“A considerable sensation was created in Millersburg by having a live Queen passing through that place. Her Imperial Highness, Emma, Queen Consort of the Sandwich Islands [Hawaii], accompanied by a suite of distinguished English ladies and gentlemen, passed through on the Northern Central Railway en route to Niagara Falls.” [As reported in the Upper Dauphin Register, September 1, 1866, and reprinted in the Lykens Standard, November 24, 1905].
Queen Emma Kaleleokalani (1836-1885) was Queen Consort of the Sandwich Island [Hawaii] while she was the wife of King Kamehameha IV from 1856 to his death in 1863. She was a candidate for the throne, but was not elected. However, she retained the title of Queen.
Her visit to the United States in 1866 was part of an effort to raise funds for the Episcopal Church of Hawaii.
When the Northern Central Railway train passed through Millersburg, it was said that the station platform and tracks in Lenkerville were lined with curiosity seekers hoping to obtain a glimpse of the royal entourage. No doubt, this contributed to the “considerable sensation” that was reported in the Upper Dauphin Register.
A selection of newspaper articles is presented below describing the Queen’s arrival in New York and her travels into Pennsylvania, including a visit to Gettysburg.
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From The Press of Philadelphia, August 7, 1866:
THE QUEEN OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS — HER ARRIVAL EXPECTED
Queen Emma, of Hawaii, is expected here [New York] by the steamer Java, from Liverpool, and will probably arrive tomorrow or Wednesday. The Queen has been, as is known, on a visit to England, and is now on her way home. She will be received here with the national honors. New York Post.
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From the Philadelphia Inquirer, August 9, 1866:
Emma, the Queen Dowager of the Sandwich islands, who has recently been to Europe, and visited England especially to ask the aid of the church there for the extension of religion among the people of her country, arrived this morning on board the Cunard steamship Java on her way home.
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From The Press of Philadelphia, August 9, 1866:
ROYALTY
QUEEN EMMA OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS A VISITOR ON OUR SHORES
(From the New York Express.)
The steamer Java, which arrived at this port this morning, anchoring in the stream, opposite the Cunard dock, had among her passengers Her Majesty Queen Emma of the Sandwich Islands, with her suite.
As our readers are aware, the Queen has been paying a visit to London, and also to Paris, where she was well received and lionized. She is now en route home, deciding on her way to “drop in upon” the “sovereigns” of the United States.
QUEEN EMMA
There are many interesting circumstances connected with the presence of Queen Emma among us. The sovereign who visits us is a woman and a widow. She is the descendant of a race who have been civilized and Christianized mainly through the efforts of Great Britain and the United States. In receiving his royal guest, Brother Jonathan’s gallantry will be put to the test.
SPECIAL MESSENGER FROM THE STATE DEPARTMENT
A special messenger was sent to New York from Washington by Secretary Seward, to give a proper reception to the illustrious guest, and to tender her the hospitality of our Government.
A RECEPTION
Due arrangements had been made by United States officers to proceed down the bay in a revenue cutter and meet the Java; but this part of the programme was interfered with by the unexpected arrival of the steamer. This morning, at about half past five o’clock, the revenue-cutter Jessamine left the barge office at Whitehall slip and proceeded alongside of the Java. A messenger was sent on board requesting the Queen and her suite to remain on the steamer until formally received by the representative Seward. The invitation was graciously received and accepted by the Queen.
At 10 o’clock the Jessamine again left the barge office, having on board the messenger from Secretary Seward, Surveyor Wakeman, Mr. Odell, U. S. Consul to the Sandwich Islands, and others. They proceeded to the Java, and were formerly received by her majesty. About this time, a royal salute was fired by the U. S. revenue Cutter Cuyahoga. At the mast-head of the Java was displayed the national flag of the Sandwich Islands, a combination of the American and British ensigns. The main portion of the flag has for a grand alternate, red and white horizontal stripes, with a square in the left hand corner, occupied by the British Union Jack. It is precisely the same as the national, with the exception that the portion occupied by the Union Jack in the national flag is occupied by a crown on a white field.
