Over the years, the women of the McCorriston family have supported the Daughters of Hawaiʻi, a philanthropic society organized “to perpetuate the memory and spirit of old Hawaiʻi and of historic facts, and to preserve the nomenclature and correct pronunciation of the Hawaiian language.”
This support has continued nearly unbroken since the Daughters’ organization in 1903, starting with Lydy Elizabeth Foster (1864-1943), the first-born daughter of Margaret Louise Gorman (1846-1932), and continuing today with the descendants of Hugh and Margaret Gorman Foster McCorriston and of Daniel and Anna McColgan McCorriston.
About the Daughters of Hawaiʻi
The Daughters of Hawaiʻi was organized on November 18, 1903, by Mrs. Emma L. Dillingham, Mrs. Sarah Colin Waters, Mrs. Lucinda Severance, Mrs. Ellen A. Weaver, Mrs. Annie A. Dickey, Mrs. Cornelia H. Jones, and Miss Anna M. Paris, seven women who were born in the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi before its annexation by the United States in 1898. The original purpose was “to perpetuate the memory and spirit of old Hawaiʻi and to preserve the nomenclature and correct pronunciation of the Hawaiian language;” the phrase “… and of historic facts…” was added later. [1][2]
From its inception, the Daughters of Hawaiʻi has avidly worked to preserve Hawaiʻi history, and is responsible for the preservation and restoration of Hānaiakamalama in Nuʻuanu on Oʻahu, commonly known as the Queen Emma Summer Palace, and Huliheʻe Palace in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. The Daughters of Hawaiʻi were also responsible, in conjunction with the Territorial House and Senate, for reinstating the name of ʻIolani Palace in 1905. [3]
Today, the Daughters of Hawaiʻi upholds its vision of perpetuating and preserving Hawaiian history through the maintenance and administration of the Queen Emma Summer Palace and Huliheʻe Palace; providing classes in Hawaiian language, dance, and culture; publishing books relating to the mission of the Daughters; and more. [2][10]
Early McCorristons of the Daughters of Hawaiʻi
The McCorriston women have supported the Daughters of Hawaiʻi nearly from the beginning. The earliest member was likely Lydy Elizabeth Foster (1864-1943), who was a charter member of the society. Her daughter, Sara Elizabeth Lucas (1886-1973) (pictured left) was probably the most prominent member, serving as the regent 1948-1950. Of note, Sara was regent when Mrs. Lahilahi Webb, Queen Liliʻuokalani’s last lady-in-waiting, served as the honorary historian and at the time of her death in 1949. [4][5][9]
Aileen Annie McCorriston (1900-1982) was likely the last of the early McCorriston members of the Daughters of Hawaiʻi, being the youngest of that generation. The daughter of her cousin George, Colleen Agnes McCorriston (1935-2001), was until recently the only known member past 1982. [6][7]
The McCorriston cousins were also active in the Daughters of Hawaiʻi over the years. Isabelle McCorriston (1887-1972) and her daughter Jane Loomis (1917-2009) of the Honolulu McCorristons and Eva Kaiwaikilohana Hart (1912-2001), a descendant of John C. McColgan (1814-1890), were members. [8][11]
Joining the Daughters of Hawaiʻi
Joining the Daughters of Hawaiʻi, provided you’re eligible, is a fairly straightforward process.
The first—and arguably most important—document is the membership application, which can be downloaded from the Daughters of Hawaiʻi website here. To streamline the application process, known descendants of Daniel and Anna McColgan McCorriston or Hugh and Margaret Gorman Foster McCorriston can request a signed application form by emailing the editor.
The second document is your lineage showing direct descent from someone who either arrived or was born in Hawaiʻi before 1880. This can be accomplished with a series of pedigree charts or a line of descent chart, e.g.
1. I am Lynn Kanani [maiden name] Daue
2. Daughter of …
3. Granddaughter of …
4. Great-granddaughter of …
5. Gr-gr-granddaughter of Edward Vincent and Sarah Theresa McCorriston Dunn
6. Gr-gr-gr-granddaughter of Daniel and Anna McColgan McCorriston
The remaining documentation required is proof of descent and of your ancestors’ arrival or birth in Hawaiʻi before 1880. To accurately connect the generations, you must show proof of birth, marriage, death, and arrival (if applicable) for each listed ancestor. Below, you’ll find some of the relevant documentation we currently have at The McCorristons of Molokai.
When putting together your packet, it is best to print your application and documentation on white, archival-quality paper that is at least 25% rag cotton and to make any notes using acid-free pens, as the documents are held in the Daughters of Hawaiʻi archives for future reference. I recommend Micron pens in black and red, and 100% cotton resumé paper (note: affiliate links—thanks for supporting MoM!).
