I have written about Frederick William Milverton before, but that was way back in 2011, which is plenty of time to find more information about someone. I had only written the basics about Frederick and glossing over his time in Hawaii that I didn’t know much about at the time. Newspapers have been helpful in filling quite a few gaps. Some of the gaps in his life I have added information to that I did not have in the previous blog.
Frederick William Milverton arrived in the US at Ellis Island in New York in March 1891 on board the Majestic. From New York, Frederick travelled to Salt Lake City, where he is listed in the Salt Lake City directory a salesman for SL Tea and Co.[1] SL Tea is short for Salt Lake Tea company that was operating in Salt Lake City at the time. His occupation changed by the time 1893 arrived. Frederick was now listed in the Salt Lake City directory as a Stenographer and typewriter in Morlan Block, located on Second South street in Downtown Salt Lake City.[2]
Frederick arrived in the Hawaiian Islands in November 1899 on board the Steamer Kinau.[3] Frederick would appear around August in 1900, when he was appointed Stenographer for the Fourth Circuit Court working with Judge Little on the Island of Hawaii, also known as the big island. Frederick was replacing the previous stenographer P. Maurice McMahon, he was also highly recommended by the Utah Supreme Court with 5 years’ experience under his belt.[4]
By July 1901, Frederick was advertised in the Commercial Advertiser under Attorney located in rooms in the Stangenwald block, which has its own claim to fame. The building located on Honolulu was Hawaii’s first skyscraper build in 1901.[5] In September, he was still working in the same building. In October Frederick had produced a masters report on the account of George R Carter who was a guardian for an estate that covered two minors. Fred mentions the accounts were accurate when he had examined them.[6]
By February 1904, Frederick Milverton was working with JW Cathcart on a court case about the Marconi Telegraph company and the right for use of the telegraph and what royalties would be paid.[7] In March 1904, Cathcart and Milverton were working together as partners as Attorneys and councillors at law located at 855 Kaahunanu street in Hilo, Hawaii.[8] In August 1905, The Pacific Commercial Advertiser covered something interesting, which Attorney Milverton provided commentary. Several officials pointed out the unhygienic practises of Chinese spitting on clothing within laundries and how the practice would spread disease with the hopes the practise could be made unlawful. They described the Chinese as being ‘consumptive celestials’, which at the time was a derogatory slur in the United States. Attorney Milverton thought imprisonment of less than a year and being charged as a misdemeanour instead of a felony.[9] By August, 1905, Frederick Milverton was appointed as Deputy County Attorney in Hawaii. He was now employed by the government to provide legal advice and so on.[10]
In 1907, Frederick Milverton put his name down as a candidate to be Attorney General in Hawaii. He announced his intentions to the incoming governor, W.F. Frear. The newspaper pointed out Milverton’s specialties were land and water cases.[11] Freer, a Republican was appointed as governor of Hawaii by President Theodore Roosevelt and was replaced in 1913.[12] In January 1908 Deputy Attorney Milverton was prosecuting a case of burglary which was the third one in several days to go to trial, and the man was sentenced to five years, which could have been a maximum of twenty years.[13] In 1909, around 400 road workers were complaining about not being paid and the county treasurer was refusing to pay them. It was a case that Deputy Attorney Frederick Milverton was hoping to become a test case as he was sorting out the paperwork.[14] The conclusion to the court case seemed to be that the county treasurer had to pay the road supervisor by a certain time, although the way the article was written the issue related to the actions of the Mayor of the time.[15]
In 1910 there was tension between the city Attorneys and the Grand Jury, where both Attorney General Cathcart and Deputy Attorney Milverton were both told to leave the room. Cathcart called the head juryman a liar when the juryman claimed he a gentleman.[16] One case that seemed to take some time was one about who was responsible for building sidewalks. The case started in 1910 and went on until 1911, although did not see anything that went further. By 1911 the issue might have been resolved, where the property owners were meant to construct the sidewalks, or else the government would construct them at the owners expense, although the matter was still before the court.[17]
The Honolulu Star Bulletin reported Frederick Milverton’s resignation from the Deputy Attorney on 31 January 1913 but would continue working until the end of April 1913 so that John Cathcart could find a suitable replacement.[18] Frederick William Milverton’s position was first deputy city and county attorney of the city and county of Honolulu. John Cathcart City and county Attorney pointed out that Frederick Milverton had been serving with him since 1906 and was well respected.[19] By February 1914, Frederick Milverton had returned to Hawaii after travelling to the mainland, where he visited places like California and Washington. He would be joining the law firm with Frank E Thompson.[20] By 1915 had rolled around the law firm Frederick Milverton was part of would change again from Thompson, Wilder, Milverton and Lymer to Thompson and Milverton from the 1st of March.[21] By 1917, Frederick Milverton was moving to the mainland for California, so the law firm of Thompson, Milverton and Cathcart would be dissolved by 30th July 1917 through mutual consent.[22] By November, Frederick Milverton had started a law firm in San Francisco in California and had advertised this in the Honolulu Star Bulletin.[23]
Sources and Bibliography
Previous blog about Frederick Milverton
https://tangaroa81.blogspot.com/2011/01/mystery-that-is-frederick-milverton.html
Frederick W Milverton, Majestic, 1891, The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-
1897
Fred W Milverton 1892, US City Street Directories 1822 – 1995.
