circa 1894

Smith, John Butler, 1838-1914

Document signed

Title: [Request for the portrait of John G. Walker to be added to the collection of the State of New Hampshire]

A committee of distinguished citizens of New Hampshire requests a copy of Rear Admiral Walker's portrait to add to the state's collection. Says "The undersigned citizens of New Hampshire, mindful of your distinguished service and prominence in the United States Navy, and entertaining a pardonable pride that you are a native of this state, earnestly desire that your portrait be added to the collection." Contains 14 signatures, including: former Governor Moody Currier (1885-1887), former Governor Charles H. Sawyer (1887-1889), former Governor David H. Goodell (1889-1891), former Governor…

GLC03804.23

4 December 1897

Zelaya, José Santos, 1853-1919

Document

Title: Monopoly of lead, fulminating caps and cartridges for shot guns and revolvers

Contract approved by Zelaya as President of Nicaragua. Contract given by Minister of Finance Enrique Lopez. Probably arranged by Walker in retirement from the U.S. Navy working on the canal commission in Nicaragua, but his signature is not on the document. The president offered this contract to "increase the sources of revenue, so as to meet the increased expenditures which the public service demand." The contract contains 8 articles, the more important of which state that lead, caps, and cartridges can only be sold at government depots; lists of the stocks of these items owned by merchants…

GLC03804.24

January 18, 1898

Walker, John G., 1835-1907

Receipt

Title: [John G. Walker's reciept from the Gran Hotel in Managua, Nicaragua] [In Spanish]

Receipt for $219.30 from the Gran Hotel in Managua. Walker appears to have been entertaining guests or dignitaries. Receipt lists payments for a special apartment, 3 servants, and several bottles of wine, beer, and champagne. One of the guests with Walker is A. G. Menocal, who is tried before a U.S. Navy General Court in May 1898. Walker testified at the trial -- see GLC 03804.26. Another guest is Lewis M. Haupt, who wrote a letter to Walker at GLC03804.30.

GLC03804.25

9 September 1898

Haupt, Lewis M., 1844-1937

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Written by Haupt, who was working with Walker in Nicaragua (see GLC03804.25 -- he is referenced as one of the guests on the receipt) on the feasibility of creating a canal there. Says he heard that "Menocal has been 'pardoned'" and assigned to duty "on the Commission." (see GLC03804.25 and .26). Also reports that "Ehle" has returned to the United States without any data, which is withheld at Greytown, Nicaragua, and that "parties are still in the field." Says he has been advised that Mr. Huntington has such control over Congress that no canal bill can be passed inside of two years. Haupt…

GLC03804.30

January 23, 1899

Kingman, W., fl. 1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Written on letterhead of the Caribbean & Pacific Transit Co. Ltd. Written and signed by W. Kingman, who appears to be the General Manager of the company to Rear Admiral Walker as President of the Canal Commission. Provides dates when the ship "Victoria" can be placed at his disposal for the transport of the canal commissioners "to points on the Lake."

GLC03804.31

3 March 1899

Cheney, Leonard, fl. 1899

Autograph letter signed

Title: to John G. Walker

Written on stationery of the General Commandery of the Naval Order of the United States. Written by Cheney as the group's General Recorder to Walker as a retired Rear Admiral. Happily reports to Walker that he was unanimiously elected at the Triennial Congress of the Naval Order to the office of General Commander. He is to serve until 5 October 1901. Asks to be notified of his acceptance.

GLC03804.32

10 April 1918

Wakeman, Samuel Wiley, fl. 1917-1929

Typed letter signed

Title: to Francis Pickering Walker Thomas

Written on the stationery of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd.'s Fore River Plant. Signed by Wakeman as the General Manager of the shipyard to the daughter of the late Rear Admiral John G. Walker. Says he has been informed that she will christen the USS "Walker," which his shipyard is currently building. Says the boat will be launched sometime in the late summer and that he will notify her of exact arrangements.

GLC03804.46

10 September 1918

Wakeman, Samuel Wiley, fl. 1917-1929

Typed letter signed

Title: to Francis Pickering Walker Thomas

Written on the stationery of the Bethlehem Shipbuilding Corporation, Ltd.'s Fore River Plant. Signed by Wakeman as the General Manager of the shipyard to the daughter of the late Rear Admiral John G. Walker. Tells Walker's daughter that the USS "Walker" will be launched on 14 September at 6 p.m. Will have a car sent to pick her up in Boston.

