Key Historical Figures
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Key Historical Figures Ta’isi Olaf Fredrick (O. F.) Nelson The subject of this book is referred to by his matai title, Ta’isi, a title bestowed on Olaf Fredrick “O. F.” Nelson, by the village of Asau in 1923. In using his matai title, this book follows the Sāmoan conven- tion of using this name as a mark of respect in all formal and many informal settings. Ta’isi continued to be called Fred Nelson or Feleti Nelsoni, his igoa itaulealea (“everyday calling name” or Christian name) by close family and friends, as well as by his detractors, who steadfastly challenged his right to assert his status within Sāmoan so- ciety denoted by his matai title. According to the latter, his Eu ro pean parentage canceled out his Indigenous heritage, a view Ta’isi con- fronted continuously. Because this work aims to “decolonize” this history, it centralizes Ta’isi’s Sāmoan identity and follows Sāmoan naming conventions. Therefore, this work refers to him as Ta’isi unless directly quoting from a source where he is referred to by his igoa itau- lealea. Ta’isi’s Aiga ( Family) in Birth Order August Nelson (1838–1909)— father Sinagogo Masoe (m. Nelson) (1859–1918)— mother Lucy Nelson (m. Kruse) (1874–1924)— sister Gustava Nelson (m. Wetzell) (1879–1946)— sister Josephine Nelson (m. David) (1881–1918)— sister August Nelson Ju nior (1889–1918)—brother and father of Frank Nelson ( mother— Jane Meredith) and August “Gussie” Nelson ( mother— Fusipala Tuiletufuga Ale) Rosabel Edith Nelson (née Moors 1889–1959)— wife Priscilla Muench (née Moors)— sister in law xvii xviii Historical Figures Viopapa Lucy Nelson—T a’isi’s eldest daughter (1904–1937) (her mother was Leata of Safune, m. E. J. Grey of Suva) Ta’isi and Rosabel’s Children in Birth Order Irene Gustava Noue Nelson (m. Tupua Tamasese Mea’ole)—mother of Fialaui’afualeafi, Olaf Fredrick (“Efi”) now known as Tui Atua Tupua Tamasese Ta’isi Efi, Peter Tusi, Irene Piliopo (m. Maiai) Olive Virginia Malienafau (m. Fredrick Betham)— mother of Barry and Leone (m. Forsgren) Joyce Rosabel Piliopo “Billie” (m. Richard Carruthers; Hermann Retzlaff)— mother of Lelani (m. Keil), Tuitautai, Hermann The- odore (known as Misa Telefoni), and Erich (died in infancy) Ta’isi Nelson— son (1915–1919) Sina Hope (m. Edward Annandale)—mother of Viopapa (m. Ather- ton), Calmar, Joseph, Teuila, and Sose Calmar Josephine Taufau (m. August Meyers)— mother of Sina (m. Schmalkuchen), Paulele (m. Ulberg), Kurt Extended Aiga Pitofau Masoe—(m. Masoe Ti’amamana) cousin who lived at Tuaefu with three generations of family Fa’agutu Tugaga (m. Atoa Polito, who worked for O. F. Nelson and Co. and was active in the Mau)— cousin who lived adjacent to Tuaefu Masoe Tulele— son of Pitofau and Masoe Ti’amamana who was active in the Mau and cared for Tuaefu in Ta’isi’s absences Leading Sāmoan Po liti cal Figures Afamasaga— prominent chief who was stripped of his title by Adminis- trator Richardson and referred to from then on by the administra- tion as Lago Lago Faumuina Fiame— president of the Mau from 1930 Lauaki— leader of the Mau a Pule, exiled by German governor Solf to Saipan in 1909, died en route back to Sāmoa in 1914 Malietoa Tanumafili I—tama aiga, leading Sāmoan supporter of the administration Historical Figures xix Mata’afa Iosefo—tama aiga whose popu lar support sparked the 1899 civil war Ala Tamasese— widow of Tupua Tamasese Lea’lofi III and leader of Women’s Mau Toelupe— leader of the fono of faipule Tupua Tamasese Lea’lofi III—tama aiga, president of