William H.J. Paris, Jr.
Year Inducted: 2003
Palika Ranch | Hawai'i
His initials stand for: Hauwawaikaleoonamanuonakanahele Johnson, and his lineage reads like a who’s who in Hawai`i. . . Grandparents Paris and Johnson on the paternal side; and grandparents Hind and Low on the maternal side. Throw in the Alii Nui from whom his paternal grandmother is descended and the name Parker from whom his maternal grandmother is descended, and you have “Billy” Paris.
Born into ranching families, Billy practically grew up in the saddle. In fact he still vividly recalls his first ride. He was 3 ½ years old and sitting on a pillow in front of the saddle watching with his mother while his dad and the cowboys roped wild cattle. That same year he sat in front of his uncle Jim Hind as they drove shipping cattle down from Pu`uwa`awa`a. At age 5 he could saddle his own horse and take part in cattle drives. Billy did all of the chores on the family ranch – milking cows, feeding chickens, tending the vegetable garden and taming the calves. During high school summer vacations, he did all kinds of ranch work – driving cattle, branding, training horses, fence work, brush control and everything else. Billy recalls how, in 1938, he was allowed to be one of the cattle “shippers” at Kealakekua Bay. He says, “What a thrill that was leading my first steer into the Bay on a horse named “Grey”. My cousin Kapua Heuer and I are the last living persons to have taken cattle out to the ships at Keauhou.”
Later, Billy became supervisor of his father’s ranching business and operation. He also managed Pu`uwa`awa`a Ranch for 3 years. But Billy took time out to serve his country before he started running ranches. He saw action in the Battle of the Bulge during WW II, and was awarded both the Purple Heart and the Bronze Star for Valor. As a paniolo, he would do no less.