He was born in New York on October 21, 1842. Rear Admiral J.E. Pillsbury USN, retired and Frank were shipmates on their firs training cruise in 1863. 15 years after Godfrey left the sea and settled in Honolulu, and Pillsbury rose to prominence in the Navy.
He originally came to Hawai'i as a tourist. At the time of his death he was a widower.
Frank is a naval Civil War Veteran 1863-1866 and a member of the G.A.R.
He suffered from failing eyesight and had a surgery in 1912 that caused complications for him post surgery.
He was also a newspaperman, and a member of the American Red Cross 1917.
He was the publisher of Godfreys' Handbook of Hawai'i.
He was the owner of the Honolulu Hale, the oldest building in Honolulu whereas Frank registered it in 1917 for use as an American Red Cross station for use in the War Effort. The Honolulu Hale was located on Merchant Street and built to order of King Kamehameha III and the oldest government building in Hawai'i. It was built in 1836 and was 3 stories. It was sold by the King's estate to the government for $27K on June 13, 1884. Queen Emma, Mrs. BP Bishop and CR Bishop signed the deed. In September 1851 Kamehameha secured a loan from the minister of finance for $3k at 1% per month for 8 months. At the end of the 8 months he was evidently unable to pay the debt and there was some talk in the privy council on the question of selling the building. Instead he was loaned $9k more at 12% a year for 2 years and the $3k was included in the mortgage. When this debt was paid is not exactly clear but as far as can be ascertained it was probably settled up at his death. In 1845 the government leased the building but did not move in until the next year when several new departments were formed. Kamehameha was padi $1k a month for its use. When the auction took place to sell the King's building, the old dinner bell of King Kalakaua was used for the bids.
He was married to Alice Forsyth Metcalf 1852-1923
Children:
George Forsyth Godfrey 1889-1975
Harold Godfrey 1891-1983
Frances L. Ross, a daughter of Staten Island NY

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Obituary
Frank Godfrey, veteran newspaperman of Honolulu and with his tapping cane and green eyeshade worn under his back tilted hat, a familiar figure to thousands of residents, died here at an early hour this morning after an illness of several weeks duration.
Had he lived another month he would have been 77 years old. Pneumonia was the cause of death.
He was buried in the Civil War veterans plot at Nu'uanu cemetery. Godfrey was a member of John F. Godfrey Post No. 94, Grand Army of the Republic at Pasadena, California.
Mr. Godfrey is survived by two sons, George of San Francisco and Harold, deputy probation officer of Honolulu and one daughter Mrs. Francis L. Ross of Staten Island, New York.
A resident of Honolulu for almost half a century Mr. Godfrey for many years was a newspaper editor and writer and was a prominent figure in monarchial and revolutionary days.
He was private secretary to King Kalakaua and was with the King when he died at the Palace hotel in San Francisco in 1891.
Mr. Godfreys first newspaper work here was as editor of the Pacific Commercial Advertiser, then a weekly and now the Honolulu Advertiser. He subsequently was editor of the old Evening Bulletin, Independent. Paradise of the Pacific and associate editor of the Hawaiian Gazette and was the first correspondent of the Associated Press in Hawai'i.
He was a royalist in the days of the revolution and was twice placed under arrest because of his activities. As a newspaperman, he reported for his papers many of the stirring events of the 30 years ago when the monarchy was overthrown. He was associate counsel with the late Paul Neumann at the trial of the late Queen Liliuokalani.
In late years he had devoted himself to private writing and publication of various statistical and informative pamphlets. As a reporter he went to Kauai during the bloody hunt for Ko'olau, the leper, concerning which Dr. C. B. Cooper has recently written two articles for the Saturday Star-Bulletin.
Source: Honolulu Star-Bulletin-Honolulu, Hawaii · Tuesday, September 25, 1923
(Findagrave member #47384645)
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Author: Godfrey, Frank
Title: ILLUSTRATED HANDBOOK OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS AND GUIDE TO HONOLULU AND VICINITY
Publication: Honolulu: Robert Grieve, 1898
Edition: First Edition

Description: First Edition. Hardcover. Small octavo: xx ads, [4], 100, [2], xxi-xxxv, [1] ad p. with 4 leaves of ads within text. Illustrated with photographs, engravings, and maps. Original printed boards, with expert restoration to the spine. The front flyleaf, a blank with a pasted errata, is detached and laid in place. Period ink signature ("Eugene C. Zahn, Co. A 1st Regt., N.Y.V., Honolulu H.I., Sept. 1898") to the front flyleaf, with a another Zahn signature to the rear flyleaf.
Scarce pocket guide to Hawaii at the time of the annexation by the United States on July 7, 1898. Includes a history to 1894, a description of the current state of the islands, information for travelers, a general directory, and numerous advertisements for local businesses, which are printed in blue.
Subject: South Pacific
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Biographical notes: (Findagrave member #47384645)∼Son of Mary Foley and John Godfrey.

Per 1920 Census, mother from Massachusetts and father from Ireland.

Per obituary, children are;
George of San Francisco, Harold of Honolulu and Mrs. Frances L. Ross of Staten Island, NY

George Forsythe Godfrey
BIRTH 10 NOV 1889 • Honolulu, Hawaii
DEATH 10 JUN 1975 • Los Angeles, California, USA