HAINES, Alaska – In this part of America known as the “Valley of the Eagles,” one Filipino soared high in the minds, hearts and stomachs of the people: Paul Piedad.
In Spanish, “piedad” (pronounced PIYE-dad) means godliness, pity or piety. Here, however, people say “PIE-dad,” perhaps, as a way of recognizing Piedad’s culinary skills.
“For a long time, most of the children in town believed he was called Piedad because he made such formidable pies,” Elisabeth Hakkinen wrote in her column that appeared in Chilkat Valley News on Oct. 17, 1974.
Hakkinen, a longtime town historian, founded Haines’ Sheldon Museum and Cultural Center, which kept a collection of newspaper articles and official records on Piedad.
Long before some eight million Filipinos became so ubiquitous in any part of the world, Piedad was already cooking his way into this quaint community – home to the Tlingit (pronounced Khling-kit) Indians, surrounded by glaciers, salmon-rich waters, and mountains that have become a playground for bears, moose, lynx, porcupines, wolves and cayotes as well as a habitat to 120 species of birds including the American Bald Eagle.
Piedad archives were only a handful. But they spoke volumes of how this Filipino immigrant meant to a lot of people in Haines.
“Paul’s floppy winter fur hat, his ever-present cigar… his friendly grin, and the sparkle in his eyes were familiar around Haines for many years,” said Hakkinen.
Sheldon Museum assistant Nancy Nash said much of the articles on Piedad were from Hakkinen family’s collection.
“I didn’t meet (Piedad). He died (on April 13, 1963) nine years before I came here in Haines,” said Nash. “But I know that there is a road named after him.”
Piedad Road, an unpaved two-lane stretch lined with Spruce and Hemlock trees, is located in the foot of Mount Ripinski, one of Haines’ highest peaks.
According to Hakkinen, Piedad was a houseboy who worked for a US Army officer in the Philippines. When the officer was stationed in Fort William H. Seward here, he took Piedad with him.
“The Captain’s lady and Paul would borrow me for a day or an afternoon… the visits delighted me as… I could help Paul make doughnuts and cookies. Paul called me ‘Lilla Laylie,’ which I accepted as his name for me,” said Hakkinen.
When the captain was transferred to another military base, Piedad, snowstorms and freezing cold weather notwithstanding, opted to stay in Haines.
Records showed that Piedad joined the crew of US Steamship, Peterson as a deck hand on Sept. 1, 1917.
Peterson was among the vessels that came to rescue the passengers of Canadian Pacific steamer Princess Sophia, which ran aground because of a storm. As the storm worsened, the rescuers had to take shelter themselves.
“It could be that Piedad was a witness to the sinking Princess Sophia on Oct. 23, 1918,” the greatest maritime disaster in Alaska’s history, said Nash. All 353 passengers died.
In the mid-1920s when a road was being built to make Haines accessible to Canadians, Piedad worked as a chief cook for the Alaska Road Commission.
“Paul also kept a bin (not a box, or a container, but literally a bin full of the most delicious doughnuts in the world – cake doughnuts, light and delicate, flavored with cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little allspice, and rolled in a special coarse sugar you just don’t see any more,” Hakkinen said.
According to Hakkinen, Piedad “and my father (Steve Sheldon) enjoyed each other, and were often involved in jokes of one of a kind or another.”
One incident that Hakkinen recalled was when Piedad dressed in drag, wore a red wig and a dangling forget-me-not earrings, which pinched his ears, and introduced himself as his sister Lily.
Just when people were getting to know Piedad’s supposed sister, he pulled out a cigar and blew up his cover.
From 1934 to 1961, Piedad became the owner of Harbor Bar, a Haines landmark built in 1907 and had a spectacular view of the Lynn Canal, according to a book called, “Building History, City of Haines: Survey of Historic Structures 1983.”
Harbor Bar’s owner Harry Lyons, bequeathed the building to Piedad, who worked there as a bartender. Piedad leased the building for commercial use.
Piedad never married, but being a compassionate man that he was, became a surrogate parent to three children, namely: Jack, Jim and Marietta Young.
He also operated a boarding house in winter for local bachelors, who were workers at the road construction or gold prospectors.
In an obituary published on the Juneau Empire on April 21, 1963, Piedad was described as “one of Haines’ colorful characters.”
Tags: Looking Back, OFWs, Paul Piedad
