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“I came first to the Islands in 1864…I came directly to Kauai, and took charge of the Ranch, which at that time consisted of Wailua mauka and a half interest in Olohena and Kapaa…The natives at that time had possession of Wailua makai. I lived at the Brown Place mauka…
“One of my early ventures was raising cotton…It grew very well, but the trouble was that in this climate, it was ripe cotton and flowers, all mixed up together, so that it was very expensive to pick…I then secured a lease of Wailua Kauai…I devoted it entirely to sheep at first but afterwards added cattle and later still horses…Another venture was sugar, in which I did fairly well…I lived in those days, in back of the Cocoanut grove, or where the Cocoanut grove is now, on the Debora Kapule Kuleana, in a grass house. It was finally burned up, together with a couple of store houses, by an Incendiary…

Coconut Grove, January 2009 - Photo by Jason Schaper

“I planted that Cocoanut Grove in 1896. I had to send all the way to Samoa for the nuts to plant, and it cost a good deal. I dug deep holes down through the layer of sandstone, some places they were 6 or 7 feet deep, then I filled them in with top soil and manure…and some of them began to bear when they were only 5 years old. Well, yes I thought it would be commercially profitable in the end, but I was never very keen about money, I wanted to improve the land and leave better conditions behind me. I take much satisfaction in that grove.”

- “Notes of an interview with Mr. E. Lindeman,” February 1916, Kaua‘i Historical Society.

For further information regarding this project please contact
Kauai Public Land Trust
www.kauaipubliclandtrust.org  -  808.346.9419  -  jennifer@kauaipubliclandtrust.org