Micah Howland

Micah Howland (1797-1875) was an American missionary and merchant who played an important role in the history of Rataii.

He studied Medicine and Theology at Yale University. In 1820 he married Nancy Brewster, with whom he had several children, among them Joseph, Alice and Emily. The couple departed to the Rataiian Islands soon after the wedding, as part of a Congregationalist group of missionaries that also included Adam Soule and Clarence Arundel. They arrived to Rataii in 1821, settling in Lanai, the largest island of the archipelago. The Rataiian king, Tamaroa Tuiratae III, ceded some royal lands where they founded their mission.

While he enjoyed his life in Rataii, Micah felt unfulfilled as a minister. He was a man of action and a studious of science, and he wanted more than just preaching and taking care of the spiritual and material needs of the local community. In 1828 he met Captain Henry Gordon, who owned a whaling ship and imported products from China. They became friends and partners, forcing the Howlands to leave the mission. Micah and the Captain founded Gordon & Howland, a shipping company that became the first of the great Rataiian firms. Micah died in 1875.