OPTIONAL: For each piece of documentation, underline the relevant names and dates using your red pen, and write your full name (including maiden, if applicable), the generation the documentation supports (YOU are Generation 1), and the name(s) of the ancestor(s) you are claiming on the back with your black pen. For example:
Lynn Kanani [maiden name] Daue
Gen. 1
Daniel McCorriston and Anna McColgan
Once your packet is printed and labeled, mail it in with your membership fees ($55 for individual and $75 for family as of April 2019—call the main office to verify!) to the corporate headquarters.
Documentation to Prove Lineage for Daughters of Hawaiʻi
Despite what I wrote above—that YOU are Generation 1—the documentation linked here is in reverse order, with Hugh, Margaret Gorman Foster, Daniel, and Anna McColgan McCorriston listed as the first generation. In accordance with our privacy policy, only deceased descendants are listed in any of the generations. Additionally, only members with known living descendants are listed here. (If you are a descendant of the McCorristons of Molokai and don’t see your line here, please email the editor!)
To view files before downloading, left-click to open in a new tab. To download directly, right-click and select “Save File As … “
First Generation
Hugh McCorriston: Announcement of marriage to Margaret Gorman Foster, 1877 (marriage); Obituary, 1926 (death)
Margaret Louise Gorman Foster: Manifest of the Cambridge, 1866 (arrival); Obituary, 1932 (death)
Daniel McCorriston: Manifest of the Comet, 1863 (arrival); Marriage record from the Office of the Chancellor & Diocesan Affairs, RC Church in the State of Hawaiʻi, 1867 (marriage to Anna McColgan); Obituary, 1927 (death)
Anna McColgan: Obituary, 1907 (death)
Second Generation
Lydy Elizabeth Foster: Manifest of the Cambridge, 1866 (arrival); Record transcript of marriage of John Lucas and Eliza E. Foster, 1885 (marriage); Obituary, 1943 (death)
Frank Hudson Foster: Announcement of marriage to Elizabeth McCorriston, 1900 (marriage); Obituary, 1955 (birth, death)
George Edward McCorriston: World War I draft registration card (birth); Record transcript of marriage of George Edward McCorriston and Martha Barbara Marie Schweiskers (marriage); Obituary, 1973 (death)
Eva Mary McCorriston: Record transcript of marriage of Mervyn P. Prindiville and Mary Eva McCorriston (marriage); Obituary, 1966 (birth, death)
Margaret Ann McCorriston: 1900 Census listing the Meyer household, Molokai (birth); Announcement of marriage to Otto Meyer, 1890 (marriage); Obituary, 1963 (death)
Sarah Theresa McCorriston: 1900 Census listing the McCorriston household, Molokai (birth); Announcement of marriage to Edward Dunn, 1894 (marriage); Obituary, 1924 (death)
Edward C. McCorriston: 1900 Census listing the Morehead household, Honolulu (birth); Announcement of marriage to Mary Campbell (marriage); Obituary, 1945 (death)
Elizabeth McCorriston: Obituary, 1931 (birth, death)
Aileen Ann McCorriston: Obituary, 1982 (birth, spouse, death)
Third Generation
Sara Elizabeth Lucas: 1900 Census listing the Lucas household, Honolulu (birth); Marriage record, 1921 (marriage); Obituary, 1973 (death)
Daniel Hudson Foster: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Dorothy Weber, 1931 (marriage); Obituary, 1988 (death)
Francis Harold Foster: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Daphne Mundon, 1931 (marriage); Obituary, 1984 (death)
George Trimble Foster: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Alice Adolphson, 1939 (marriage); Obituary, 1993 (death)
John Lucas Foster: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Marie Brite, 1941 (marriage); Obituary, 1999 (death)
James Ferdinand Foster: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Margaret Forbes, 1941 (marriage); Obituary, 1995 (death)
Florence Margaret McCorriston: Birth announcement, 1926 (birth); Announcement of marriage, 1956 (marriage)
Colleen Agnes McCorriston: Birth announcement, 1935 (birth); Announcement of marriage to Kenneth Smith, 1958 (marriage); Obituary, 2001 (death)
Patricia Gertrude Prindiville: Birth announcement, 1925 (birth); Announcement of marriage to Cornell Bostwick, 1952 (marriage); Obituary, 2004 (death)
Marguerite Amelia Meyer: 1900 Census of the Meyer household, Molokai (birth); Announcement of marriage to Thomas Cummins, 1916 (marriage); Obituary, 1983 (death)
Annie Elizabeth Meyer: 1900 Census of the Meyer household, Molokai (birth); Announcement of marriage to Thomas Lishman, Jr., 1922 (marriage); Obituary, 1987 (death)
Dorcas Kalama Meyer: Announcement of marriage to Brickwood Cummins, 1927 (marriage); Obituary, 1993 (death)
Henry Pendergast Kiheipua Meyer: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Vera Silva, 1928 (marriage); Obituary, 1988 (death)
Charles Schlieffer Meyer, Sr.: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Edith Cathcart, 1932 (marriage); Obituary, 1986 (death)