GLC03804.47

circa 1918

Typed document

Title: Walker

Document giving a description of the destroyer USS "Walker" -- named after the late Rear Admiral John G. Walker. It is noted that the ship was 314 feet long, was launched on 14 September 1918 at Fore River, Massachusetts, and that the family sponsor of the vessel was Francis Pickering Walker Thomas, the admiral's daughter. Provides a quick biography of Walker, focusing on his service in the Civil War. Very faded stamp at top says "Return to Mrs. R.T. Hall 611 Overbrook Avenue. Philadelphia, Pa." Underneath the stamp and written in pencil is a note saying "if incorrect." Document typed on very…

GLC03804.48

circa post 1907

Westcott, Allen, fl. 1907

Typed manuscript

Title: [Biography of John Grimes Walker]

Typed biography of Rear Admiral John G. Walker by Westcott (whose relation to the Walker family is unknown). Commences from his birth in New Hampshire in 1835 and goes to his death 1907. Provides a quick summary of his Civil War service, work in the Navy after the war, and his work in retirement as the President of the Isthmian Canal Commission. Corrections made throughout in several different inks. Stapled in upper left corner with 2 hole punches at the top of the document.

GLC03804.50

7 November 1860

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West [incomplete]

Says he arrived in Foochow on 26 October after a 14 day voyage from Hong Kong. Ran into a northeast monsoon along the way. Says "Foochow is one of the few places I have never visited before on the coast of China." Goes on to describe the city, saying it only recently became an important city in the tea trade and that the Min River, which empties at Foochow, is very dangerous. Says the first thing he did upon arriving in port was a "regular house cleaning," and says the ship now looks like "a pretty girl rigged up for a ball, the handsomest craft, here!" Has taken on 200 tons of tea after…

GLC03836.01

14 March 1856

Miller, George S., fl. 1856

Printed document signed

Title: [Pass allowing Lewis West to leave the Victorian Docks in London]

Pass permiting Mr. Lewis West, the mate of "the Ship Screamer @ Calcutta to enter or quit the Dock up to 9 o'Clock, so long as the Vessel remains in Dock." Signature is sloppy and might not say "George S. Miller."

GLC03836.02

6 June 1860

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

References his mother's and Mary's letters. Says he is finally in Shanghai "after one of the hardest passages I ever made, to, or from, the Indies." Says their sails froze to the mast in January and they could barely get them set. Goes on to describe the bad weather of the voyage in detail, including running into a hurricane after rounding the Cape of Good Hope. Says the voyage to China took 142 days and said "It is a relief to find other people worse off than yourself, so I was exceedingly pleased to learn that the, Magenta, a rival clipper, which sailed 8 days before us, was not yet arrived…

GLC03836.03

23 April 1861

Glapson, John J., fl. 1861

Autograph document signed

Title: to Lewis West

Written by Commander Glapson of the U.S. Brig "Perry" to West. Co-signed by the Lieutenant and commanding officer of the "Perry," whose signature is illegible. Document appointing West as Master's Mate aboard the "Perry."

GLC03836.04

12 May 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Tells his mother that he is sailing for the Chesapeake tomorrow. Says they have an entirely new complement of officers on his ship, except for him. Says the changes are for the better. The captain is from New Hampshire and is "sound on the goose question." Says he will write when they get to the seat of war "where I believe every body belonging to the brig is anxious to get, to relieve the monotony of our lives, which is perfectly disgusting in such stirring times as these." Hopes to "do my share of maintaining the honor of the flag."

GLC03836.05

21 May 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says they were supposed to leave earlier, but had to wait for the paymaster. They might leave tomorrow. Says the "secessionists" got some batteries up on both sides of the river and fired on the "Monticello" (West says she was also called the "Star") and goes on to describe the firefight. Six shots hit the ship, but no one was hurt. Says an English ship tried to pass through the blockade, but the USS "Minnesota" stopped her. Says his ship is a "contemptible little brig" in comparison to the "Minnesota" and the "Star." Reports that the "officers of the larger vessels kindly assure us we will…

