Charles T. Gulick

Charles Thomas Gulick (July 25, 1841 – November 7, 1897) was a Kingdom of Hawaiʻi politician and one of the few members of the various missionary families of the time to side with the monarchy in the 1893 overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.

Charles T. Gulick
Ministry of the Interior of Hawaiʻi
In office August 6, 1883 – June 30, 1886
In office September 12 – November 8, 1892
Personal details
Born	Charles Thomas Gulick July 25, 1841 Forked River, New Jersey, U.S.
Died	November 7, 1897 (aged 56) Honolulu, Republic of Hawaiʻi
Spouse(s)	Sarepta A. Thompson
Alma mater	Punahou School
Military service
Allegiance	Kingdom of Hawaiʻi
Branch	Honolulu Rifles
Service years	1868–1883
Rank	Adjutant general

Life

Gulick was born on July 25, 1841, to a family of American missionaries.[1] His father was William Gulick, and mother was Eliza Throop Thomas (1804–1903). His father's brother Peter Johnson Gulick married his mother's sister Frances "Fanny" Hinckley Thomas (1798–1883), who had seven children (his cousins) who also became missionaries, including Luther Halsey Gulick (1828–1891) and John Thomas Gulick (1832–1923).[2]

He attended Punahou School 1855–1862,[3] where he was a pitcher on a team called the "Pacifics" playing early games of baseball with the sons of Alexander Cartwright.[4] In September 1869 he officially became a citizen of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.[5]

He ran a business as notary public and issued government documents such as marriage licenses. He became the commander of the original Honolulu Rifles, with rank of Captain; this unit unlike its namesake remained loyal to the monarchy until disbanded in 1874. He also later served as adjutant general from 1878.[6] On February 5, 1876, he married Sarepta A. Thompson in Honolulu.[7]

He was appointed to the cabinet of King Kalākaua as Minister of the Interior on August 6, 1883, and served until June 30, 1886. He also served as acting Minister of Finance during the absence of John Mākini Kapena.[8] It is widely thought that sugar magnate Claus Spreckels had suggested both changes.[9]^:268 Both before and after Gulick, Walter M. Gibson acted as Minister of the Interior, while also acting as Minister of Foreign Affairs and even Attorney general. He went back into business, and became a real estate broker.[10]

Gulick was appointed again to the post of Minister of the Interior of Queen Liliʻuokalani on September 12, 1892, and served until November 1, 1892.[6]

He met with Liliʻuokalani other leaders loyal to her on January 15, 1893, just before the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi.[5] ^:590 In the 1895 Wilcox rebellion, he was tentatively selected to be Minister of Finance in the cabinet, and drafted the new constitution to be used if the plot had succeeded. He and the other leaders were arrested, and put on trial for treason starting January 21, 1895. The defence was led by former attorney general Paul Neumann.[11]^:209–210 Although Gulick denied involvement in plans for military strikes, witnesses testified the group met at his house. He was convicted and first sentenced to death, which on February 23, was reduced to 35 years in prison and a fine.[11]^:214

Gulick was part of the last batch of prisoners to be released when the remaining eight prisoners including him and Wilcox were pardoned and released on January 1, 1896.[12][13] He died November 7, 1897.[14] A street in Honolulu was named Gulick Avenue in his honor.[15]

References

1. Putney, Clifford (2010). Missionaries in Hawai'i: The Lives of Peter and Fanny Gulick, 1797–1883. Amherst: University of Massachusetts Press. p. 104. ISBN 1-55849-735-8.
2. Benjamin Woodbridge Dwight (1871). The history of the descendants of Elder John Strong, of Northampton, Mass. J. Munsell. pp. 787–788.
3. William DeWitt Alexander (1907). Oahu college: list of trustees, presidents, instructors, matrons, librarians, superintendents of grounds and students, 1841–1906. Historical sketch of Oahu college. Hawaiian Gazette Company. p. 44.
4. Frank R. Ardoino (Spring 2002). "Missionaries, Cartwright, and Spalding: The Development of Baseball in Nineteenth-Century Hawaii". NINE: A Journal of Baseball History and Culture. 10 (2): 24–45. doi:10.1353/nin.2002.0001.
5. "citizenship record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
6. "Gulick, Charles T. office record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
7. "Oahu 1832–1910 marriage record". state archives digital collections. state of Hawaii. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
8. Alexander, William DeWitt (1891). A Brief History of the Hawaiian People. New York: American Book Company. p. 335. OCLC 187412143.
9. Ralph Simpson Kuykendall (1967). Hawaiian Kingdom 1874–1893, the Kalakaua Dynasty. 3. University of Hawaii Press. ISBN 978-0-87022-433-1.
10. "Chas. T. Gulick". The Daily Herald. Honolulu. January 13, 1887. Retrieved June 20, 2010.
11. William DeWitt Alexander (1896). History of later years of the Hawaiian Monarchy and the revolution of 1893. Hawaiian gazette company. p. 210.
12. "Prisoners Pardoned". Hawaiian gazette. Honolulu. January 3, 1896. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
13. Musick, John Roy (1898). Hawaii; Our New Possessions an Account of Travels and Adventure, with Sketches of the Scenery, Customs and Manners, Mythology and History of Hawaii to the Present. New York: Funk and Wagnalls Company. p. 234. OCLC 21791732.
14. "In the Circuit Court of the First Circuit of the Hawaiian Islands: In Probate at Chambers". Hawaiian gazette. Honolulu. January 28, 1896. Retrieved June 18, 2010.
15. Mary Kawena Pukui and Elbert (2004). "lookup of Gulick". on Place Names of Hawai'i. Ulukau, the Hawaiian Electronic Library, University of Hawaii. Archived from the original on July 22, 2012. Retrieved June 18, 2010.