Albert S. Barker

Barker was born on March 31, 1843, in Hanson, Massachusetts, the son of Josiah and Eliza (Cushing) Barker.{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=h9cwAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA45 |title=The Barker Family of Plymouth Colony and County |first=Barker |last=Newhall |date=1901 |page=45 |publisher=F. W. Roberts Company |access-date=May 19, 2023}}{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6JtEAQAAMAAJ&pg=PP208 |chapter=Barker, Albert Smith |title=The Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans |date=1904 |volume=1 |page=208 |publisher=Gale Research Company |isbn=9780810331624 |access-date=May 19, 2023}} 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 {{USS|Mississippi|1841|2}}, was commissioned as an ensign in November 1862 and survived its sinking in March 1863. He later served on {{USS|Monongahela|1862|2}} and {{USS|Niagara|1855|2}} during the Civil War.

In July 1883, Albert Barker was commander of the screw-sloop {{USS|Enterprise|1874|6}} 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|1840|6}} stationed at Zanzibar as a store ship.

From May 1892 to August 1894, Barker was commander of the cruiser {{USS|Philadelphia|C-4|6}}.

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.Newhall, p. 58. Retrieved May 19, 2023.{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/index.html#/search-all/results/1/igEBMqoBBDEwMzM-/ |title=Barker, Mary Ellen B |website=ANCExplorer |publisher=U.S. Army |access-date=May 19, 2023}} She was an author of three novels under the name Ellen Blackmar Maxwell.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=OtxTAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA88 |chapter=Barker, Ellen Blackmar |title=Who's Who in America |date=1906 |page=88 |publisher=Marquis Who's Who |access-date=May 19, 2023}}{{cite web |url=https://id.oclc.org/worldcat/entity/search?q=Maxwell%2C+Ellen+Blackmar&entityType=all&page=0&rows=10&orderBy=relevancy |title=WorldCat Entities: Maxwell, Ellen Blackmar |publisher=OCLC, Inc |access-date=May 19, 2023}}

From March 1896 to January 1897, Barker was commander of the battleship {{USS|Oregon|BB-3|6}}.

During the Spanish–American War, Barker commanded the cruiser {{USS|Newark|C-1|6}} and participated in the bombardment of Santiago on July 1, 1898.{{cite book |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KOgUAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA92 |chapter=Barker, Albert Smith |title=Men and Women of America: A Biographical Dictionary of Contemporaries |date=1909 |page=92 |publisher=L. R. Hamersly |access-date=May 19, 2023}} In August 1898, he again became commander of the Oregon. In 1899, Barker briefly served as Commander-in-Chief of the Asiatic Squadron.

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.

Rear Admiral Barker died of pneumonia on January 30, 1916, at his home in Washington, D.C.{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/43277203/rear_admiral_barker_dies/ |title=Rear Admiral Barker Dies |work=Brooklyn Eagle |page=16 |date=1916-01-31 |access-date=2020-01-30 |via=Newspapers.com}}{{cite news |url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/145498478 |title=Local News Stories |date=February 2, 1916 |page=16 |newspaper=The Washington Post |access-date=May 19, 2023|id={{ProQuest|145498478}} }} Barker and his wife are buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

The destroyer {{USS|Barker|DD-213}} was named for him.

File:Lt. Barker, 1864.png|Barker as a Lieutenant, 1864

File:Albert S. Barker.jpg|Barker as Rear Admiral, no later than 1901

:50px United States Naval Academy Midshipman – Class of 1863, graduated May 1861

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).

{{reflist}}

• {{cite BDA1906 |wstitle= Barker, Albert Smith |volume= 1 |page = 210 |short=}}
• 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.

:{{DANFS|http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/b2/barker-i.htm}}

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{{succession box|title=Commander-in-Chief, North Atlantic Fleet|before=Francis J. Higginson |after=Robley D. Evans|years=July 1903 – March 1905}}

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Category:1843 births

Category:1916 deaths

Category:People from Hanson, Massachusetts

Category:United States Naval Academy alumni

Category:People of Massachusetts in the American Civil War

Category:Union Navy officers

Category:American military personnel of the Spanish–American War

Category:United States Navy rear admirals (upper half)

Category:Military personnel from Washington, D.C.

Category:Deaths from pneumonia in Washington, D.C.

Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery