Ben Badgely, Ohio to Sandwich Islands.
I have a copy of a page from a paper sent out by the Miami County, Indiana Historical Society.The following article is included:
"Peru Republican, 1891 - Thomas Black, an old and respected citizen living in Miami County near this place, gave us a bit of history a few days ago that may prove interesting to many of the readers of the Republican.He says that King Kalakaua, of the Sandwich Islands, was born and raised to the age of 16 near West Alexandria, Ohio; that his American name was Ben Badgely, and that he (Black) knew the Badgely family and that this boy was a kind of unsavory fellow - that he committed some offense for which he was obliged to leave the place.He wandered about until he found himself in New York.Just at that time a crew was being made up to take a voyage to the Sandwich Islands for the purpose of whaling.Ben was made a member of that crew.While on the voyage, the ship was caught in a terriffic storm and completely wrecked, and as far as is known, Ben was the only one that escaped and he was washed ashore more dead than alive, and was picked up by some natives near Honolulu, their capital.The king took pity on the poor foreign boy and adopted him in his family, where he lived and was cared for until old King Kalakuua died, and what was once Ben Badgely became King of the Sandwich Islands.It is said that he has improved much on the mode of government for the Islands and that he hopes to live long enough to see the day when they will be brought under the protecting care of Uncle Sam.The king pays frequent visits to this country, and seems to be delighted with its prosperity."
I thought this was interesting, but cannnot vouch for the authenticity.