During the second decade of the 20th century, Hawaii was a territory of the United States. Harry A. Baldwin (1871-1946), oldest child of Henry Perrine and Emily Alexander Baldwin, became President of Haleakala Ranch in 1912. Harry’s brother, Samuel, was the youngest of the eight children. The two brothers married the Smith sisters of Honolulu, Harry to Ethel, and Sam to Kathrine. Despite their age difference, these brothers had great respect for each other, and their families were intertwined for generations. One Christmas, to demonstrate his approval of Sam’s ranch management, Harry presented one percent of his ranch holdings to Sam, thus giving him majority control of 51 percent. Harry was also manager of the Maui Agricultural Co., a sugar plantation with its mill in Paia. In addition, he had ranches of his own: Grove Ranch, which supplied beef to his plantation workers, and Kahoolawe Ranch, which he co-owned with Angus McPhee.

As a Territorial Senator, Harry was a powerful force in local politics. He won his first seat in the senate in 1913, and remained there until 1921. Harry was so popular with the Hawaiians (he was fluent in their language) that he was elected delegate to the U.S. Congress in 1923 after the death of Prince Kuhio. Then Hawaii elected him to its House of Representatives from 1935-38.

Horses were Harry’s passion, and riding was his respite. He kept a private stable at Kaluanui, his estate in Makawao (now known as Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center), and raced some of his favorites at the Maui County Fair. Occasionally, he joined his athletic brothers, Sam and Frank, on the polo field, beginning a Baldwin Family tradition that continues today. Harry roamed Maui’s pastures and plantation fields until the end of his life in 1946 – tall, straight and always easy in the saddle.