GLC03836.06

3 June 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says nothing has happened recently except coming across a vessel from Bremen, Germany that was bound for Charleston. The "Minnesota" ordered it off and sent it to Baltimore. It is understood that they will be stationed off Fernandina, near the mouth of the St. Mary River in Florida. Speaks poorly of his captain, who "acted as if he was totally ignorant of the existence of such a thing as the Gulf Stream." Says they captured a ship with a cargo of cotton a few days before. Continues the letter on 4 June. Says the "Perry" captured its first privateer yesterday. Describes the 5 hour chase. The…

GLC03836.07

8 June 1861-16 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter

Title: to R. West

Letter begins on 8 June at sea and continues on 17 June (he writes July 17, but that is impossible) at Fernandina, Florida; 27 June; 8 July; and 16 July at Hampton Roads, Virginia. On 8 June says he is 30 miles south of Savannah and near their destination of the boundary between Georgia and Florida. Says their departure from Charleston was sudden and was not able to tell her that he was put in charge of the privateer that was captured a week earlier. Was overhauling her and found the signal book, which gave them the ability to read Confederate signals from the shore. Tried to trick another…

GLC03836.08

16 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Signed twice by West. A follow up letter to GLC03836.08. Says his ship will resupply at Hampton Roads and then cruise between there and Cape Hatteras. Hopes that "we shall do our duty more efficiently than we have so far, as the blockade we established of the St. Mary's river was nothing but a ridiculous farce, had there been any vessels in there they could have got out at any time." Says this was partially because of their captain "having the most extraordinary ideas of blockading ever heard of." Goes on to say "he was afraid of being becalmed inshore and having a steamer come out to attack…

GLC03836.09

23 July 1861

West, Lewis H., 1829-?

Autograph letter signed

Title: to R. West

Says the news about the Battle of Bull Run has been confirmed, "Our army has suffered a most shameful and bloody defeat." Says all the fugitives streamed into Alexandria and "at one time it was thought it would be expedient to set fire to the buildings containing government stores at this place." Was glad it did not come to that. Reports that "The troops as they came in, although entirely disorganized did not appear to be so much panic stricken, as dejected and ashamed. All who have come into this place have their arms with them." Believes it will come to light that the defeat was caused by…

GLC03836.11

21 October 1822

Milnor, William, 1769-1848

Printed letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Desires to be appointed to the now vacant post "the office of Clerk of the House of Representatives." The office of the Clerk is filled by a vote among the Representatives, and Milnor was requesting Hobart's vote. States he has served as a Representative for many years previously, and believes this has prepared him well for the post. Milnor was not elected as Clerk.

GLC06313.04.192

6 November 1822

Sampson, Zabdiel, 1781-1828

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Election results for five towns in Massachusetts in the race for Congress. Notes how many votes Hobart and his opponent C. Otis recieved in five small Massachusetts town in the election for the eighteenth Congress. Believes the Federalists are giving up, and that Hobart will win the election, which he did.

GLC06313.04.194

15 November 1822

Gay, Ebenezer, 1771-1842

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Discussing property claims resulting from a bankruptcy. Requesting Hobart's help in making sure he secures the amount of the property he desires. Also discussed a bankruptcy bill that may come up for vote again in Congress soon, and hopes Hobart's vote on the bill is "unbiased by local or partial considerations & influenced only by your conceptions of the probable effect of that measure upon the nation at large."

GLC06313.04.195

29 October 1822

Chambers, B. S., fl. 1822

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Desires to be appointed to the now vacant position of Clerk of the House of Representatives. The office of the Clerk is filled by a vote among the Representatives, and Chambers was requesting Hobart's vote. States his desire to fill the post honorably, and gives a number of references. Chambers was not elected as Clerk.

GLC06313.04.196

19 November 1822

Hayward, Elijah, 1786-1864

Autograph letter signed

Title: to Aaron Hobart

Soliciting Hobart's help in an attempt to secure an "appointment as publisher of the Laws of Congress." Hayward has already contacted Secretary of State John Q. Adams in the hope of securing this appointment for "Looker & Reynolds printers" to publish the laws in Cincinnati. But he also requests Hobart's assisstance in persuading Adams. Informs Hobart that Looker and Reynolds operate a free state paper in the city, and one that may decide to support Adams in the upcoming election. States expressely that Adams will not automatically win their support by choosing them, even though this…

GLC06313.04.197