Joseph Ballard Atherton

Joseph Ballard Atherton
Born	1837 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.
Died	1903-04-07 Honolulu, Hawaii
Occupation(s)	Businessman, banker
Years active	1858–1903
Known for	President of Castle & Cooke; member of Committee of Safety (Hawaii); president of Honolulu YMCA

Joseph Ballard Atherton (1837–1903) was a prominent businessman based in Honolulu and served as president of Castle & Cooke. As an early organizer and subsequent president of the Honolulu YMCA, he played a significant role in the group responsible for the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Atherton held positions on both Kalākaua's Privy Council of State and Liliʻuokalani's Privy Council of State.

Early years

Born in 1837 in Boston, Massachusetts to Jonathan Atherton and Elizabeth Robinson, he attended public schools before graduating from the Brimmer School and the Boston Latin School. In December 1858, seeking to improve his health, he embarked on a voyage to Honolulu, Hawaii aboard the clipper ship Syren, navigating around Cape Horn.

Career

Upon arrival in Honolulu, equipped with letters of introduction to figures such as Samuel Northrup Castle, Atherton began working at Castle & Cooke as a bookkeeper. By 1865, he had advanced to junior partner and eventually became senior member and president by 1894.

Atherton emerged as one of Hawaii’s wealthiest and most influential entrepreneurs, with his primary business interests centered on sugar cane cultivation. Under his guidance, Castle & Cooke became part of the Big Five (Hawaii), locally known as Nā Hui Nui ʻElima, a group of dominant sugar companies that wielded significant economic and political influence in Hawaii, often aligned with the Hawaii Republican Party. He maintained the presidency until his death in 1903.

In addition to his corporate roles, Atherton served as President of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Association and led the Honolulu Chamber of Commerce from 1896 through 1899. His community involvement included serving as deacon and treasurer at Fort Street Church (later Central Union Church). He also held governmental responsibilities as a member of the privy council under King Kalākaua in 1887 and again under Queen Liliuokalani in 1891.

Overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy

Atherton was part of the Committee of Safety (Hawaii), a group mainly composed of Hawaiian subjects, American citizens affiliated with the Missionary Party, and other foreign residents who orchestrated the overthrow of the Kingdom of Hawaiʻi on January 17, 1893. Although the newly formed Republic of Hawaii aimed for independence, annexation by the United States was postponed by President Grover Cleveland's administration until 1898 when Congress authorized the establishment of the Territory of Hawaii. In 1901, Atherton traveled to Washington, D.C. with a delegation including Francis Mills Swanzy and William Owen Smith to advocate for Hawaii’s interests, focusing on issues such as Chinese labor immigration and introducing automobiles.

Other business interests

In 1897, Atherton helped establish the Bank of Hawaii, collaborating with prominent individuals like Peter Cushman Jones, his son Edwin A. Jones, and Clarence Hyde Cooke. Chartered during the Republic period by Interior Minister James A. King, this institution was Hawaii’s second bank and expanded its reach by opening its first Kauai branch in 1903.

Atherton also held leadership or trustee roles across several major Hawaiian enterprises including the Oahu Railway and Land Company, Honolulu Iron Works, Paia Plantation Company, Haiku Sugar Company, Kohala Sugar Company, and Mutual Telephone Company. His influence spanned multiple sectors within Hawaii’s business landscape.

An advocate for U.S. annexation, he founded the newspaper Hawaiian Star of Honolulu in 1893 to serve as "the official voice of the Provisional Government by American businessman." Following Hawaii’s annexation in 1900, this publication merged nine years after Atherton’s passing with the Evening Bulletin to create the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, which received financial backing from the Atherton family.

Personal life

Following five years spent in the islands, he became engaged to Juliette Montague Cooke (1843–1921), the daughter of Amos Starr Cooke. She bore the same name as her mother, Juliette Montague Cooke.

Shortly before their wedding on June 29, 1865, Juliette traveled to the United States for a year-long visit. Together, they had six children, with two passing away at a young age:

• Charles H. Atherton (1867–1878), who eventually took over his father's business duties
• Mary Atherton (1869–1951), who married Theodore Richards and wrote about her grandmother Juliette Montague Cooke
• Benjamin Hawley Atherton (1871–1878), who died in childhood
• Dr. Alexander Montague Atherton (1875–1903), a physician trained at Johns Hopkins who practiced medicine in Honolulu
• Frank Cooke Atherton (1877–1945), who started his career at the Bank of Hawaii and later became Director of Hawaiian Electric Co. His son, J. Ballard Atherton, served as president of the Hawaiian Telephone Company
• Kate Marion Atherton (1879–1919)

Death

Joseph Ballard Atherton passed away in Honolulu on April 7, 1903, following a lengthy illness. His death was prominently featured on the front page of The Honolulu Advertiser on April 8, 1903, accompanied by a detailed obituary inside. Demonstrating his significance within the community, all businesses in Honolulu closed as a tribute. He was survived by many grandchildren.

Legacy

Atherton played a key role in establishing the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) in Honolulu and held positions as both director and president for numerous years. Additionally, he served in leadership capacities within the Hawaiian Board of Missions, including several terms as president. His dedication to education was evident through his trusteeships at Oahu College and Kawaiahaʻo Female Seminary until his death. His will contained substantial charitable donations, highlighting his enduring philanthropic impact.