OBOOKI'AH, HENRY, b. in the island of Hawaii, about 1795. In his childhood in a civil war his parents were killed before his eyes. Taking his infant brother upon his back, and attempting to escape, his brother was pierced through with a spear, and he was made prisoner and taken to the house of the man who had killed his parents. His uncle, the high priest of the island, found him here and took him home. He was kindly treated by his uncle, but he was unhappy, often weeping clay and night. He gladly in 1805 embarked to conic to the United States,with capt. Brintnal of New Haven, Conn., and for a while resided with the captain. He attended church, and showed a great desire for instruction, lingering about the college buildings. Finding the desire unattained, and thinking of the students there who were enriching their minds with the treasures which were inaccessible to him, he sat down weeping on the threshold. The Rev. Edwin W. Dwight, a resident graduate, found him there, and taking him to his house, gave him instruction. Samuel J. Mills visiting New Haven soon became acquainted with him, and Henry expressed a desire to " learn to read the Bible, and go back to his native islands and tell the people of God. Mills took Henry to his father's house in Torritw
ford, where he rapidly improved in religious and secular knowledge. Afterward he accompanied Mr. Mills to Andover, where he spent two years. By invitation of James Morris, he spent the winter of 1813 at the Litchfield grammar school. In the autumn of 1814 by advice of friends he placed himself under the care of the North consociation (Con gregational) of Litchfield co., for the direction of his studies; and Nov. 15, 1815, lie was received under the care of the American board. A foreign mission school having been established at Cornwall, Coon., ObOOkiall was placed there to be educated. But on Feb. 17, 1818, he was stricken with fever, and soon died. But he had not lived in vain. Ills earnest desire for an education, shown in New Haven, led to the establishment of the Cornwall school, and the education of several of his countrymen, and to the awakening of the Christian community to a deep interest for the Sandwich islands; to which a mis sion was commenced soon after his death.