Introduction

Biography

Stephen was the son of John Rol­lin Lang­hern Des­ha and Eli­za Brew­er.

He out­lived four wives: Ha­tie Ka­ma­ka (1883), Ma­ry Kaa­ko­pua Ke­ku­ma­no (1884), Rose Ka­pu, and Ju­lia H. Keo­na­ona (1913).

He was edu­cat­ed in the Ha­wai­ian schools, the Roy­al School and North Pa­ci­fic In­sti­tute in Ho­no­lu­lu.

Desha was pas­tor of Na­poo­poo Church (1884–89) and Ha­ili Church of Hi­lo (1889).

He be­came su­per­vis­or of the Coun­ty of Ha­wa­ii when the coun­ty gov­ern­ment was in­au­gu­rat­ed in 1905, and was elect­ed to the third Board of Su­per­vis­ors in 1909.

In 1907, he be­came ed­it­or and bu­si­ness man­ag­er of the news­pa­per Ka Ho­ku o Ha­wa­ii.

He served as a de­le­gate to the se­cond In­ter­na­tion­al Con­gre­ga­tion­al Coun­cil, Bos­ton, Mas­sa­chu­setts, in Sep­tem­ber 1899, and in the Ha­wai­ian ter­ri­to­ri­al sen­ate, 1913–17.

He was known as a Ha­wai­ian ora­tor and au­tho­ri­ty on Ha­wai­ian le­gends. He be­longed to the Ka­me­ha­me­ha, Kaui­ke­aou­li and Ha­waii Po­noi Lodg­es, Chiefs of Ha­waii.

Desha’s works in­clude:

• Kamehameha and His War­ri­or Ke­ku­ha­upi’o