J. W. H. Kauwahi

Born in Waipi‘o, Hawai‘i; graduate of Lahainaluna Seminary; baptized in La‘ie, O‘ahu, in August 1851; a lawyer; previously resided in Hau‘ula, O‘ahu, where he served as a konohiki, or land overseer; ordained teacher at Honolulu in October 1851; ordained elder in April 1853 while serving as member of Hawaiian House of Representatives; frequently preached in Honolulu in spring 1853 as missionary work got underway; left O‘ahu to serve mission on Kaua‘i in July 1853; married sister of Hosea on Kaua‘i in August 1853; helped GQC review the Hawaiian translation of the Book of Mormon in Waimea, Kaua‘i, in December 1853 and January 1854; accepted position of road supervisor on Kaua‘i; while running for the legislature, charged with failure to divorce his previous wife; jailed for being a polygamist in March 1854; convicted of bigamy in 1855, even though he presented a record of his 1849 divorce signed by the same judge who found him guilty; sentenced to six months in prison; elected to legislature in 1856 but was not seated due to his Church membership; apostatized and wrote pamphlet vilifying the Church; subsequently served term in legislature and appointed judge. (See Spurrier, Sandwich Islands Saints, 130–35; Lydecker, Roster, Legislatures of Hawaii, 103; Molen journal, Feb. 16, Apr. 10, 1855; MMH, July 9, 1853; Sept. 11, 1855; Farrer diary, May 10, Aug. 17, 1851; Apr. 22, 1853; Lewis journal, Oct. 1, 1851; Aug. 10, 1853; GQC journal, frequent references, Oct. 1851–July 1854.)