The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-06-12
FAMILIES OF THE NAVY.
Notable Instances OF TranSmitted Prediction
for the service.
From the Baltimore Sun.

Notable Instances OF Transmitted Prediction
for tho service.
From the Baltimore Sun.
In these times, when the valorous deeds Of the
officers and mon OF the United States Navy arc
recounted almost daily, and when the world is
being convinced that, In spite Of long ouies-
cence, tho fighting blood of tho American OF
days gone by still flows In the veins of his de.
scendants, 1t is Of interest to note that the sons
Of worthy sires and grandsircs arc wearing off.
GERS uniforms aboard the ships of Simpsons
and Schloy's squadrons. and that these young
men. the product OF the younger generation,
are doing everything that is expected of them.
1t would probably be too much to say that the
love OF things pertaining to tho navy and naval
warfare was an inherited instinct. in the strict
sense of the term. This reason is set forth, how
ever, by some to account for the many Instances
in which the sons of navy or army officers follow
in their fathers footsteps. And while the lovo
Of such life may or may not really be inherited, It
Is doubtless true that there is moro reason why
the son of a United States oficor should become
the servant of the Government than the son OF
any one else.
While it may not be the fighting instinct that
Is inherited, there is no doubt that the most nat
Hral thing for such a young man to do is to do
has been raised. should his father BIO a naval
officer, in a naval atmosphere since he can re.
naval people. His fNmily's friends have been
the families of other naval officers. He has
lived in a naval colony, where most Of the con.
He has never received any consecutive educa-
ticn nor been thrown continuously with BOYS
who were not naval in their thoughts. His life
has been a wandering ono. because his father has
been moved from station TO station at the beck
settled in one school than he has had TO leave it
and become settled in another, and all this is
calculated to break the train Of thought which
which his father has followed before him.
There Hre many instances disclosed by tho
has been handed down through generations;
how it has been disseminated through branches
Witness among these the remarkable Rodgers
famlly. There WINS old Roar Admiral John
Admiral {. r P; Rodgers. tho Chesterfield Of
the navy" who is also dend. Lieutenant-Com
named. is now on the Iowa. and this officers
brother, Alexander S. Rodgers. is a Captain in
Raymond Rodgers, is on the bennington la and
Capt. Frederick Rodgers. a cousin OF Raymond,
is detailed for naval duty in Washington.
Rodgers. is on the Indiana, and this ones son,
William l.; dodgers, is a Lieutenant on tho tor.
A. ltodgers's second son, John Rodgers. is now
a cadet at Tho Naval Academy. II there are
any other male members of this family, WHO arc
Uncle Sam would like to hear from them.
These Rodgerses are related by marriage to old
NOlIllilOAbAN L III ANU VIC lDl family, o which
there are some representatives In the navy, may
get their inspiration from ono of their ancestors,
dead. and his son. Capt. Wiliism b. lion T Is ~ q
retired Captain in the navy. Ensign Arthur B.
Hoft, the Captains son, is assistant to the
United States naval attache Mt London.
Two of Admiral SIMPSONS daughters married
naval officers, Miss Margaret married Lieut..
katharine found n husband in Ensign Richard
IL. Jackson, now on the Foote. These daughters
certainly. belong to q naval family.
Cant A T. Muhan- the famnuh author nj
works upon naval warfare, has a brother, Dennis
II, Mnhan, who is not so famous, but who is a
father OF both OF them Dennis ii. Mahan, ST.,
was a Captain in the Corps of Engineers.
wo atOq gFaidnctod from the Naval SHSiH Academy mvH Inst
spring. and It Is the unanimous verdict Of his
n nIS S,Onp 3 th at he -, is s.! " vcritable chip of the
these Young mon az on the MassscRnsetts. u
of Capt. Yates Stirling OF Baltimore, who is a
member OF the Lighthouse Board; Ensign C. F.
P laG MHn is on m, tGG SeS o psms f tor " bim.sI Baltimore
Apropos of tho sons OF Confederate officers
serving vNli1ntly in tho United States Army al
sign Powers SyminRton. on tho Engle. is a son OF
Major w; Stnnr! Symington Of Baltimore, who
Ensign Franklin Buchanan sullivan OF Balti
more, on the MRrblohend, ls a son Of the famous
Confederate sea warrior. Admiral Buchanan.
And then there Is Lieut., Richmond Pearson
Hobson. who sank tho MerrimAc in S~antingc
hnrbor and became famous over the world. Hi
the stars, md bars throughout the war. Iii
grandfather, Richmond NJ. Pearson, was fol
forty years Chief Justice OF North Carolina.
A most remarkable cnsc OF father and son IL
that of the. Solfridges-Thomas o.. Sr.. and
Thomas o., Jr. Both arc now retired officers il
tho navy. The father is about 90 yoars old anC
the son about 81. and both hold the rank o
Rear Admiral. James II. Selfridgc, n son o.
Of the old Admiral. is Lleutenant-Co Commander
Renr Admiral Kimberly married n sister o
EnRign William X, Cushman, showing that love
looks not NJ relative RINK, and tho ,AdmirSl'l
son Is u Second Glass mnn nj Annapolis. who har
just been ordered to tho Cincinnati. His nam,
Is Victor A. Kimberly. Rear Admiral Belknap
retired, hRs q son. Il. r.. Belknap, who is al
ENSIGN on tho Newport, and itSNr Admire
Bcnham. is on tho Marietta. Capt. T.. +. Kan,
hash son in the Marine C~orrs-Liett, TIP Kane
1t Is q good sign. this handing down n desire u
serve ones country, whether IT. DO inherited o
not. II shows that the American people ar
mRdo of the right sort OF stun. ms they alway
have been, md IT shows that tho material Ia
not beon exhausted in the century during whicl
Americans have been building and that tho mel
who now pace the decks Of tho ironClAds or Lea
charges on the battlefield will give n good nc
count OF themselves, unless all good signs fail.