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No. 193, Lewis Rees, claimant
F.R. 147v1
To the Honorable Board of Commissioners for quieting Land Titles, Gentlemen:
I beg leave to lay before the Honorable Commissioners my claims to a certain piece of land situated at Ewa.
The upland of Hoaeae was given to me as pasturage ground by Manuia in the year 1829, a short time previous to Governor Boki leaving the Islands, and I have peaceably occupied it since to the present time and Namauu has lately forbidden me to occupy it longer. I therefore request you to examine into my title, and confirm to me my rights according to the laws,
Signed, Lewis Rees
Honolulu, August 13th, 1846
F.T. 149-151v1
Claim No. 193, Lewis Rees, 26 May [1847]
Mr. Munn, sworn, deposed that he had known claimant at these Islands about 20 years. I recollect that Manuia came into a house where I was in 1829 and said to Rees, I shall give you that land instead of another, but I do not know who he referred to. I know claimant has lived on the land a number of years. I know he was living there in 1837. I never heard of any other person claiming the land.
James Walker, sworn deposed, I know that Manuia gave Rees the land where he now lives. It was given him in 1828 or 1829. Rees was a servant to Manuia. I do not know of anyone living on the land at the time. Rees has lived on it from that time to the present. I do not know of anyone interfering with him about the land until lately when Namauu has had some dispute about it with him. I know that Rees gave to Manuia half of the stock from the beginning to the present time.
Kanui, sworn deposed, Mr. Rees and I were together and did business for Manuia with the Foreigners. Manuia first gave him a land named Paua in Waitiitii [Pawaa] but that land being so much exposed to inroad of animals, Manuia gave him another at Ewa instead of it. Rees has from that time, 1829, lived undisturbed in the place [fold in the page for rest of paragraph] [he was?] given. When Rees received the land it was dry & with[out] any value; but by labour he prepared a taro patch & made [?] valuable, though I do not know the precise boundaries [of] the land. Its name is Hoaeae. The taro ground has [been] since covered by a freshet. The particular reason why [he] wished to go there, was that he might have better past[urage] and he has pastured goats, horses and cattle there, pasturing of animals being his business. Manuia de[?] give him the whole of Hoaeae & he gave him none of [the] taro ground.
Mrs. Rees stated that Manuia Wahine has had eight [? foals] from one mare, and Rees has had eight from the same.
Kaupena, sworn deposed, I know of Manuia giving some pasture ground to Rees to feed goats, on condition that one half the produce was to be Manuia's, and one half claimant's and I let him have 1 mare, the produce of which was to be divided in the same way. At present, I have nothing to do with the place, it belongs to Namauu. When Manuia left in 1829 he gave the land to Namauu; although on witness' return Mr. Rees paid to her and not to Namauu. The mare is still in the keeping of Mr. Rees.
Continued page 287, volume 2
N.T. 235-238v2
No. 193, Lisa [Rees] Lewis Rees
Keoni Mana, is sworn by the Word of God and [he] said, "I have known Lisa [Rees] for these many years, twenty [of them]. in the year 1829, I had heard Manuia saying to Lisa, "I will give you land over-there, as your first property. At that time no one bothered about what section of the land had been given, after this, I had heard and believed that the land which he now lives on is the land which was given (him). I have known for a surety that he had lived.on that land for many years. I had seen him live there before the year 1837 and I have not heard that anyone else has ever demanded for that land."
Jatolo Uaka [Walker], sworn by the Word of God and (he) said, "I have known the time that Lisa received that land. Manuia had given it to him, I think it was in the year 1828 or 1829 probably. This person here is an attendant for Manuia and it was Manuia who had given (him land). I did not see any natives living there at that time. Lisa had lived continuously on that land but I have not seen nor heard about the condition of the land. I have known that Lisa has been giving to Manuia one half of the animals that are born since a long time ago to these very recent years."
Kenui, sworn by the Bible and he said, "I remember clearly that we were living together with Manuia and at the time Manuia had given Pawaa to Lisa. There were many animals being born there and for this reason Lisa left Pawaa and Manuia told him that there was land in Ewa, so Lisa lived there continuously from 1829. I have seen the condition of the land, it was not very favorable for there was no water, but Lisa worked and obtained water. The attendants had great strength; therefore the land had been improved but there was a big pasture, perhaps Lisa had desired this place for raising animals. However, it is not clear to me whether all of the pasture is from that land only, probably it has been made clear now, for all of the land boundaries have been established this land named Ulalena which is for Lisa at Hoaeae. Lisa is raising animals there, the goat and the house for the foreigners who have rentals with him. That is his work while he is living there. Ulalena only has been taken away and not Hoaeae. Ulalena is an ili in Hoaeae.
Lisa has truly stated that Kaupena had received 8 horses and eight (horses) were for me."
