Lorrin Thurston

Lorrin Thurston was a pivotal American lawyer, politician, and publisher in the Kingdom of Hawaii who became a central architect of the Overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom in 1893. A grandson of early missionaries, he used his position as a legislator and owner of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser to advocate for the annexation of the islands by the United States. Following the overthrow, he remained a powerful figure in the Republic of Hawaii and later the Territory of Hawaii, also gaining recognition as a promoter of tourism and volcanology.

Early life and education

Born in Honolulu to Asa Goodale Thurston and Sarah Andrews Thurston, he was a grandson of Asa Thurston, an early missionary from New England. He attended the elite Punahou School before traveling to the United States for higher education. Thurston studied law at Columbia Law School in New York City, graduating and being admitted to the New York bar before returning to Honolulu to establish a legal practice. His education and family connections positioned him within the powerful, largely American-descended planter and merchant class known as the Missionary Party.

Political career

Thurston was elected to the Legislature of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1886, representing Honolulu. He quickly became a leader of the Reform Party, which sought to diminish the authority of the monarchy and increase political power for the planter and business elite. A fierce critic of King Kalākaua, Thurston helped draft the so-called Bayonet Constitution of 1887, which stripped the monarch of much of his power and disenfranchised many Native Hawaiians and Asian immigrants. He later served as Minister of the Interior under Kalākaua and was a key advisor to Queen Liliʻuokalani's predecessor.

Role in the overthrow of the Hawaiian Kingdom

Following Liliʻuokalani's attempt to promulgate a new constitution in 1893, Thurston became the primary organizer and publicist for the Committee of Safety. He traveled to Washington, D.C., to lobby the Harrison administration for support and helped secure the intervention of U.S. Marines from the USS Boston. After the bloodless overthrow, Thurston journeyed again to the United States as a commissioner to negotiate an annexation treaty. Although the initial treaty stalled, he served as Attorney General and later Minister of the Interior for the subsequent Republic of Hawaii under President Sanford B. Dole.

Later life and legacy

After annexation was achieved in 1898, Thurston turned his energies toward developing the Territory of Hawaii's economy. He was a founding member of the Hawaii Promotion Committee, a precursor to the Hawaii Visitors and Convention Bureau, and tirelessly promoted Hawaii as a tourist destination. A passionate advocate for the preservation of the Kīlauea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, he led campaigns that ultimately contributed to the establishment of Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park. His legacy remains deeply controversial, celebrated by some as a modernizing founder and condemned by others as a leader of an illegal coup against the indigenous government.

Publications and writings

Thurston was the owner and publisher of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser (later The Honolulu Advertiser), which he used as a powerful platform for his political and annexationist views. He authored several books and pamphlets, including *A Handbook on the Annexation of Hawaii* and *Memoirs of the Hawaiian Revolution*. His detailed writings, such as *Vistas of Hawaii*, promoted the islands' natural beauty to potential tourists and scientists. He also published numerous articles defending the actions of the Committee of Safety and the legitimacy of the Republic of Hawaii.

Category:American lawyers Category:American publishers (people) Category:Politicians from Hawaii Category:1858 births Category:1931 deaths