the Mau killed in Black Saturday Massacre 1929 Tupua Tamasese Mea’ole—tama aiga, succeeds older brother to Tu- pua title from 1930, Mau leader and Ta’isi’s son- in- law from 1935 Tuimalealiifano—tama aiga, se nior Mau leader, injured in Black Sat- urday massacre O. F. Nelson and Co. Figures and Business Associates C. V. Allom— general man ag er of Head Office Apia Rudolph Kruse—(nephew) Harry W. Moors—(brother in law) L. D. Stewart— man ag er of Sydney office of O. F. Nelson and Co. Rex Pleasants— secretary of Auckland office (traveled to Eu rope with Ta’isi in 1928) G. E. L. (George) Westbrook— Sāmoa based trader and merchant New Zealand Prime Ministers William Massey— Prime Minister 1925 (Reform Party) and Minister for External Affairs 1923 Gordon (J. G.) Coates— Prime Minister 1925–1928 and Minister for External affairs August– December 1928 (Reform Party) Joseph Ward— Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs 1928– 1930 (United Party) George Forbes— Prime Minister and Minister for External Affairs 1930–1935 (United Party) Michael Savage— Prime Minister and Minister for External affairs 1935–1940 ( Labour Party) Peter Fraser— Prime Minister 1940–1949 ( Labour Party) Helen Clark— Prime Minister 1999–2008 ( Labour Party) xx Historical Figures Government Ministers Francis H. D. Bell— Minister for External Affairs 1923–1926, Prime Minister May 1925, leader of Legislative Council, conservative power broker Frank Langstone— Minister for External Affairs 1940–1942 E. P. Lee— Minister for External Affairs 1920–1923 William Nosworthy— Minister for External Affairs 1926–1928 Māui Wiremu Piti Naera Pōmare— Minister for the Cook Islands 1916–1928, Ta’isi’s friend and confidant Government Officials Carl Berendsen— Secretary of the Department of External Affairs (from 1928) J. D. (James Dunbar) Gray—Secretary of the Department of External Affairs (1919–1928) Sāmoa Administrators Robert Logan (1914–1919) Robert W. Tate (1919–1923) George Spafford Richardson (1923–1928) Stephen S. Allen (1928–1931) Herbert E. Hart (1931–1935) A. C. (Alfred Clarke) Turnbull (1935–1946) Other Key Po liti cal Figures, Public Figures, and Associates in New Zealand, Sāmoa, Australia, and the League of Nations Percy Andrews— editor of Samoa Guardian Arthur L. Braisby— Sāmoa inspector of police Joseph Hector McNeil Carruthers— Premier of New South Wales (1904–1907), member of New South Wales Legislative Council (1887–1932) H. V. Evatt— leading Australian barrister, High Court judge, and future Australian Labor Party leader who gave Ta’isi legal advice Charles Fergusson— Governor General of New Zealand 1925–1930 P. B. (Patrick) Fitzherbert— editor of NZ Samoa Guardian Historical Figures xxi E. W. Gurr— exiled from Sāmoa in 1928 for five years Harry E. Holland— leader of the New Zealand Labour Party 1919– 1933 F. G. Lewis— Australian Methodist minister appointed Sāmoa secre- tary of native affairs in 1928 J. H. (John Hector) Luxford— Chief Justice Sāmoa Alfred McCarthy— Crown Solicitor Sāmoa Administration James Parr— New Zealand High Commissioner, London and represen- tative at League of Nations E. A. Ransom— Acting Prime Minister 1930 A. G. (Alfred George) Smyth— trader exiled from Sāmoa in 1928 for two years Lawyers Associated with Ta’isi F. D. Baxter— Sāmoa based lawyer Stafford Cripps— UK Kings’ Counsel John Findlay— NZ Kings’ Counsel Gustav Klinkmueller— Sāmoa based German lawyer D. R. Hoggard— lawyer in John Findlay’s chambers John Roberts— London based solicitor Alfred Hall Skelton— Auckland based lawyer Thomas Slipper— Sāmoa based lawyer .