Albert Smith Barker
Albert Smith Barker in 1900
Born(1843-03-31)March 31, 1843
Hanson, Massachusetts
DiedJanuary 30, 1916(1916-01-30) (aged 72)
Washington, D.C.
Place of burial
Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States of America
Service/branch United States Navy
Years of service1859–1905
RankRear Admiral
Commands heldNorth Atlantic Fleet
New York Navy Yard
Norfolk Navy Yard
Asiatic Squadron (Interim)
USS Oregon
USS Newark
USS Philadelphia
USS Enterprise
Battles/warsAmerican Civil War
Spanish–American War

Albert Smith Barker (March 31, 1843 – January 30, 1916) was an admiral in the United States Navy who served during the American Civil War and the Spanish–American War.

Biography

Barker was born on March 31, 1843 in Hanson, Massachusetts, the son of Josiah and Eliza (Cushing) Barker.[1][2] He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in October 1859 at the age of sixteen and was graduated in May 1861 after the outbreak of the Civil War. Barker initially served as a midshipman aboard the Mississippi, was commissioned as an ensign in November 1862 and survived its sinking in March 1863.[2] He later served on Monongahela and Niagara during the Civil War.

In July 1883, Albert Barker was commander of the screw-sloop USS Enterprise while on the East Coast of Africa at Zanzibar. He wrote a report on the "Trade of Zanzibar" of imports and exports for the years 1882–83. The trade of the port principally being with the United States, England, Germany, and France. Many vessels from these countries were employed in this trade process with America, such as the British man-of-war HMS London stationed at Zanzibar as a store ship.

From May 1892 to August 1894, Barker was commander of the cruiser USS Philadelphia.[2]

On October 26, 1894, Barker married Mary Ellen (Blackmar) Maxwell (1852–1938), the widow of a religious missionary who died in 1890 while the couple was in India.[3][4] She was an author of three novels under the name Ellen Blackmar Maxwell.[5][6]

From March 1896 to January 1897, Barker was commander of the battleship USS Oregon.[2]

During the Spanish–American War, Barker commanded the cruiser USS Newark and participated in the bombardment of Santiago on July 1, 1898.[2][7] In August 1898, he again became commander of the Oregon. In 1899, Barker briefly served as Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Squadron.[2]

Barker served as commandant of the Norfolk Navy Yard from 1899 to 1900 and commandant of the New York Navy Yard from 1900 to 1903. He was Commander-in-Chief of the North Atlantic Fleet from April 1, 1903 to March 31, 1905.[2]

Rear Admiral Barker died of pneumonia on January 30, 1916, at his home in Washington, D.C.[8][9] Barker and his wife are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.[4][9]

Recognition

The destroyer USS Barker (DD-213) was named for him.

Dates of rank

United States Naval Academy Midshipman – Class of 1863, graduated May 1861
Ensign Lieutenant Lieutenant Commander
O-1 O-3 O-4
November 25, 1862 February 22, 1864 July 25, 1866
Commander Captain Rear Admiral
O-5 O-6 O-8
March 28, 1877 May 5, 1892 October 10, 1899

Barker never held the rank of LTJG (O-2) due to it not being created until later years. As well, Rear Admiral then is equivalent to today's Rear Admiral (Upper Half).

Notes

  1. ↑ Newhall, Barker (1901). The Barker Family of Plymouth Colony and County. F. W. Roberts Company. p. 45. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 "Barker, Albert Smith". The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans. Vol. 1. Gale Research Company. 1904. p. 208. ISBN 9780810331624. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  3. ↑ Newhall, p. 58. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  4. 1 2 "Barker, Mary Ellen B". ANCExplorer. U.S. Army. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  5. ↑ "Barker, Ellen Blackmar". Who's Who in America. Marquis Who's Who. 1906. p. 88. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  6. ↑ "WorldCat Entities: Maxwell, Ellen Blackmar". OCLC, Inc. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Barker, Albert Smith". Men and Women of America: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries. L. R. Hamersly. 1909. p. 92. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  8. ↑ "Rear Admiral Barker Dies". Brooklyn Eagle. January 31, 1916. p. 16. Retrieved January 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
  9. 1 2 "Local News Stories". The Washington Post. February 2, 1916. p. 16. ProQuest 145498478. Retrieved May 19, 2023.

References

  • Marquis Who's Who, Inc. Who Was Who in American History, the Military. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who, 1975. ISBN 0837932017 OCLC 657162692
  • Reports from the Consul of the United States on the Commerce, Manufactures, Etc. of their consular districts. No. 31-July 1883. Published by the department of state, according to act of congress.

Attribution

This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
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