 Because of his father 's success in business and his mother 's descent from Hawaiian royalty , the Pitman family was considered quite prosperous and were host to the royal family when they visited Hilo . Besides being one of the leading merchants in town , his father also served the government as district magistrate of Hilo . Henry 's mother , Kinoʻole , had inherited control over much of the lands in Hilo and Ōlaʻa from her own father , and King Kamehameha III had granted her use of the ahupuaʻa of Hilo after her marriage . During Henry 's early childhood , the family lived in the mansion that Benjamin Pitman had built in 1840 , in an area known as Niopola , one of the favored resort spots of ancient Hawaiian royalty . The residence also became known as the Spencer House after Pitman sold it to his business partner Captain Thomas Spencer . The property later became the site of the Hilo Hotel , built in 1888 and torn down in 1956 . In the 1850s the family moved to the capital of Honolulu where Benjamin Pitman took up banking and built a beautiful two @-@ story house that he named Waialeale ( " rippling water " ) at the corner of Alakea and Beretania Streets . 
 Because of his father <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>success in business and his mother <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>descent from Hawaiian royalty , the Pitman family was considered quite prosperous and <a href='uninflect' title='3'><mark>were</mark></a> host to the royal family when they visited Hilo . Besides being one of the leading merchants in town , his father also served the government as district magistrate of Hilo . Henry <a href='null_genetive' title='4'><mark>'s</mark></a>mother , Kinoʻole , <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>had</mark></a> inherited control over much of the lands in Hilo and Ōlaʻa from her own father , and King Kamehameha III <a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>had</mark></a> granted her use of the ahupuaʻa of Hilo after her marriage . During Henry <a href='null_genetive' title='7'><mark>'s</mark></a>early childhood , the family lived in the mansion <a href='null_relcl' title='8'><mark>that</mark></a>Benjamin Pitman <a href='been_done' title='9'><mark>had</mark></a> built in 1840 , in an area known as Niopola , one of the favored resort spots of ancient Hawaiian royalty . The residence also became known as the Spencer House after Pitman sold it to his business partner Captain Thomas Spencer . The property later became the site of the Hilo Hotel , built in 1888 and torn down in 1956 . In the 1850s the family moved to the capital of Honolulu where Benjamin Pitman took up banking and built a beautiful two @-@ story house <a href='null_relcl' title='10'><mark>that</mark></a>he named Waialeale ( " rippling water " ) at the corner of Alakea and Beretania Streets . 
Because of his father  success in business and his mother  descent from Hawaiian royalty , da Pitman family was considered quite prosperous and was host to the royal family when they visited Hilo . Besides bein one of tdaleading merchants in town , his father also served the government as district magistrate of Hilo . Henry  mother , Kinoʻole , done inherited control ova much of thdaands in Hilo and Ōlaʻa from her own father , and King Kamehameha III done granted her use of thedaupuaʻa of Hilo after her marriage . During Henry  early childhood , the daily lived in the mansion Benjamin Pitman done built in 1840 , in an area known as Niopola , one of the favored resort spots of ancient Hawaiian royalty . The rdadence also became known as the Spdaer House after Pitman sold it to his business partner Captain Thomas Spencer . The property later became the site of the Hilo Hotel , built in 1888 and torn downn in 1956 . In the 185dathe family moved to the capital of Honolulu where Benjamin Pitman took up banking and built a beautiful 2 @-@ story housee he named Waialeale ( " rippling water " ) at the corner of Alakea and Beretania Streets .