The Biographical Dictionary of America/Barker, Albert Smith

BARKER, Albert Smith, naval officer, was born in Hanson, Mass., March 31, 1843; son of Josiah and Eliza (Cushing) Barker; grandson of Isaac Bowen and Elizabeth (Torrey) Barker and of Pickels and Rachel Cushing; and a descendant of Robert Barker, who settled in Plymouth between 1630 and 1640. He was appointed to the United States naval academy, Oct 25, 1859, and was ordered into active service in May, 1861. He served on the steam frigate Mississippi at the bombardment and passage of the forts and the capture of New Orleans, April 25, 1862; was promoted ensign, Nov. 25, 1862, and was actively engaged in the attempted capture of Port Hudson, March 14, 1863, where the Mississippi was destroyed; joined the Monongahela, took part in the siege of Port Hudson and the ensuing battles which cleared the river; was promoted lieutenant, Feb. 22, 1864; lieutenant-commander, July 25, 1866; commander, March 28, 1877; captain, May 5, 1892; and rear-admiral, Oct. 10, 1899. He ran a line of deep sea soundings around the world in 1883-'86, while in command of the Enterprise; commanded the protected cruiser Philadelphia, May, 1892, to August, 1894, and the battleship Oregon, March, 1896, to January, 1897. Upon the outbreak of the Spanish-American war he was a member of the naval war board; then commanded the protected cruiser Newark in the North Atlantic squadron, May, 1898, to August, 1898, when he was again placed in command of the Oregon and in September, 1898, was appointed to command a special service squadron for the Pacific; visited the principal ports of South America, and reached Manila in March, 1899. He took command of the Norfolk navy yard Oct, 5, 1899; was promoted rear-admiral, Oct. 10, 1899, and took command of the New York navy yard in 1900.