ABRAHAM BLATCHELY

Dr. Blatchely married Jemima Marvin on December 14, 1821, at Lyme, Connecticut. On September 15, 1822, a daughter, Jemima, was born but only survived a week. A second daughter, Catherine Marvin, was born in 1830 and died in 1833.

The Blatchelys joined the Second Missionary Company which sailed from New Haven, Connecticut, on November 20, 1822, aboard the packet, "Thames", and arrived in Honolulu April 27, 1823, after a voyage of 158 days.

On his arrival Dr. Blatchely was temporarily stationed in Honolulu. However, he made trips to all the islands so that the services of the one missionary doctor could be spread as far as possible. Mrs. Blatchely accompanied him on most of his trips. On September 12, 1823, he went to Lahaina, Maui, to attend the Queen Mother Keopuolani and, in consultation with Mr. Law, the physician of the King Liholiho, pronounced her death as imminent. In November of the same year, he was again in Lahaina to treat Brother Charles Stewart and to be on hand for the arrival of the first baby of the Rev. and Mrs. William Richards. Returning to Honolulu on December 6, six weeks later, they accompanied the group sent to establish a new missionary station at Waiakea (Hilo), Hawaii. In March they returned to Honolulu, stopping enroute on Maui where the doctor's services were needed. His next trip took Dr. Blatchely to Kauai to care for Mrs. Samuel Whitney of the missionary group.

In January, 1825, the Blatchelys left Honolulu for Kailua, Hawaii, where they remained for ten months. Here his practice covered an area of some 200 miles, and he treated chiefs, natives, and foreigners as well as missionaries. During his stay the doctor twice traveled across the island, visited the volcano, and even climbed to the top of Mauna Kea.

Although he found no smallpox in Hawaii, Dr. Blatchely had requested a supply of vaccine sent out from Boston (the original source was London) and was disappointed that when it arrived, via the Horn, it was "good for nothing".

In September, 1826, Dr. Blatchely presented a request for his release, due to overwork and the state of his health. So great was the need for his professional services that the plea was vetoed at the General Meeting of the Mission held at Kailua, Hawaii, that year. Despite this, Dr. and Mrs. Blatchely left the Islands on November 6, 1826, aboard the "Connecticut", and on May 26, 1827, they arrived at New London, Connecticut.

On his return to the mainland, the doctor practiced at Brookfield, Connecticut, and later at East Guilford. After the death of his first wife on October 26, 1856, he married a Mrs. Ware in 1858 and they moved to Ohio, settling near Orwell.

Dr. Blatchely died at the age of 73, day and place unknown, in 1860.

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