 Dr. Seth Porter Ford arrived in 1851 from Boston , and practiced medicine at the U.S. Seamen 's Hospital . Ford married Caroline Jackson in June 1866 , taking control of the island and changing its name from Marín Island to Ford Island . When Ford died in 1866 , it was transferred to his son , Seth Porter Ford , Jr . The island was managed by Sanford B. Dole on behalf of Ford 's minor children until Ford , Jr. came of age and sold the island in 1891 to the John Papa ʻĪʻī land trust . 
