazine of Princeton Theological Seminary, Summer 1998
Volume 3 Number 3:
"Curiously, one of the Seminary's most publicized African American alumnae is Betsey Stockton, a freed slave who became a missionary, a church leader, and a matriarch. She did not acquire her Princeton Seminary education by conventional methods, however; in the early 1800s, Stockton was tutored by PTS students from whom she received an education that set the course for her many contributions to the Presbyterian Church. She established schools in Hawaii and Canada and, in 1835, helped to start the first African American Presbyterian Church in Princeton - now known as the Witherspoon Street Presbyterian Church. Later, Stockton founded a night school and persuaded PTS students to teach young African Americans history, English, algebra, and literature. She was able to provide for those young African Americans the formal college preparatory education that she never had."
Anthony Allen was the first known African American in Hawaii. He was a businessman who ran a large farm in the Waikiki area. When the New England missionaries arrived in the Sandwich Island in 1820, he offered them generous supplies of goat's milk, fresh fruit and vegetables. (Information courtesy of the Mission Houses Museum, Honolulu)
http://www.amherst.edu/~aardoc/Betsey_Stockton_Journal_1.html
Used with permission.
Copyright (c) 2003 The Trustees of Amherst College and
African-American Religion: A Documentary History Project
Amherst College #2269, P. O. Box 5000 Amherst, MA 01002-5000
aardoc@amherst.edu
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsey_Stockton