Miller Family of Hawaii
A History and Genealogy of the Miller family ancestors from the Islands of Hawaii
HAWAIIAN DICTIONARY
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Miller Ancestry
Family history overview
The Kingdom of Hawaii was established in 1795/6 after the Battle of Nuʻuanu. This decisive battle marked an end to over fifteen hundred years of independedent island rule by an Aliʻi Nui, the supreme high chief of the island, when Kalanikupule was defeated, caught and killed.
For the Miller famiy, this turning point marks two key historic events from two different lines. The birth of Kilinahe (k) and when the foreign settlers there promised allgiance to the winner of the battle, the new King, Kamehamehanui. It was from these foreign settlers that Kamehameha would find a mason called Mela [Miller] among the unmanageable beachcombers and pirates.
Mr. Miller would help build the first Royal Residence of the new Hawaiian Kingdom by commision of Kamehameha for his wife Kaʻahumanu who, by some coincidence is who Kilinahe would serve as a Kāhili Bearer and Royal attended some years later. Kamehameha I is said to have given up his wives to many around him as gifts and favor. One of these wives is said to have been the wife of his uncle, Kalaniʻōpuʻu called Kānekapōlei. This makes Kamehameha a multiple x great grand-step-father of the miller line. That basically means "no relationship". However, through Kilinahe, Kamehameha's mother, Kekuʻiʻapoiwa II is a 1st cousin, several x removed making Kamehameha I a second cousin many x removed. Another 1st cousin (many x removed) is Charles Kanaʻina (born c. 1801, died March 13, 1877) . His probate hearings after his death, had Edward Preston acting as attorney to several claimants. His clerk at the time was John Mahiai Miller/Kaneakua who was studying law with the attorney while Preston served in the legislature. John's brother, Samuel would marry one of the children of the listed heirs to Kanaina, Kilinahe's granddaughter, Daisy Amoi Ai. From the probate documentation, we see that Moana (w) mothers several children with Nohomualani Palila. In the 2000 publication; "Kamehameha's Children Today", Nohomualani is listed as a great grandson of Kamehameha I. This makes Daisy Amoe Ai and all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren etc, direct descendants of Kamehameha I.
Personal ancestry
My grandmother, Annie Maikai Miller was the daughter of Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller and Daisy Amoi Ai. Samuel was the son of Alexander P. Miller Jr. and Kapuailohia Wahine Kanuha (also called Kanuha Kaialiilii . *Of note here again is Samuel's brother, John Mahiai Miller/Kaneakua who would help the Hawaiian Patriotic League in its efforts to restore the monarchy in 1893. Listed as Aliʻi John Mahiai Kaneakua ). Alexander is the son of Alexander P. Miller Sr. (born about 1765) and Kānekapōlei (unknown).
Liloa, Hakau, Umi-a-Liloa line
Liloa had several wives and legend says that his second son, Umi-a-Liloa was the result of a Liloa falling in love with a young, lower ranking chiefess while bathing in a local river near where the Aliʻi ʻAimoku was dedicating a new heiau. Umi's mother was Akahiakuleana (w). Liloa's first wife was Pinea and with her he had his first born son, Hakau. The Millers are directly descended from both Hakau and the sons of Liloa.
Of Hakau's children Abraham Fornander says this:
"So it is said that Umi was high on his father's side, but very humble on his mother's side. But in tracing out as to the origin of Akahiakuleana his mother, it is found that she must have been of very high blood, for her name appears in the genealogical tree of the kings of Hawaii".1
"Akahiakuleana begat children after Umi by the husband of her bosom. Umi-a-Liloa, however, kept the daughter of King Hakau. Pinea was the name of the girl, and she was so named by Hakau after his mother Pinea (*Noting:"4. It is unusual to find a successive family name in early history).Umi-a-Liloa kept her that the royal blood might be preserved. (*Noting:"5. pure and not diminished). Umi-a-Liloa took to wife Kapukini, the daughter of his father Liloa, who was his half sister. Royal children were born of Kapukini who were Keliiokaloa, Kapulani, and Keawenuiaumi.2
"(i)n fact, in after life Hakau's granddaughter Haukanuinonakapuakea became one of the wives of Umi's son Keawenui-a- Umi".3
1. Fornander, Abraham, Fornander Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore, Volume 4 - p 178
2. Fornander, Abraham, Fornander Collection of Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-Lore, Volume 4 - p 220
3. An Account of the Polynesian Race: Its Origins and Migrations p - 76
Further reading, library resource lists:
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa Library, Hawaiian Legends index (This immediat link is to all Hakau related sources in their index)
ʻUmi-a-Liloa is the son of Liloa (k) and Pinea (w)
Kealiiokaloa is the son of ʻUmi-a-Liloa (k) and Kapukini-a-Liloa (w)
Kukailani is the son of Kealiiokaloa (k) and Makuahineapalaka (w)
Kaikilani is the daughter of Kukailani (k) and Kaohukiokalani (w)
Keakealanikane is the son of Kaikilani (w) and Kanaloakuaʻana (k)
Moana-o-Keakealanikane is the son of Keakealanikane (k) and Kaleiheana (w)
Iliki-a-moana is the daughter of Moana-o-Keakealanikane and Piʻilani (w)
Moana wahine is the daughter of Iliki-a-moana (w) and Kauhiahaki (k)
Kaleimanokahoowaha is the daughter of Moana (w) and Nohomualani Palila (k)
Maunakapu is the daughter of Kaleimanokahoowaha (w) and Kalaipuwaa (k)
Kilinahe is the son of Maunakapu (w) and Paihewa (k)
Keluapai'na Namakalele Puahi (1861 - 1936) is the daughter of Kilinahe (k) (c. 1802 to August 11, 1878)
Daisy Amoe-Amoi Ai (born November 15, 1883, died October 25, 1919) is the daughter of Keluapai'na Namakalele Puahi and Ai (Ahee)
Annie Maikai Miller is the daughter of Daisy Amoe-Amoi Ai and Samuel Kalimahana Kaialiilii Miller (born abt 1868, died November 24, 1933)