Teacher and graduate of Bradford Academy in Massachusetts. In 1819 she married the Reverend Asa Thurston and together they joined the "Pioneer Company" which sailed from Boston in October and arrived at Kailua, Hawaii in April of 1820, a voyage of 164 days. At the request of King Kamehameha II they were left at Kailua to establish a missionary station in the King's residence. They later removed to Honolulu where their job was to translate and teach the Bible. They completed many parts of the Old and New Testaments, as well as primers in Arithmetic and Geography. Their knowledge of the native language and character was thorough. Lucy wrote a book about her life entitled "The Life and Times of Lucy Thurston." Lucy sailed around the Horn round trip five times, traveling over 90,000 miles by sea. In 1855 she had breast cancer, and doctors advised her not to use chloroform because of having had recent paralysis from strychnine. In an hour and a half surgery they removed the entire left breast and the glands beneath the arm while Lucy was awake through it all. She sat in a Chinese chair with her daughter Persis behind her bathing her temples and passing her cordials and ammonia. Her son Asa held down her arms.
Asa and Lucy's story can be found fictionalized in James Michener's book "Hawaii". Three of their children remained in the islands.
Roxanne Olson of Mokuaikaua Church, Kona, Hawaii, notes the following:
James Mitchener's Hawaii" is a novel of historical fiction rather than a historical reference. Here's three main points about his novel:
1) He has the missionaries arriving in Lahaina, Maui when actually they arrived in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island
2) He has the missionaries arriving in 1823 when they actually arrived in 1820.
3) His missionaries are Abner & Jerusha Hale, and there were no missionaries by that name.
I suggest one of these books that
tells about the Thurstons:
1. Lucy Thurston's Memoirs
Life and times of Mrs Lucy G Thurston
http://www.amazon.com/Life-times-Mrs-Lucy-Thurston/dp/5518738544
2. Hawaii's Missionary Saga by Larue W. Piercy
http://www.amazon.com/Hawaiis-Missionary-Saga-Larue-Piercy/dp/0935180052
Aloha"
Asa and Lucy's story can be found fictionalized in James Michener's book "Hawaii". Three of their children remained in the islands.
Roxanne Olson of Mokuaikaua Church, Kona, Hawaii, notes the following:
James Mitchener's Hawaii" is a novel of historical fiction rather than a historical reference. Here's three main points about his novel:
1) He has the missionaries arriving in Lahaina, Maui when actually they arrived in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island
2) He has the missionaries arriving in 1823 when they actually arrived in 1820.
3) His missionaries are Abner & Jerusha Hale, and there were no missionaries by that name.
I suggest one of these books that
tells about the Thurstons:
1. Lucy Thurston's Memoirs
Life and times of Mrs Lucy G Thurston
http://www.amazon.com/Life-times-Mrs-Lucy-Thurston/dp/5518738544
2. Hawaii's Missionary Saga by Larue W. Piercy
http://www.amazon.com/Hawaiis-Missionary-Saga-Larue-Piercy/dp/0935180052
Aloha"
Teacher and graduate of Bradford Academy in Massachusetts. In 1819 she married the Reverend Asa Thurston and together they joined the "Pioneer Company" which sailed from Boston in October and arrived at Kailua, Hawaii in April of 1820, a voyage of 164 days. At the request of King Kamehameha II they were left at Kailua to establish a missionary station in the King's residence. They later removed to Honolulu where their job was to translate and teach the Bible. They completed many parts of the Old and New Testaments, as well as primers in Arithmetic and Geography. Their knowledge of the native language and character was thorough. Lucy wrote a book about her life entitled "The Life and Times of Lucy Thurston." Lucy sailed around the Horn round trip five times, traveling over 90,000 miles by sea. In 1855 she had breast cancer, and doctors advised her not to use chloroform because of having had recent paralysis from strychnine. In an hour and a half surgery they removed the entire left breast and the glands beneath the arm while Lucy was awake through it all. She sat in a Chinese chair with her daughter Persis behind her bathing her temples and passing her cordials and ammonia. Her son Asa held down her arms.
Asa and Lucy's story can be found fictionalized in James Michener's book "Hawaii". Three of their children remained in the islands.
Roxanne Olson of Mokuaikaua Church, Kona, Hawaii, notes the following:
James Mitchener's Hawaii" is a novel of historical fiction rather than a historical reference. Here's three main points about his novel:
1) He has the missionaries arriving in Lahaina, Maui when actually they arrived in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island
2) He has the missionaries arriving in 1823 when they actually arrived in 1820.
3) His missionaries are Abner & Jerusha Hale, and there were no missionaries by that name.
I suggest one of these books that
tells about the Thurstons:
1. Lucy Thurston's Memoirs
Life and times of Mrs Lucy G Thurston
http://www.amazon.com/Life-times-Mrs-Lucy-Thurston/dp/5518738544
2. Hawaii's Missionary Saga by Larue W. Piercy
http://www.amazon.com/Hawaiis-Missionary-Saga-Larue-Piercy/dp/0935180052
Aloha"
Asa and Lucy's story can be found fictionalized in James Michener's book "Hawaii". Three of their children remained in the islands.
Roxanne Olson of Mokuaikaua Church, Kona, Hawaii, notes the following:
James Mitchener's Hawaii" is a novel of historical fiction rather than a historical reference. Here's three main points about his novel:
1) He has the missionaries arriving in Lahaina, Maui when actually they arrived in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island
2) He has the missionaries arriving in 1823 when they actually arrived in 1820.
3) His missionaries are Abner & Jerusha Hale, and there were no missionaries by that name.
I suggest one of these books that
tells about the Thurstons:
1. Lucy Thurston's Memoirs
Life and times of Mrs Lucy G Thurston
http://www.amazon.com/Life-times-Mrs-Lucy-Thurston/dp/5518738544
2. Hawaii's Missionary Saga by Larue W. Piercy
http://www.amazon.com/Hawaiis-Missionary-Saga-Larue-Piercy/dp/0935180052
Aloha"
Inscription
Mrs. Lucy G. Thurston Reached These Islands with her Husband in 1820. Died Oct 13, 1876 Aged 81 Years Surviving her Husband eight years.
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