PERLEY JOHNSON AIKEN

He was educated at Washington College, Pennsylvania, but left before graduation to join the Anderson Cavalry of the Union Army. Invalided home, he recovered his health and reenlisted in the Army Signal Corps serving as sergeant in charge of a station at Georgetown Heights, Pennsylvania, until the end of the war. With his military service at an end, he entered Jefferson Medical College at Philadelphia from which he graduated in 1867.

On October 1, 1867, Dr. Aiken married Miss Julia Orilla Smythe of Newark, Ohio. Six children were born to the doctor and his wife: Albert C., Perley B., Worth C., Lillian A. (Mrs. Alexander Ball), George S. and Irene (Mrs. Starrett).

Dr. Aiken began his practice in the town of Cleveland, Tennessee. From there he moved to Virginia City, Nevada, in 1874 and in 1879 to Woodland, California. Following which he served for six years as medical director of the Soldiers' Home at Yountville, California.

Learning that Paia, Maui, needed a doctor, Dr. Aiken arrived in 1894 to serve as physician for Paia and Hamakuapoko plantations as well as government physician for that part of Maui. Dr. Herbert, physician for Wailuku and West Maui, and Dr. Aiken were the only doctors on the Island, and they had to travel long distances with horse and buggy. That same year Dr. Herbert moved to Honolulu and Dr. Armitage took his place at Wailuku.

In those days the roads were bad, very dusty in dry weather, and deep in mud in rainy times. There were deep ruts caused by the heavy ox carts, which were the only means of transportation for freight, lumber, etc. Such carts could be seen daily on the roads from Kahului harbor to Makawao, Kula and other points.

On one particular occasion, Dr. Aiken was called in the night to see a very ill woman in Kula. He drove to the end of the road where a saddled horse was waiting for him, and, leaving his buggy there, he rode through a terrific Kona rain to her home. As the woman was too sick to leave, the doctor had to stay in his wet clothes all night. This occurred early in a very stormy winter with much sickness. He contracted a severe cold and, although tired and ill, there were too many demands for his services for him to be able to stay at home. This was the beginning of the illness which caused him to retire in 1898 and which ultimately caused his death.

Dr. Aiken died at Makawao, Maui, on October 26, 1905, at the age of 64.

He was a commander of the Knights Templars, 32nd degree, of Woodland, California.

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