Sanford Dole – 1844-1926

Dole grew up in Hawaii, the son of American Protestant missionaries. After a mainland education, he practiced law in Honolulu (1869-1887) and served in the Hawaiian legislature. He led a reform movement to adopt a constitution in 1887 and in 1893, acting on behalf of American sugar interests in Hawaii, helped engineer the overthrow of Queen Liliuokalani and obtain annexation by the United States. When U.S. president Grover Cleveland blocked annexation and demanded the restoration of Liliuokalani, Dole and others created the Republic of Hawaii (1894). As president of the republic, Dole continued to seek annexation, which came in 1900. President William McKinley named Dole territorial governor.