by Beth McCormick (Current owner and niece of Elizabeth von Beck, or 'Auntie Dofeen.')
Elizabeth von Beck, "Auntie Dofeen" in Hawaiian
ti leaf raincoat
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Auntie Dofeen was an eccentric. That’s how I thought of her, as early as kindergarten. The word seemed to define her. Eventually, it came to confine her. Impetuous, impossible, fun, vulnerable, visionary, and lovable... I found her endlessly fascinating.
The daughter of a sea captain and the niece of the McCormick spice company founder, Auntie Dofeen had an affinity for Polynesia and a flair for the exotic. Her father, in his youth, had been a mapmaker for the first scientific expedition to Easter Island in 1886, and from an early age she identified with the mystery and adventure of remote islands. The lure of remote islands was forever in her blood, since she grew up hearing tales about my grandfather's explorations in Borneo, the Philippines, and Easter Island.
At 60, Auntie Dofeen took off in an ill-equipped sailboat along with my two teenage brothers, crossing from Kona to Fanning Island, Palmyra, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. This madcap journey was the adventure of a lifetime which they were all lucky to have survived, but the Onion House never really recovered from her absence during those years.
The daughter of a sea captain and the niece of the McCormick spice company founder, Auntie Dofeen had an affinity for Polynesia and a flair for the exotic. Her father, in his youth, had been a mapmaker for the first scientific expedition to Easter Island in 1886, and from an early age she identified with the mystery and adventure of remote islands. The lure of remote islands was forever in her blood, since she grew up hearing tales about my grandfather's explorations in Borneo, the Philippines, and Easter Island.
At 60, Auntie Dofeen took off in an ill-equipped sailboat along with my two teenage brothers, crossing from Kona to Fanning Island, Palmyra, Fiji, Samoa, and Tonga. This madcap journey was the adventure of a lifetime which they were all lucky to have survived, but the Onion House never really recovered from her absence during those years.
Uncle Willoughby McCormick, founder of the spice company
Auntie Dofeen grew up at Dover, the home in Middleburg, Virginia, which has been in the family for over 200 years.
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Her father, my grandfather,
Captain Charles M McCormick
The map my grandfather drew during the first scientific expedition to Easter Island, or Rapa Nui, as a young naval cadet in 1886.
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My grandfather's 1886 photo of a priceless piece of writing from Easter Island, which is one of only 26 known to exist. The only Polynesian written language, this is one the very few places where humans invented writing in all of history. It has never been deciphered.
My grandmother, Katherine Seibert McCormick, born in 1872, shown here around the time of her first voyage to Hawaii in the early 1900's. Her letter describes encountering a typhoon [hurricane] soon after sailing from Honolulu with her two youngsters, and everyone being seasick for days. The dark haired child on her knee is my father.
My grandmother, Katherine Seibert McCormick, on one of her last homecomings to Hawaii.
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My grandmother, who lived for many years in the traditional red brick home, Dover, in Middleburg, Virginia, spent her final years at the Onion House
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How the Onion House Got Its Name
The controversial building project five decades ago in this tiny local community inspired much speculation. One woman was overheard to say disparagingly, “The damned thing looks like an onion!” Word got back to Auntie Dofeen, whose immediate reaction was “Eureka! That’s IT! The Onion House!” She loved onions, and reasoned that since the construction was partially financed by the sale of McCormick dehydrated onions, the name was only fitting.
The housewarming party lasted for three days and three nights. Auntie Dofeen noted that the stone walls surrounding the terrace seat fifty nicely. She had invited all of Kona.
The housewarming party lasted for three days and three nights. Auntie Dofeen noted that the stone walls surrounding the terrace seat fifty nicely. She had invited all of Kona.
Since no family history is complete without a good ghost story, here is ours. It involves religious intolerance, supernatural forces, and exorcism... plus a nifty piece of art. I just discovered this authentic American poltergeist tale documented on Wikipedia!
