Page:Men of Mark in America vol 2.djvu/167

 STEPHEN BLEECKER LUCE UCE, STEPHEN BLEECKER, rear-admiral United States navy, founder and some time president of the United States Naval war college, commissioner general to the Columbian Historical exposition at Madrid, and author, was born in Albany, New York, March 25, 1827, son of Vinal Luce. He says of his mother, Charlotte Bleecker Luce, that her influence over him has been deep and lasting.

Jan Jansszen Bleecker, of Albany, New York, 1658, was his earliest known ancestor in this country on his mother's side; Experience Luce, of Tisbury, Massachusetts, 1695-1779, on his father's side. Until he was fourteen his life was spent in a city; after that, at sea. He was appointed a midshipman in the United States navy, October 19, 1841, and has passed through all grades to rear-admiral, having been in the naval service about sixty-three years. From 1845-48 under Commodore Biddle he circumnavigated the globe in the Columbus, 74. During the Mexican war he saw service on the California coast, 1846-47. He was attached to the United States Coast Survey, 1854-57; was assistant instructor at the United States Naval academy, 1860-61; was in the blockading squadron off the coast of South Carolina, and engaged in the battle of Port Royal, November 13, 1861. He was commissioned lieutenant-commander July 16, 1862; he had command of the monitor Nantucket, the double-ender Sonoma, the Canandaigua and the Pontiac, from 1863-65, and by direction of General Sherman, guarded the pontoon bridge at Sister's Ferry, over the Savannah river, while General Slocum's division of the army crossed into South Carolina. He was commissioned as commander, July 25, 1866; commanded the practice squadron of the Naval academy, the Mohongo and the Juniata from 1866-72. His commission as captain bears date, December 28, 1872. From 1872 to 1875, he was equipment officer at the Boston navy yard; and was mainly instrumental in the adoption of the system of training naval apprentices, April 8, 1875; and, subsequently in the establishment of the headquarters of the Naval Training Service on Coast-