Andrew E . K . Benham Andrew Ellicot Kennedy Benham ( April 10 , 1832 – August 11 , 1905 ) was an American admiral . He was born in Staten Island , New York . Family . Benham was the son of Timothy Green Benham ( 10 Aug 1792 - 17 Jun 1860 ) and Juliet Lockman . He married Emma Hester Seaman ( 1833 - 1924 ) , the daughter of Henry John Seaman ( 1805 - 1861 ) and Katherine Sarah ( née Seaman ) Seaman ( 1813 - 1896 ) . They had three children : a daughter who died in infancy c1866 ; Henry Kennedy Benham ( 1867 - 1904 ) who died of appendicitis ; and Edith Wallace Benham ( 1874 - 1962 ) who was at one time , the Social Secretary for the White House - at 4 ' ll " and the " soul of tact " she served in total for 25 years - under Woodrow Wilson , Franklin Delano Roosevelt , and Harry Truman . Early service with the United States Navy . Benham was appointed a midshipman on November 24 , 1847 and served in the East Indies Squadron on board the sloop - of - war " Plymouth " in 1847 and 1848 and on board the brig " Dolphin " in 1849 and 1850 . In the latter warship , he participated in the capture of a pirate Chinese junk near Macau , China . During this action , he received a pike wound in the thigh . After another tour of duty in " Plymouth " followed by one in the frigate " Saranac " , Benham attended the U . S . Naval Academy in 1852 and early 1853 . Paraguay Expedition . On June 10 , 1853 , he was promoted to passed midshipman . From mid - 1853 to early 1857 , he served in the sloop of war " St . Mary ’ s " with the Pacific Squadron . On September 16 , 1855 , while still in " St . Mary ' s " , Benham was commissioned a lieutenant . He next served a tour of duty with the U . S . Coast Survey late in 1857 and early in 1858 . Later that year , he was transferred to the steamer " Western Port " ( renamed " Wyandotte " ) assigned to the expedition sent to Paraguay to extract an apology for shooting at the gunboat " Water Witch " . In 1860 , he moved to the steamer " Crusader " in the Home Squadron . American Civil War . After the Civil War broke out , Lt . Benham served on board the steamer " Bienville " in the South Atlantic Blockading Squadron and , in her , took part in the capture of Port Royal , South Carolina , on November 7 , 1861 . On the date that rank was established , July 16 , 1862 , Benham was promoted to lieutenant commander . Following brief service in Sacramento , California , in 1863 , he assumed command of the gunboat " Penobscot " and served in her through the end of the Civil War , patrolling the Texas coast as part of the West Gulf Blockading Squadron . Post - Civil War . Upon the return of peace , he served at the New York Navy Yard from 1866 to 1870 , but for a stint of duty in " Susquehanna " in 1867 . Following duty as a lighthouse inspector in 1870 and 1871 , Benham commanded first " Canonicus " and then " Saugus " , both on the North Atlantic Station and returned to lighthouse inspecting in 1874 . After commanding " Richmond " on the Asiatic Station between 1878 and 1881 , he went to the Portsmouth Navy Yard . The years 1885 and 1886 brought him his third tour of duty as lighthouse inspector . Following a tour of duty at League Island , Pennsylvania , in 1888 , he became commandant of the Mare Island Navy Yard in 1889 . Brazilian Naval Revolt . While there he became Rear Admiral Benham in February 1890 and continued at that post until June 1891 . At the end of a year waiting for orders , he assumed command of the Brazil Squadron in June 1892 . However , Rear Admiral Benham was soon transferred to command the North Atlantic Station , flying his flag in " San Francisco ( Cruiser No . 1 " ) . When Admirals Custodio de Mello and Saldanha da Gama launched their naval revolt in Rio de Janeiro , Brazil , in late 1893 , Rear Admiral Benham commanded the American naval units sent there to protect American citizens and interests . During the operation , USS " Detroit " skirmished with Brazilian ironclad s in January 1894 . Retired from the Navy on April 10 , 1894 , Rear Admiral Benham died on August 11 , 1905 at Lake Mahopac , New York . Namesakes . Three U . S . Navy ships have subsequently been named in his honor :