Curtis Piʻehu ʻIaukea was born December 13, 1855 in Waimea. His father was J. W. ʻIaukea and mother was Lahapa Nalanipo. At an early age he was sent to live with adoptive parents Kaihupaa (his mother"s brother) and Keliaipala to live in the building of the former Royal School.
The building had been turned into a home for royal retainers known as kahu. In November 1878 he was made Colonel of the King Kalākaua"s person staff From 1880 to 1881 he was Secretary in the Foreign Office.
He served as the administration"s envoy to the coronation of Tsar Alexander III of Russia and accompanied Queen Kapiolani to Washington, District of Columbia to meet with President of the United States Grover Cleveland.
He accompanied her again to the United Kingdom to celebrate Queen Victoria"s Golden Jubilee. When the United States annexed the republic and established the Territory of Hawaiʻi, ʻIaukea became involved in local politics as a Democrat.
He served as Sheriff of Honolulu 1907–1909. He also served as trustee of the Queen"s Medical Center 1905-1909.
He died in March 5, 1940.
He served in the Territorial Senate 1913–1915, Secretary of State from 1917 to 1921, and Acting Governor of the Territory from December 30, 1919 to March 30, 1920.
As the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, ʻIaukea was the most travelled member of the Hawaiian administration after Kalākaua.
