John Owen Dominis (March 10, 1832 – August 27, 1891) was prince consort of the Kingdom of Hawaii as the husband of Queen Liliuokalani from January 29, 1891, until his death that year. from then a family of Venetian Conti Palatini de Dominis de Arba (Count Palatines of Rab), that had its origins in the island of Rab, in Dalmatia. His mother, Mary Jones, was an American of English descent. Working for Josiah Marshall of Boston, Massachusetts, Captain Dominis sailed from North America across the Pacific, often stopping in Hawaii. One of his ships used on the trading voyages was called "Owhyhee" (an older transcription of 'O Hawai'i). The captain married Mary Lambert Jones (1803–1889), daughter of Owen Jones and Elizabeth Lambert, on October 9, 1821, and had two daughters, Mary Elizabeth (1825–1838) and Frances Ann Dominis (1829–1842). About 1831, they moved to Schenectady, New York, and son John Owen Dominis was born on March 10, 1832.
Early life
In 1837 the captain moved his wife and son from New York to Honolulu, Hawaii, leaving their two daughters at boarding school where they died young. King Kamehameha III awarded some land to the family in 1842 as settlement of a lawsuit with the British Consul Richard Charlton. The captain continued to take voyages to raise money for the construction of a large house. In 1846 he sailed for China on the Brig William Neilson, intending to purchase Chinese-made furniture for the house which was nearing completion. The ship was lost at sea, along with the American Agent George Brown, and Mary became a widow.
John attended a day school run by Mr. and Mrs. Johnston that was next to the Royal School founded for the children of the native Hawaiian nobility. Dominis would climb the fence to look at the princes and princesses, and became friends with them. By 1856 he was on staff to a Prince, and accompanying the royal family on their travels. The marriage was not happy. She wanted children of her own, but could not have any. John chose to socialize without her, and Mary Dominis looked down upon her non-caucasian daughter-in-law. Liliʻuokalani notes in her autobiography that his mother considered her an "intruder", but became more affectionate in her later years.
His marriage to Liliʻuokalani and his friendship with King Kamehameha V brought him many honors. For example, he was a Royal Commander of the Royal Order of Kamehameha, the Royal Order of Kalākaua, and several others. He served on the Board of Health, Board of Education, Bureau of Immigration, and was Quartermaster General and Commissioner of Crown Lands. From 1878 to 1886 he served as Royal Governor of Maui. In 1886, he was appointed Lieutenant General and Commander in Chief.
According to his wife's testimony, Governor Dominis was a very dedicated freemason and held the 33rd degree. They continued to live at Washington Place until Liliʻuokalani died on November 11, 1917.
See also
- Hawaii's Story by Hawaii's Queen
- List of Hawaiian royal consorts
References
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