Background
Abner Wilcox was born April 19, 1808 in Harwinton, Connecticut. His father was Aaron Wilcox (1770–1850) and mother was Lois Phelps. On November 23, 1836 he married Lucy Eliza Hart who was born November 17, 1814 in Cairo, New New York
Abner Wilcox was born April 19, 1808 in Harwinton, Connecticut. His father was Aaron Wilcox (1770–1850) and mother was Lois Phelps. On November 23, 1836 he married Lucy Eliza Hart who was born November 17, 1814 in Cairo, New New York
He was fourth of nine children. They were assigned to be in the eighth company of missionaries to Hawaii for the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions. The sailed from Boston on December 14, 1836 on the bark Mary Frasier and arrived in Honolulu on April 9, 1837.
Also on this voyage were missionaries Amos Starr Cooke and Samuel Northrop Castle, founders of Castle & Cooke.
They had four sons born while at Hilo. In 1845 they moved to Waialua on the island of Oʻahu.
In 1846 the family moved to teach at a similar school at the Waiʻoli Mission near Hanalei, Hawaii on the northern coast of the island of Kauaʻi. There they had four more sons, although one died young.
They were buried at Colebrook.
In the Hawaiian language the family was known as Wilikoki. Children were:
Charles Hart Wilcox was born April 8, 1838 in Hilo, married Frances A. Van Water (1846–1917), had four children, and died September 25, 1888 in Oroville, California. George Norton Wilcox (1839–1933) became an Engineer, politician, and businessman.
Edward Payson Wilcox was born September 2, 1841 in Hilo, married Mary P. H. Rockwell, moved to Winsted, Connecticut, and died on July 23, 1919.
Albert Spencer Wilcox (1844–1919) became a businessman and politician. Samuel Whitney Wilcox was born September 19, 1847 at Waiʻoli, married Emma Washburn Lyman (daughter of the Hilo missionaries) on October 7, 1874, served in the legislature of the Territory of Hawaii from 1901 through 1905, and died on May 23, 1929 in Honolulu.
Ralph Lyman Wilcox (1876–1913) married Anna Charlotte Rice, daughter of William Hyde Rice and granddaughter of missionary William Harrison Rice on February 17, 1903. Their estate called Kilohana is now a tourist attraction.
William Luther Wilcox was born July 8, 1850 at Waiʻoli, married native Hawaiian Kahuila from Molokaʻi, became a judge, and died July 12, 1903.
Clarence Sheldon Wilcox was born November 14, 1855 at Waiʻoli, but died less than a year later on September 8, 1856. Henry Harrison Wilcox was born March 23, 1858 at Waiʻoli, married Mary Theodosia Green (1865–1936), granddaughter of missionary Jonathan Smith Green (but they had no children), and committed suicide January 11, 1899 after a painful illness. In 1912 Sam, George, and Albert Wilcox donated funds for a new church at Waiʻoli, and the old one was converted to a hall.
He was no relation to Robert William Wilcox (1855–1903) who was a military commander in several rebellions and then first delegate to United States Congress from Hawaii.
