Hiram Bingham

Hiram Bingham I1789-1869Hiram Bingham, a missionary from New England and his wife Sybil (Moseley) Bingham were among the very first Christian missionaries to the Hawaiian Islands. They arrived in 1820 shortly after the death of King Kamehameha I. The Bingham's remained in the islands for twenty-one years. Bingham was involved in the creation of a written language for the native Hawaiians and helped start many schools in the islands. He became fluent in the native Hawaiian language. His intimate knowledge of the transformation of the Hawaiian people, culture and government during the twenty-one years he was there makes him well qualified to describe the history of those years as well as events and history preceding their arrival.