Statewide County HI Archives Biographies.....Thrum, Thomas George April 27, 1842 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/hi/hifiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: J. Orr jessicanorr@gmail.com January 10, 2012, 6:06 pm Source: The Story of Hawaii and Its Builders, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Ltd. Territory of Hawaii, 1925 Author: Edited by George F. Nellist THOMAS GEORGE THRUM, Pioneer Merchant. Thos. G. Thrum, who arrived in Honolulu from Australia on May 16, 1853, at the age of eleven, is now one of the oldest citizens of the Territory in point of residence and is widely known as an historian of the islands. Although past the four score mark in age, he is still actively engaged in literary work and is vice-president of the Hawaiian News & Thrums, Ltd., stationery dealers. Beginning his business career in 1855 in the store of John T. Waterhouse, Mr. Thrum remained there for about a year, went cruising in a whaling ship and returned to Hawaii in 1859. For a number of years he clerked in stores of Honolulu and Hilo, later engaging in sugar cane culture at Kohala plantation, Hawaii. In 1870 he returned to Honolulu, succeeding Black & Auld as owners of a stationery and news business. He branched out as a publisher in 1875 when he compiled Thrum’s “Hawaiian Annual,” a standard reference work which has since made its appearance each year. In 1888, with J. J. Williams, Mr. Thrum started the “Paradise of the Pacific,” a monthly which is still published, but under a different management. He has prepared for publication “Ancient Hawaiian Mythology.” He also edited and revised the valuable Fornander collection of “Hawaiian Antiquities and Folk-lore,” completing the work in 1919 and is the author of “Hawaiian Folk Tales,” published in 1907, “Stories of the Menehunes,” and recently wrote a new series as “More Hawaiian Folk Tales.” For many years Mr. Thrum has been interested in scientific research, touring the islands of the Hawaiian group locating ancient heiaus (temples) and heiau sites. He has found and listed 527 of these and is the author of a brief history of notable temples, which was read as a paper before the Hawaiian Historical Society at its annual meeting in 1924. Since 1921 he has been a member of the Bishop Museum staff as associate in Hawaiian folklore. Mr. Thrum was born at New Castle, N.S.W., Australia, May 27, 1842, the son of Thomas Augustine and Elizabeth W. (McPhail) Thrum, who came to Hawaii in the early 50’s. He was educated in Australia and Honolulu, and married Anna Laura Brown (deceased) in San Francisco, Jan. 11, 1865. They were the parents of four children, George Ernest A. Thrum (deceased), F. William, David F. and Ella L. Thrum. Mr. Thrum is a member of Excelsior Lodge, I.O.O.F, and a charter member of the Hawaiian Historical Society. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/hi/statewide/bios/thrum587bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/hifiles/ File size: 3.1 Kb