Fred W Milverton 1893, US City Street Directories 1822 – 1995.
Unknown, ‘A Test Case of Municipal Dispute Filed’, The Hawaiian Star, 6 February 1909, p1.
Unknown, ‘Half A Million Dollars Spent’, Hawaiian Star, 1 February 1909, p.1.
Unknown, ‘Two Burglars this week’, The Pacific Commercial Advertiser Honolulu, 25 January 1907, p.8.
Unknown, ‘Question of Sidewalks and county control was puzzle to Campbell’, Evening Bulletin, 6 July 1910, p1 & 4.
Unknown, ‘Better Streets are Promised’, Evening Bulletin 18 January 1911, p. 1.
‘Walter F. Frear’, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_F._Frear, accessed 22/09/2026.
Unknown ‘F.W. Milverton is a candidate’, Hawaiian Gazette, 2 August 1907, p.6.
Unknown, ‘F Milverton’, The Hawaiian Gazette, 14 November 1899; p. 8.
Unknown, ‘FW Milverton, new stenographer’, Honolulu Pacific Commercial Advertiser, 20 August 1900
‘Stangenwald Building’, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stangenwald_Building, accessed 21/08/2026.
Unknown, ‘Attorneys’, Commercial Advertiser, Honolulu, Hawaii Territory Tuesday 2 July 1901, p9.
Unknown, ‘Master’s Report’, Honolulu Republican, 18 October 1901, p.1.
Unknown, ‘Marconi Case Today’, The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Honolulu, 11 February 1903
Unknown, ‘Cathcart and Milverton’, The Hawaiian Star, 17 March 1904, p. 3.
The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, 31 August 1905
Unknown, ‘Many Investigations Will result from Supervisors’ Session’, Sunday Advertiser, 6 August 1905, pp.1 & 3.
Unknown, ‘Fred Milverton to quit his Post’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 31 January 1913, p1.
Unknown, ‘Cathcart Lauds Services of Milverton’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 30 May 1913, p. 12.
Unknown, ‘FW Milverton to join with Big Law Firm’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 5 February 1914, p1.
Unknown, ‘Change in Law Firm, Wilder & Lymer to Leave’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 23 February 1915, p.2.
Unknown, ‘Notice of Dissolution of Partnership’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 2 August 1917, p.11.
Unknown, ‘Announcement’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 7 December 1917, p.1.
[1] Frederick W Milverton, Majestic, 1891, The National Archives in Washington, DC; Washington, DC, USA; Passenger Lists of Vessels Arriving at New York, New York, 1820-1897; Fred W Milverton 1892, US City Street Directories 1822 – 1995.
[2] Fred W Milverton 1893, US City Street Directories 1822 – 1995.
[3] ‘F Milverton’ The Hawaiian Gazette 14 November 1899; p. 8.
[4] ‘FW Milverton, new stenographer’, Honolulu Pacific Commercial Advertiser 20 August 1900.
[5] ‘Stangenwald Building’, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stangenwald_Building accessed 22/09/2026; ‘Attorneys’, Commercial Advertiser, 2 July 1901, p9.
[6] Master’s Report, Honolulu Republican, 18 October 1901, p.1.
[7] Marconi Case Today, The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, Honolulu, 11 February 1903
[8] Cathcart and Milverton, The Hawaiian Star, 17 March 1904, p. 3.
[9] The Pacific Commercial Advertiser, 31 August 1905
[10] ‘Many Investigations Will result from Supervisors’ Session’, Sunday Advertiser, 6 August 1905, pp.1 & 3.
[11] ‘F.W. Milverton is a candidate’, Hawaiian Gazette, 2 August 1907, p.6.
[12] Walter F. Frear’, Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walter_F._Frear, accessed 22/09/2026.
[13] ‘Two Burglars this week’, The Pacific Commercial Advertiser Honolulu, 25 January 1907, p.8.
[14] ‘Half A Million Dollars Spent’, Hawaiian Star, 1 February 1909, p.1.
[15] ‘A Test Case of Municipal Dispute Filed’, The Hawaiian Star, 6 February 1909, p1.
[16] ‘Cathcart is Barred Out’, Honolulu Pacific Commercial Advertiser, 30 June 1910, p1 & p.4.
[17] ‘Question of Sidewalks and county control was puzzle to Campbell’, Evening Bulletin, 6 July 1910, p1 & 4; ‘Better Streets are Promised’, Evening Bulletin, 18 January 1911, p. 1.
[18] ‘Fred Milverton to quit his Post’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 31 January 1913, p1.
[19] ‘Cathcart Lauds Services of Milverton’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 30 May 1913, p. 12.
[20] ‘FW Milverton to join with Big Law Firm’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 5 February 1914, p1
[21] ‘Change in Law Firm, Wilder & Lymer to Leave’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 23 February 1915, p.2.
[22] ‘Notice of Dissolution of Partnership’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 2 August 1917, p.11.
[23] ‘Announcement’, Honolulu Star Bulletin, 7 December 1917, p.1.