Carolyn Lillian Dunn: 1900 Census of the Morehead household, Honolulu (birth); Announcement of marriage to James Hood, 1923 (marriage); Obituary, 1984 (death)
Mae Edith Dunn: Birth announcement, 1897 (birth); Announcement of marriage to Roger Atcherley, 1926 (marriage); Obituary, 1989 (death)
Eva McCorriston Dunn: Announcement of marriage to James Hill, Sr., 1925 (marriage); Obituary, 1962 (death)
Alice Antoinette Dunn: Birth announcement, 1910 (birth); Announcement of marriage to Willard Conley, 1932 (marriage); Obituary, 1999 (death)
Harriet Sarah Dunn: 1920 Census of the McCorriston household, Kamalo (birth); Announcement of marriage to Clifford Hansmann, 1933 (marriage); Obituary, 1999 (death)
John Campbell McCorriston: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Grace Sosnowski, 1939 (marriage); Obituary, 1992 (death)
Edward M. McCorriston: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Anna Karratti, 1944 (marriage); Obituary, 1975 (death)
Euphemia Leinaʻala McCorriston: Announcement of marriage to Emil Emery Tawney, 1948 (marriage); Obituary, 2009 (death)
Richard Neil McCorriston: World War II draft registration card (birth)
Fourth Generation
Lila Elisabeth Larsen: Announcement of marriage to James Morgan, Jr., 1943 (marriage); Obituary, 2009 (birth, death)
Jack Lucas Larsen: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Mary Louise Erdman, 1951 (marriage); Obituary, 2015 (death)
Herbert Kaumualii Foster: Obituary, 2006 (death)
Meyer Cummins: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Elizabeth Sheehan, 1947 (marriage); Obituary, 1973 (death)
Walter Matthew Cummins: World War II draft registration card (birth); Obituary, 1980 (death)
William Rosa Cummins: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Alice Iseke, 1942 (marriage); Obituary, 1965 (death)
Nelene Ohuohuekaala Lishman: Birth announcement, 1922 (birth); Announcement of marriage to John Barclay, Jr., 1944 (marriage); Obituary, 2003 (death)
Alvin Penn Meyer: Birth announcement, 1929 (birth); Obituary, 2016 (death)
Carol Punalei Meyer: 1940 Census of the Meyer household, Molokai (birth)
Charles Schlieffer Meyer, Jr.: Birth announcement, 1937 (birth); Announcement of marriage to Carolyn Hee, 1962 (marriage); Obituary, 1998 (death)
Barbara Jean Hood: 1940 Census of the Hood household, Honolulu (birth); Announcement of marriage to William Kirschbaum, Jr., 1948 (marriage); Obituary, 2005 (death)
James Macklin Hill, Jr.: World War II draft registration card (birth); Announcement of marriage to Sarah Davis, 1960 (marriage); Obituary, 2008 (death)
Robert Maynard Conley: Birth announcement, 1936 (birth); Announcement of marriage, 1957 (marriage); Obituary, 2014 (death)
Jerralyn Kay Hansmann: Birth announcement, 1945 (birth); Obituary, 2004 (death)
Catherine Mary McCorriston: Birth announcement, 1940 (birth); Announcement of marriage to Robert Stevens, Sr., 1959 (marriage); Obituary, 2010 (death)
Over to You
If you found this article helpful, please leave a comment below! We welcome your feedback as we continue to build The McCorristons of Molokai into a family history resource for the living descendants of Hugh and Margaret Gorman Foster McCorriston and of Daniel and Anna McColgan McCorriston.
“Daughters of Hawaii,” The Hawaiian Star, December 7, 1903, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27632309/daughters_of_hawaii_organization_1903/.
“About Us,” Daughters of Hawaii, accessed May 2, 2019, http://daughtersofhawaii.org/home/about-us/.
“Named Again Iolani Hale,” The Hawaiian Star, April 6, 1905, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31208700/daughters_of_hawaii_reinstatement_of/.
“Mrs. Lucas Dies, Aged 78; Funeral Today,” The Honolulu Advertiser, October 7, 1943, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31211163/lydy_foster_obituary_1943/.
“Sara Larsen, Community Worker, Dies,” The Honolulu Advertiser, August 28, 1973, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31075214/sara_lucas_obituary_1973/.
“Ah Ping, Mrs Aileen McCorriston,” The Honolulu Advertiser, August 7, 1982, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/19587817/obituary_of_aileen_mccorriston_ah_ping/.
“Mrs. Kenneth Kellogg Smith,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, November 29, 1958, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/25716806/marriage_of_colleen_mccorriston_and/.
“Isabelle Loomis,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, March 7, 1972, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/27502354/isabelle_mccorriston_obituary_1972/.
“Hawaii Daughters Elect Officers,” Honolulu Star-Bulletin, February 21, 1948, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31369089/sara_lucas_elected_regent_of_daughters/.
Daughters of Hawaiʻi, “History and Purpose.” Honolulu: Daughters of Hawaiʻi, rev. July 2014.
Daughters of Hawaiʻi, Dining with the Daughters: Second Helping. Hong Kong: Hagadone Printing, 2010.