The reception of the representatives of our Government by the Queen was private affair and occupied but a short time. Her Majesty and her suite were immediately transformed from the Java to the Jessamine, the Queen’s flag on the former was hauled down in token of farewell, and the cutter speed on her way with her illustrious passenger.
The Queen is accompanied and escorted by Major Hopkins, an officer of the English army. A young British lady, Miss Iness Spurgen, travels with her in the capacity of a lady friend. Her Majesty is accompanied by a man servant and maid servant. These four persons comprise the suite.
She is about 30 years of age, of the medium size, of prepossessing appearance, has black eyes, black straight hair and olive complexion. She dresses in the latest style, and in manner and conversation “is every inch a Queen.”
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From the Philadelphia Inquirer, August 10, 1866:
THE QUEEN.
New Yorkers are making the most of Dowager Queen Emma of Hawaii. She has been welcomed to the United States by a letter from Secretary Seward, and taken charge of by United States officers. But this is not sufficient, and it is urged that it is the duty of the mayor to wait on her, and offer her “the freedom of the city.” The freedom of a municipal corporation formerly carried with it the conferring of citizenship on the person complimented, including the right to vote. Is it proposed to give this foreign lady a right to vote at the next election, for a New York Alderman? The Queen comes to this country on business, being engaged in a begging tour. She is a solicitor for contributions to the Protestant Episcopal (High) Church of the Sandwich Islands. In England she succeeded in raising £10,000. Now if the New Yorkers want to pay an acceptable compliment to this lady, they will vote her $20,000 out of the city treasury for the encouragement of the Gospel in the Hawaiian Kingdom. This, after all, need not seem to be impossible. No doubt the appropriation could be got through the New York Common Council and the Board of Alderman provided the Queen would consent a liberal “divvy.”
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, August 13, 1866:
THE QUEEN OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS — This lady is now the lion(ess) of New York City, and is expected to visit Washington in a few days. She will probably pass through this city, over the Northern Central and Pennsylvania railroads on her way to the great West.
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From the Philadelphia Inquirer, August 23, 1866:
The Queen of the Sandwich Islands.
Baltimore, August 22 [1866] — Queen Emma passed through this city today, on her way to Gettysburg.
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From the Harrisburg Telegraph, August 23, 1866:
THE QUEEN OF THE SANDWICH ISLANDS TO PASS THROUGH HARRISBURG — Emma, Queen of the Sandwich Islands, accompanied by her suite, left Washington yesterday morning, at seven o’clock, in a special car, provided by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. She passed directly through altimore and proceeded to Gettysburg, where she will spend a day reviewing that historic battlefield and the various points of interest in that vicinity. She will proceed thence through Harrisburg to niagara Falls direct, where she will remain two days; thence by Lakes Champlain and George to Montreal and Quebec; thence to Saratoga; thence by Albany, by invitation of the Governor of New York; afterward to Boston, where she has been invited by the State and municipal authorities; thence to New Haven, for the purpose of visiting her old preceptor, Dr. Brooks, who, while he was a missionary to the Sandwich Islands, acted in that capacity toward her; thence to new York City, to partake of the hospitalities of the State. Before leaving for home she designs visiting Philadelphia, but we believe she will not pay our beautiful city and its surroundings a visit. By not stopping at Harrisburg, she will fail to see the “great telescope,” and the table upon which the Declaration of Independence of the United States was signed, two of the greatest objects of interest in the United States.
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From the Harrisburg Patriot, September 6, 1866:
ADAMS COUNTY — The Gettysburg Compiler says: Queen Emma, of the Sandwich Islands, accompanied by Miss Spurgeon, an English lady, Mr. Edmonds, her Charge d’Affairs at New York, and Major Hopkins, her Minister of Interior, arrived here in a special car on Wednesday, to view the battlefield. The Queen is about thirty years old, and is a widow; has a rather dignified appearance, and is said to be intelligent. Her complexion may be denominated as dusky. The party left next morning, after having created an unusual sensation.
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The portrait of Queen Emma is colorized from a public domain photograph found on Wikipedia.
News articles from Newspapers.com.
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.