Photo in Valerie Elkins' possession. Obtained by the Minnesota Historical Society. |
The Rohrer's may have had some French blood in them, but they hailed from Switzerland. They were Anabaptist (Mennonites) who settled in the Lancaster area of Pennsylvania. David Rorer's father Abraham later immigrated to the Virginia area. David after becoming a lawyer, moved to Arkansas and helped found the city of Little Rock, Arkansas. Seeing that Civil War was avoidable, David moved his family to Burlington, Iowa where he became one of the town's founding fathers.
Clara was almost 17 when she became the second wife of William Frederick Mossman. They were married in the Church of the Good Shepherd in Maui, where William had donated the land for the church that the Whipples help found. Clara and William's son, William Lloyd Mossman is believed to have been named for both his father William and Rev. James Lloyd Breck. Clara and William's daughter Mary Georgina is believed to be named in honor of Mary and George Whipple. Clara and William F. Mossman had a total of 9 children born to them: Ethel Carno Mossman, William Lloyd Mossman, Mary Georgina Mossman, Elizabeth Emma Mossman, Henry Clarence Mossman, Clara Mokomanie Mossman, Mabel Alice Mossman and Ysabel Palmer Mossman and Katherine or Kate Otuntug.
Clara Mokomanie Mossman married Harald Christian Halvorsen, a Norwegian ship captain and had 8 children. Harald once served as a deputy sheriff on Kauai. Clara and Harald's second daughter, Helene Francis Halvorsen married Farmer Greenwade and had 7 children (she had 2 from a previous marriage to Carlton Cassidy). Helene and Farmer's daughters Faye (Fowler) and Sandra (Brown) were at the recent Mossman Ohana reunion along with Faye's husband Neil, their daughter Diana and their granddaughter Lauren. Sandra came with her daughter Valerie (Elkins), her son-in-law Morris and their daughters Brittany and Jacquelyn Elkins.
Clara Rohrer came a long ways from the White Earth Indian Reservation to Hawaii. She was probably the first Native American to settle in Hawaii. She was a missionary, a mother and friend to many. She made Hawaii her home.
Would love to hear from other cousins about Clara and William's descendants. by Valerie Elkins