Statewide County HI Archives Biographies.....Woolley, Samuel Edwin October 22, 1859 - April 3, 1925
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J. Orr orr@hawaii.com October 8, 2009, 2:41 pm

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

SAMUEL EDWIN WOOLLEY, Social and Industrial Builder. April 3, 1925, saw that 
passing of Samuel Edwin Woolley, one of the most notable figures of the Mormon 
Church and a mighty contributor to the greater development of the Territory of 
Hawaii. Mr. Woolley’s vision of organization was an inherent right received 
from his pioneer ancestors of the great West. He spent twenty-five years of 
the most productive part of his life in the fundamental preparation for the 
development of the Mormon Church in Hawaii. Born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on 
Oct. 22, 1859, Mr. Woolley was the son of Samuel W. and Maria (Angele) 
Woolley. When he completed his public schooling he began work upon his 
father’s ranch in Utah. In 1880 he was sent to Hawaii by the home church in 
Salt Lake City, and until 1884 he lived at the Laie colony, when he returned 
to a general ranching business with his father and brothers in Utah. The 
Hawaiian Saints had been encouraged to migrate to Utah and there were 
colonized in community life. In 1890 Mr. Woolley was named to take charge of 
Laie Plantation and serve as president of the Latter Day Saints Hawaiian 
Mission, covering all the activities of the church throughout the Territory.
  What Mr. Woolley did in colonizing and agriculture was accomplished through 
his spiritual visualization, believing that preparatory to the universal 
salvation of mankind man must become somewhat perfect in this world in order 
to gain higher recognition in the life to come. In putting into operation his 
ideas of colonization, that of personal preparation and service was 
fundamental toward establishing well-laid plans. He believed that charity 
should be exercised through individual service, and that that could best be 
administered by self education and by teaching people how to become 
independent, eliminating poverty and incapacity through self support. Mr. 
Woolley believed thoroughly in the organization of capital to create work, in 
order that those unable to subsist only meagerly could be assisted through and 
by the development of capital. Thus the weak were assisted in being made 
strong and self-supporting. To this end sugar plantations operated and managed 
by Mr. Woolley were placed on a basis of real benefit to those whose 
opportunities had denied them education, by giving men and boys an opportunity 
to earn a substantial living through the organization of the church.
  Laie had been colonized by the Mormons as early as 1865 and in 1880 the 
church acquired title to more than 6,000 acres of land, which was the initial 
step in the founding of Laie Plantation. Through this colony the church hoped 
to bring the gospel to the Hawaiians, put them back upon the land, make them 
self-supporting and at the same time keep the natives together in a community 
life where their own traditions and ideals might be perfected and retained. 
Title to the land was held by the church, but natives were allowed to build 
homes and occupy same at a rental of twenty-five cents a year. Hundreds of 
acres of sugar, taro and pineapples were planted, and a herd of cattle was 
imported, thus creating a market for home consumption and introducing better 
cattle into the islands. An electric plant was established, injecting into the 
home life some of the latest and most modern conveniences. A school, 
recreational facilities, an ice plant, a water system and vegetable gardens 
were all provided to give the natives employment and more modern outlook on 
life. Under Mr. Woolley’s direction the sugar plantation was remarkably 
successful, so much so, in fact, that it led to the general plan of 
rehabilitation now being put into operation in the Islands, for it was felt 
that the colony at Laie proved how successful a back-to-the-soil movement 
among the Hawaiians could be.
  The church also expanded rapidly. It now has a membership of over 10,000 and 
all debts have been eliminated. Mr. Woolley established credit for himself and 
the church among the business men, banks and commercial organizations, and was 
looked upon as a man of great worth by them. “His word is said to have been 
equal to his bond,” and friendly relations were established in every walk of 
life between the church and the Island people. He was the driving force behind 
all agricultural and industrial development in the colony, and during his 
period as head of the mission here was planned and erected the beautiful 
Mormon Temple, the construction of which was supervised by his son, Ralph E. 
Woolley. The temple was completed in the fall of 1919 at a cost of $200,000, 
all but $65,000 of which was earned by Laie Plantation and subscribed by 
members of the Latter Day Saint faith.
  In June, 1919, Mr. Woolley gave up direction of the ecclesiastical work and 
was succeeded by E. Wesley Smith, son of Joseph F. Smith. He retained 
managership of Laie Plantation and became president and manager of the Koolau 
Agricultural Co., Ltd., which had been purchased that year by the Mormon 
Church. In 1921, after having given unqualifiedly the greatest service that it 
was possible for his strength and devotion to give, Mr. Woolley retired from 
all church and plantation activities in the islands, and returned to his Salt 
Lake City home, where he resided until his death.
  In 1885 Mr. Woolley married Alice Rowberry at Logan, Utah, and there are 
five surviving children, Ralph E. Woolley, contracting engineer, Honolulu; 
John Franklin Woolley, now an executive at Laie; Dr. Moroni R. Woolley, 
Honolulu, and Samuel Ray Woolley and Mrs. Evan Bayles of Salt Lake City.


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