Statewide County HI Archives Biographies.....Wilcox, George Norton August 15, 1839 - 
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
J. Orr jessicanorr@gmail.com January 19, 2012, 8:02 pm

Source: The Story of Hawaii and Its Builders, Honolulu Star Bulletin, Ltd. Territory of Hawaii, 1925
Author: Edited by George F. Nellist

GEORGE NORTON WILCOX, Planter and Capitalist. As a progressive sugar planter, 
industrial builder and philanthropist, George N. Wilcox, one of the oldest 
living native sons of Hawaii, has exercised a deep influence on the 
development of the islands for many years.
  He was born at Hilo, Hawaii, on Aug. 15, 1839, the son of Abner and Lucy E. 
(Hart) Wilcox of Connecticut, who came to the islands in 1837 as missionaries. 
He was educated at Punahou School, Honolulu, and Sheffield Scientific School, 
Yale University, 1861-62.
  Before going to college, Mr. Wilcox in 1859 spent several months at Jarvis 
Island as assistant manager of the American Guano Co. the late S. G. Wilder 
was the manager and the late G. P. Judd was the company’s agent in Honolulu. 
This was a pioneer attempt to work guano deposits, the fertilizer supplying 
return cargoes for clipper ships which brought freight out from the Atlantic 
coast. His experience on Jarvis Island proved of value to Mr. Wilcox in later 
life when he became a pioneer in the guano business on Laysan Island. He made 
several trips there and developed the business which later merged into the 
Pacific Guano & Fertilizer Co., which supplies Hawaiian plantations with most 
of their fertilizers and of which he has long been president.
  Upon his return to Hawaii from Yale in 1863, Mr. Wilcox became a pioneer in 
sugar cane planting at Hanalei, Kauai, where his parents had long been 
stationed as missionaries. His brother, Albert, was associated with him in 
this venture. Early in 1864 Mr. Wilcox undertook the survey and construction 
work on a ditch which H. A. Wiedemann of Grove Farm, Lihue, Kauai, was digging 
to enable him to irrigate his cane lands as his neighbors on Lihue plantation 
were already doing. In November of that year Mr. Wiedemann decided that the 
ditch project was a failure and moved to Honolulu, leasing Grove Farm to Mr. 
Wilcox. At that time Grove Farm comprised 700 to 800 acres. Mr. Wilcox 
persisted and developed more water and eventually became sole owner of the 
estate, which now includes, with pasturage and watershed, as well as cane 
lands, about 12,000 acres.
  Besides his ownership of Grove Farm, Mr. Wilcox has other extensive 
interests in Hawaii. He has long been president of the Kekaha Sugar Co., 
Waianae Company and the Pacific Guano & Fertilizer Co., and a director of 
Lihue Plantation Co., Inter-Island Steam Navigation Co. and the First National 
Bank of Hawaii.
  Despite his many other responsibilities, Mr. Wilcox has had a distinguished 
career of public service. He was a representative from Kauai to the 
legislature in 1880 and from 1887, when King Kalakaua was required to grant a 
new constitution, until annexation of the islands by the United States in 
1898, he was a member of every legislature, as a Noble under the Monarchy and 
as a Senator under the Republic of Hawaii. He was prime minister of the Wilcox 
ministry in 1892, in association with P. C. Jones, Cecil Brown and Mark P. 
Robinson.
  Mr. Wilcox’s scientific training made him always a leader in any project for 
better living conditions and the development of natural resources, viz: water 
systems for both irrigation and household purposes, electricity, model camps 
on Grove Farm and the promotion of telephone and ice services for Kauai.
  His philanthropies have been many, his interest centering largely in 
religious and educational work, such as the Salvation Army Girls’ and Boys’ 
Homes in Honolulu, to which he donated buildings; the Honolulu Military 
Academy, Punahou School, Mid-Pacific Institute, Hawaiian Board of Missions and 
the Y.M.C.A. and Y.W.C.A.
  Mr. Wilcox holds memberships in the Polynesian Society, Hawaiian Historical 
Society, and Pacific and University clubs. He is unmarried.


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