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No. 75, Charles Cocket, Claimant, Maui, Lahaina, Maui June 14, 1846
F.R. 87-89v1
[Margin note:] Claimant notified the Board that he had left. See Shaw his agent October 3, 1848
Mr. Richards, Sir:
I feel sorry on being under the necessity of troubling you with this letter; but being [an] award that you are partly acquainted with the circumstances, and feeling confident you wish to see justice done every one, it emboldened one in sending it to you. On my arrival in Maui I commenced working for Hoopili Kane & continued doing so until his death. About two years previous to that occurrence, Hoopili gave me two lands as a remuneration for my services - one situated at Kaana pali; known by the name of Meahinahina, the other in Honokohoau by the name of Niula, after the death of Hoopili, Governor of Maui, Kakauluohi wished me to work for her as I had done for her Father. I refused to do so, as my time for the previous four years had nearly all been taken up in Hoapili's service, and I was afraid of having a repetition of it, if I engaged to work for her; on my refusal she threatened to take away the land of Honokohaou I called on you concerning it, when you were kind enough to go with me to her; you told her the consequences that may attend it if she took away the land. I was entitled to payment for four years labour since that time, until lately. I have been left in quiet possession of it; about twelve months ago Paki went to my land at Kaanapali & cut down all the Lauala, telling the person who had charge that the land belonged to him; since which time I have had no con..[?]. over the Natives, as they say the land belongs to Paki. With regard to my other land, Namoukao lately arrived from Oahu with orders from Kekuanaoa, saying the land is his, he has taken possession of it, and pulled up the chief part of the kalo. I therefore beg you will be pleased to advise me what to do, for I consider I shall be doing injustice to myself & children should I not endeavour to keep what I have worked hard for. I consider it wrong in the extreme that People should be exposed to the caprice of everyone who may have pretended claims to land & go at pleasure & rob it of what is growing on it. Why did they not claim it when Hoopili was alive, there was sufficient time for them to do so then, I have a large family, my land was their support, Why should I have that taken from me which I worked hard for, I consider I have been treated very ill, there has been no reason assigned to me for taking the land, neither had they any right to do so. I write in this manner, knowing that you, being the Father of a family will feel for me who has a ....
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.... Kekuaiwa's death. It is mine now and that grant by Hoapili had been erroneous.
N.T. 111-112v10
Charles Cockett Vs. 6539 Hoonoho; 4239, Kaiama and Kaukau; 4248, Kekalohe; February 1852
These are husbandmen at Mahinahina, Kaanapali, Maui.
Hoonoho (tiller of the ground for the konohiki), sworn, In the year 1843, our land had become a grazing pasture because my work in the Mahinahina land of Charles Cockett had ended. Since that time I have not done any cultivation, not have I attended work for the konohiki and I have not paid any taxes on that land to the present time. I also have not given a report to James Kanehoa of my status on this land, which he made his rounds on the land for statistics on the number of tenants and their work, however, I have always lived peacefully to the present time on my own
house site.
Charles Cockett: Hoonoho's statements are valid, he has not cultivated the land, he has not paid any taxes and his name is not in my book according to the law, because he has never attended work to the present time on my days. The fact that Hoonoho had surveying done on a land where on he has not cultivated is not right. I have compassion for him, for this reason the house site on which he lives presently shall be for him and his heirs permanently and for all time without any objections from me and as for the land that he has included with intention as his, he has no claim in it; however; I shall be pleased to let him till it under me without his claim.
Hoonoho: I hereby agree with Charles Cockett's views, because he has never reprimanded us, he has shown kindness only; therefore I will cultivate that land under Charles Cockett without claim on my part and the house site shall be mine forever because I have houses there and I have lived there for a long time.
Kaiama: (Husbandman) I did not file when the first call had come from the land officers, instead when J. Fuller came to survey the land and upon his suggestion
Kaiama: a claim was staked for me, but I did realize I had no right and that my action had been deceitful, therefore, I shall live under C. Cockett until death.
Kaukau: (another husbandman) I had set up a claim for myself in Makuahine, land of C. Cockett and was surveyed by J. Fuller but recently C. Cockett and I decided to separate my land section. I had hesitations about it so both parties agreed to go to the land officers. Work on this will be done when time is available.
[Award 75; R.P. 415; Mahinahina 4 Kaanapali; 1 ap.; 149 Acs; In claim 325 for Nowlein, Cocket says he lives in Waikapu]