Wednesday, March 18, 2009

A Possible Breakthrough on Kahana Research

I am hopeful.........

I was looking through Grandpop Dave's Civil Service Records again. This time I had Tony help me. I was hoping that maybe he could find something I missed, or bring some added suggestions on how to proceed.
First, he/we think that maybe Grandpop lied about his age. We came to this conclusion after looking over these papers - dated between 1942 - 1945. In some of the papers Tony said it appears that whenever Grandpop filled out any papers (always using the 1888 birthyear) that there was some hesitation; meaning that it appeared that he had to really think about what he was doing. When we looked real close we noticed that there was a very slight difference in the last two 8's of the birthyear - some of them even looked like mistakes. In one instance the first of the last two 8's looked like it was originally the number 9 and it was written over to look like an 8. In another instance, the last 8 looked like it was originally a 4.
CONCLUSION: He possibly lied about his age.

We then asked ourselves why. Why would he lied about his age? These papers were for WWII, so he had no need to lie. However, if we went with the assumption that he was actually born in 1894, then he would have been 48 years old - he may have qualified for active duty. However, using the 1888 birthyear, he would have been too old for active duty but old enough for Civil Service - in his case a Merchant Seaman.
Looking further into these papers, he applied to go to Pearl Harbor, Hawaii (Home!). He actually ended up doing his Civil Service in The Naval Aircraft Factory at the Philadelphia Naval Ship Yard. In November 0f 1945, he resigned, stated that he was returning to his old job and that he only joined to go to Pearl Harbor. He had also stated that he was not a Veteran of either war and that he had "had enough".
CONCLUSION: If he lied about his age it was only to get back to Peral Harbor.

Next on my agenda.........
While looking over these papers, I had happened to read over Grandpop's work history. In one of the answers to his work duties, he included the information that has also known as David LONGFE??HER. I could not make out what the letters are.
So......I posted an email to the Hawaii-L list. I got a response from someone who had found a David LONGFEATHER with the birthdate of 26 February 1894! Sound familiar?
Next.....I myself ran a search for David LONGFEATHER on Ancestry.com and I came up with:

WWI Draft Resistration:
David LONGFEATHER
born: 26 February 1894 Honuapo, Kau, Hawaii
He says he is Malayan
He was marrid and had one child
He was living at Palmer & Fillmore Sts in Riverside, NJ
He was a Case Maker at Keystone Watch Case Co in Riverside, NJ
This was dated June 5, 1917

Everything fits Grandpop Dave except the race: Malayan. It also fits with the fact that Grandpop, as David Kahana, also worked at the Keystone Watch Case Co. a year earlier.

Next is 1920 Census for Philadelphia, PA., dated February 7, 1920:
David LONGFEATHER - head of house - age 25 - race, white
born Hawaii, father born Hawaii, mother born Hawaii
Bertha - wife - age 20(? could be 23)
born Penna, father born Penna, mother born Penna
John - son - age 3 years and 8 months
born Penna, father born Hawaii, mother born Penna
Josephine - daughter - age 2 years and 2months
born New Jersey, father born Hawaii, mother born Penna.

This fits with information I have about Grandpop and his first wife and children.

I believe this David LONGFEATHER is actually David KAHANA, but how to prove it? If it is him why the name change? Did he leave Hawaii as David Longfeather? What about entering Philadelphia? Was he Longfeather or Kahana?

10 comments:

Hinano said...

Question...how did you get any idea that David Longfellow could be a "Kahana"? Just curious...Hinano

Hinano said...

Sorry I meant...Longfeather.

Hinano said...

I too am doing searches for the Kahana family. I have cousins that I know and visit. When one of my younger sons was on a basketball team, his coach was a Kahana but I didn't connect till we had a famly reunion and shows his coach.

DKMaialetti said...

I recieved papers from the National Archives. On one of the pages there was a work history that Grandpop Dave had filled out. One of the questions asked if he was known by any other name; his reply was 'yes', nad the name he gave was "David Longfeather".A search on Ancestry.com revealed a 1920 census for New Jesey with David Longfeather, hie wife Bertha, and 2 children.
I already knew about Bertha & the 2 children (they were actually the eldest 2 children of 5). The census confirmed the alias and the existance of Bertha & 2 of their children.

DKMaialetti said...

That is a story you will be able to tell at your next Family Reunion (about your sons coach). I do know that all the Hawaiia Kahana's in the PA & NJ area I am related to. I just need to find my ohana in Hawaii.

Hinano said...

I've gotten a few info from ancestry.com and the Hawaiian archive bldg. I guess I will need to make a trip out to Waimanalo and talk to the Kahana family and show them this blog...wish me luck...Hinano

DKMaialetti said...

In regards to the Longfeather connection. If you read this post - "A Possible Breakthrough on Kahana Research" - it explains how I came to this conclusion. I also have documentation to support my conclusion. This documentation came from the NARA in the form of Civil Service & Merchant Marine papers, and is backed up with the Census.

DKMaialetti said...

Good Luck on your visit to the Kahana Family!!!

Anonymous said...

Hello, my name is Colleen Kahana,
My fathers name is David Kaohimaunu
Kahana. he was born may 5,1918 in Ahuloa,Hawaii. he passed away in Dec 23,1983.if you need more info
you can contact me: email address
kahanaohana10@yahoo.com
Mahalo

David Kahana said...

My name is David Kahana. No middle initial. I was born Feb. 26 1981. I was born in florida, the first on my family not from New York. I know my great grandparents came from Poland. Please contact me to help me learn my heritage!!!!!.
dkahana1@rocketmail.com