Life

-By Sheena Sunio

Whereas Reverend William Richards was proficient in the Hawaiian language, he was helpful to the king. all chiefs trusted him. Richards translated one-third of the entire Hawaiian bible.

Reverend William Richards was born on august 22,1793 in Plainfield, Massachusetts. He married Clarissa Lyman on October 30,1822 in Northampton, Massachusetts. During that year Mr. and Mrs. Richards sailed with the second company of Missionaries from New Haven Connecticut on the ship `'Thames.'' The ships captain was Captain Reuben Clasby. On April 24, 1823 at 3 P.M. they sighted Hawaii and three days later they landed in Hawaii. The voyage took 158 days. Reverend William Richards and his wife were sent on a mission to Lahaina, Maui on May 31, 1823 .

In 1825, a mob of sailors from the whaling ships "Daniel" were upset at the missionaries for Reverend William Richards speech at the church prohibiting alcohol. They attacked the Richards house, but were driven away by friendly Hawaiians.

on July 3 ,1838,Reverend William Richards took time off from the mission to become a translator chaplain, counselor and political advisor to king Kamehameha Third, Kauikeaouli.

In 1842 Richards became ambassador to England with timothy Ha'alilio, who was a private secretary and business manager for king. In 1845 he was appointed, and in 1846 he was commissioned, minister of public instruction for the kingdom of Hawaii, a position he held until his death on November 7 ,1847.