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The
name 1848 Princess Tui Inn comes from our place on Vaiala
Beach that was originally purchased in 1848 and owned by Jonas Coe.
Coe was the first American Commercial Agent in Apia 1864-1874 and
father of "Queen Emma". Queen Emma is well known in the South Pacific
for establishing vast coconut plantations in Papua New Guinea in
the 1880's. Pacific Publications, Sydney, published R. W. Robson's
book "Queen Emma": "Emma was always Jonas' favourite.
She was born in 1850
and soon afterwards the Malietoa family, in solemn ceremony, named
her Princess Tui Malietoa Coe,
of the royal line. This gave her title to certain lands, and to
status and privileges to which she clung all her life." "EMMA ELIZA
COE, born in Samoa in 1850, inherited the warm blood of her highborn
Polynesian mother and the Yankee shrewdness of her American father,
Jonas M. Coe. In her early life and loves, her Polynesian traits
prevailed; but in her mature years, when she became Queen Emma of
New Guinea, Coe qualities generally shaped her extraordinary career."
Jonas Coe washed ashore
in 1838. "an American whaler was caught in a tropical storm that
was lashing the Navigators Island (now Samoa) and was smashed in
the maze of coral reefs eastward of Savaii Island. Jonas Coe, cabin-boy,
clinging to a broken spar, was thrown by giant waves across the
reef into the quiet lagoon near Sapapali'i village, on Savaii's
eastern coast. Samoans dragged him ashore and carried him to two
Tongan missionaries, in the village." Sometime later, with
a Malieatoa bride (Le'utu Joana Taleatale), Malieatoa goodwill,
and little besides, the American became a trader, first at Mulinu'u,
as a partner of John Wright, otherwise know as "Bigleg Johnny",
because he had Mumu, and later at Matautu Point, at the other end
of the Bay, where he built himself a big house."
Alesi and George are
Samoan citizens. George came to Samoa in 1981 as the local bank
manager, going back to Maui in Hawaii in 1985 after completing his
work. He moved back home to Samoa in 1992 and operates a real estate
development and hotel business. He has actively worked in tourism
for many years as past President of the Samoa Visitor's Association,
past Chairman of the Board of Polynesian Airlines, and is developing
another beachfront hotel property at Falealili on Upolu. Please
allow us to help your friends and family with any background material
you may desire. If you would like, we could e-mail you photos of
the inn.
Soifua,
Alesi
& George Hadley
Innkeepers
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