Francisco de Paula Marín

[1] Marín's early life is not generally known, but he probably was born 25 November 1774, in Jerez de la Frontera, an area of Spain near Cadiz.[11] As the speaker of several languages, he was the unofficial diplomatic corps of Honolulu, acting as accountant and tax collector as he sold his products to restock ships.[5] The new King, Kamehameha II, and his young French drinking companion Jean Baptiste Rives were happy to offer Marín's refreshments to visitors.[14] Although Swan was accused of fraud in Hawaii,[15] the family moved to Santa Cruz, California and became stable members of the early community there.[18] When Richard Charlton, the first official British trade representative, arrived he brought a letter addressed to Marín saying that land should be provided for the consulate.[20] When HMS Blonde arrived in 1825 with the bodies of Kamehameha II and his queen, who died in London, more plants were left off with Marín, including some of the first coffee trees.After Robert Crichton Wyllie found Marín's diary as he started the Hawaii archives, he said:...much of the present wealth of the islands, is owing to the seeds, roots, and plants introduced by that one man.
Marín at Hale Kauila with the royal court receiving the French Captain Du Petit Thouars, 1837
His son Paul Marin (right) photographed with Henry A. Neilson in the uniform of the Hawaiian Cavalry, 1855
Jerez de la FronteraHonoluluHawaiiSpanishHorticultureSpaniardKingdom of HawaiiconfidantKamehameha Ijack-of-all-tradesAlessandro Malaspina expeditionNootka SoundVancouver IslandLady WashingtonJohn KendrickHawaiian IslandsOʻahuBattle of Nu'uanuPearl HarborPacific NorthwestAlta CaliforniaHippolyte de BouchardLouis de FreycinetbrandysugarcanepineapplecottonorangeKamehameha IIJean Baptiste Rivesnative HawaiianConsulJohn Coffin JonesSanta Cruz, CaliforniaLuis Antonio ArgüellopolygamyRoman Catholic ChurchChristian missionariesRichard CharltonHMS Blondecoffee treespuritanicalProtestantHiram Bingham IRobert Crichton WyllieHonolulu HarborHonolulu Star-BulletinJacques AragoUniversity of Hawaii PressSanta Cruz Good TimesKamakau, SamuelKamehameha SchoolsRalph Simpson KuykendallMary Kawena PukuiAgnes C. Conrad