Inez Macphee Ashdown - 1899 - 1992

Inez came to Oahu, Hawai'i with her family when she was eight years old.  At this young age, she was presented to Queen Liliu'okalani and as a result of the meeting became a member of the Queen's hanai (extended, spiritual) family. Many stories were told to her about the history of Hawai'i and it's people by Liliu'okalani. While still a young girl, she and her family moved to Maui, where her father owned and operated a cattle ranch. Inez lived the rest of her life in Hawai'i, mostly on Maui.

"During her lifetime, Inez Ashdown was a prolific writer. Her favorite subjects included her ancestry and family history, cattle ranching on Maui (especially her own early years on Ulupalakua Ranch) and paniolos (cowboys), the history of Maui, Queen Liliu'okalani and Hawaiian royalty and ali'i, Christian churches (in particular the history of Maui's early Catholic churches such as Maria Lanakila Church, St. Anthony's Church, Wailuku, and the mission of Santa Ynez, her namesake), language and place names, Hawaiian legends and folklore, and the preservation of archaeological and historic sites in Hawai'i and Maui. She published three books, including Stories of Old Lahaina and Ke Alaloa O Maui, and contributed countless articles and stories to local journals and newspapers. She also wrote a column for The Maui Sun weekly newspaper. " - Maui Historical Society