Kaupena, sworn by the Bible and he said, "I have known the time Manuia had given Lisa land for raising animals. We (two) had given the goat and the horse and what ....
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.... es. The taro land only, I have seen given to Rees. It was Rees' idea to raise other animals there. I have not heard Kaupena and Namauu consent to his raising other animals there, nor have I known Manuia has given that pasture to Rees."
W. French, sworn and stated, "I have not heard too much about this, but I have seen Rees living there much (all the time) and in the year 1830 Rees had told me that Manuia had given him that property. He had some goats loose around the place and they shared equally of the births (goats). He also had there horses belonging to some foreigners. I do not know what he was being paid for caring for them. Rees has lived there since in peace. I do not know the boundaries of this land, but Rees did tell me this pasture (land) was his home. At the time it was customary that the chiefs would grant to any foreigner land whenever he lived with them. Rees has worked under Manuia at times at the Fort."
John Ii, sworn and stated, "I have seen this in the year 1821; Rees was living with the chief, but under Manuia and when Manuia went on a trip to the foreign country Rees was living as a servant under Manuia. Rees's first property was at Pawaa, raising animals there. Later, I saw him in Ewa. I have known that Manuia has given the land, Hoaeae, to Namauu and Kaupena,
Honouliuli land on the Waialae side
Waikele, Honolulu, the beach, toward the sea
and I have seen the horses and goats of Rees there, but most of them were rented horses. I think the property is still with Namauu, yet in Rees's custody. I feel that they have no disagreements because they have had discussions at times concerning the animals as if they were in partnership. The proceeds have been for the both of them. In the year 1841 Rees had become distressed because he had denied Namauu one- half of the proceeds; therefore, Namauu had dismissed him. In the year 1843 Rees had reported to me of Namauu' 8 unfair practice and I had said to him thus, "Perhaps, you have protested against Namauu," and Rees had denied and said, "I have not protested against him, but at this time the property is with Namauu from the land, Mahele."
See page 54
N.T. 54v3
[No. 193], Rees, Lewis, May 17, From Page 30
Pances (Francis) Walker, sworn and stated, "When Manuia was going to Nanapua he had come to me saying, "I have given that property down at Ewa to Rees and after my return, then I shall make him a wealthy man." Then he gave me Rees's land at Waikiki and said, "When I return I will make you become a wealthy man as Rees because he has worked hard with me, so it is proper that I should cause him to become a rich man." Manuia did tell me that the Ewa land would be for Rees to raise animals and at that time Rees wa6 helping / Manuia in communication with the foreigners. He also had told me that the Ewa land was a large one but I had not been there to see it.
Rees and Manuia together went to see that property as to how large or how small it is, but I did not go there nor did I see anyone else go with them. Animals running around there are for Manuia and Rees cares for them. They are calves and cattle and one-half of the animals born is divided between Rees and Manuia."
Page 25 and 64
N.T. 64-66v3
No. 193, Lewis Rees, May 22, From page 56
Kekuanaoa, sworn and said, "It was probably in the year 1822 that I had heard Liholiho had given that property to Manuia from the mountain to the sea; Hoaeae is the name and it is not a fixed land. He had lived there to the time he went on a trip at which time he had bequested the property to Namauu and Kaupena. The people who had heard this bequest were Kaupena, Namauu and I. The property was still with Namauu when we returned from Kahiki /England/.
After this Manuia again went on a trip to Manila and the land was still with Namauu. He returned and when he went again on a trip, the assistant governor left the property to Liliha and at this time Liliha gave this property to Kapoli, the wife of Namauu, and she said, "the both of you have been separated (from the land)." Namauu asked, "Who is responsible for this separation?" She answered, "Manuia." Then Namauu complained to Kamehameha III and we were on board the boat named Malina at this time. I asked Namauu, "What have you?" Namauu said, "I have come to complain about my land Haaeae; it has been taken." Then I said to Namauu, "Let me tell about it." Then I talked about it and he (king) said, "Do not take the land away, let Namauu have it." Namauu became independent and Kaupena was without land.
There awaits now a report from Kamehameha for it is he who had given it to Namauu. Now at the time of the distribution of land, Namauu had retained his division. I have seen Rees; he has an ili land at Hoaeae and I have seen him living there. He had received this during the time of Manuia and when the land was possessed by Namauu, Rees lived under Namauu. He had a very small ili land and it was covered with soil. He complained to me for his payment of $2.00 for that land and I had told him not to pay his tax again because of the condition of his property. That was in the year 1844, but I have not heard that Manuia had given away this land for which there are objections now. Rees had been taxed by the government for $5.00 and in the year 1844, he returned a half (interest) to the government and the tax was decreased. The ili land which is outside of the enclosure is for Namauu. He has been paying $17.00 yearly because it is an ahupuaa land, and I have seen Namauu being taxed to this day.
[Award 193; no R.P.; Hoaeae Ewa; 1 ap.; 3453 Acs]