John Henry Wilson was born in Honolulu in 1871, the son of the last loyalist to surrender during the overthrow of the Hawaiian monarchy and of Queen Lili'uokalani's lady-in-waiting.It was by his preferred name, Johnny Wilson, the casual address suiting his working-man ethic, that Wilson bore holes in the physical and political landscapes of Hawai'i.
Wilson first worked as a stevedore on the docks before pursuing a career in civil engineering. He attended Stanford University through financial help from the queen, but was forced to return home after the overthrow.
Nevertheless, at age 26, he earned a name for himself by overseeing the building of the Pali Road. He spent the next several years working as a road engineer for Honolulu and Maui.
Wilson didn't pursue politics until age 47, when he unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the territorial Senate. Two years later, he was tabbed by the Board of Supervisors to succeed Mayor Joseph Fern, who died in office. He would serve three stints as mayor: 1920 to 1927, 1929 to 1931, and 1946 to 1954.
During his last term, Wilson proposed linking Honolulu and Kane'ohe via a tunnel at the mauka end of Kalihi Valley. The territorial government instead opted for a tunnel through Nu'uanu Pali.
Later, the government went ahead with Wilson's idea, boring two tunnels at the head of Kalihi Valley that still carry Wilson's name.
Wilson's background allowed him to draw strong support from labor unions and the Hawaiian community, which were crucial to establishing the Democratic Party as a threat to the entrenched Republican Party. His appeal helped to lay the groundwork for the Democratic Revolution of 1954.
