John Porter Merrell Rear Admiral John Porter Merrell ( 7 September 1846 – 8 December 1916 ) was an officer in the United States Navy . He served in the Spanish - American War and as the 11th President of the Naval War College . Naval career . Merrell was born in Auburn , New York , on 7 September 1846 , the son of John Camp Merrell and the former Jane A . Allen . He entered the United States Naval Academy on 20 July 1863 , graduating in June 1867 . Merrells first assignment was to the European Station from 1867 to 1870 . While there , he served aboard the screw sloop - of - war from 1867 to 1868 , was promoted to ensign on 18 December 1868 , and served aboard the screw sloop - of - war from 1869 to 1870 . Merrell returned from Europe in 1870 and performed signals duty in Washington , D . C . He was promoted to master on 21 March 1870 . From 1870 to 1871 , he participated in the Darién Surveying Expedition , which attempted to survey a route for a canal across the Isthmus of Panama . After returning from the expedition , Merrell – who was promoted to lieutenant on 21 March 1871 – served at the Naval Torpedo Station in Newport , Rhode Island , from 1871 or 1872 ( sources vary ) to 1875 , then aboard the screw frigate in the North Atlantic Fleet from 1875 to 1877 . He was the officer - in - charge of the Naval Ordnance Proving Ground from 1877 to 1879 . In 1879 , Merrell returned to sea , serving aboard the third - rate screw steamer in the North Atlantic Fleet and South Atlantic Squadron until 1881 , when he transferred to the screw sloop - of - war in the North Atlantic Fleet , remaining aboard her until 1882 . After leaving " Shenandoah " , Merrell taught mathematics , physics , mechanics , and chemistry at the U . S . Naval Academy from 1882 to 1887 , then returned to sea from 1887 to 1889 as a member of the staff of the commander - in - chief of the European Station , embarked consecutively aboard the steamer , the screw corvette , and the screw sloop - of - war as each of those ships served as flagship . He was promoted to lieutenant commander during this tour on 28 May 1888 . Merrell again taught mathematics at the U . S . Naval Academy from 1889 to 1893 , serving as head of the Applied Mathematics Department from 1890 to 1893 . He then served on the Asiatic Station aboard the protected cruiser from 1893 to 1895 , and from 1895 to 1896 was a member of the State Department Commission charged with investigating anti - foreign riots in Szechuan in the Chinese Empire . Merrell was promoted to commander on 1 November 1896 and was inspector in the 13th Lighthouse District from 1896 until January 1898 , when he joined the staff of the Naval War College in Newport , Rhode Island . After the Spanish - American War broke out in April 1898 , he transferred in May 1898 to the North Atlantic Fleet , where he served aboard the steamer and the stores ship . Leaving " Glacier " , he became the equipment officer at the New York Navy Yard in Brooklyn , New York , in October 1898 . He then served aboard the protected cruiser from 1899 until 1900 , when he became equipment officer at the Norfolk Navy Yard in Portsmouth , Virginia . Promoted to captain on 26 September 1901 , he served as Commandant of Naval Station New Orleans in New Orleans , Louisiana , from 1901 to June 1903 , then returned to the staff of the Naval War College until October 1903 , when he resumed his commandant duties at New Orleans . He returned to the Asiatic Station in 1904 as commanding officer of the battleship . Relinquishing command of " Oregon " , Merrell returned to Newport , Rhode Island , to became the 11th President of the Naval War College on 24 May 1906 . While president , he was promoted to rear admiral on 19 March 1907 . The most notable event of his presidency was the suspension by direction of President Theodore Roosevelt of the 1908 summer course on 8 July so that the General Board of the United States Navy , the bureau chiefs of the United States Department of the Navy , and the colleges staff and students could participate in a " Battleship Conference " at the college , with Roosevelt himself visiting to chair the conference for a day on 22 July 1908 . Secretary of the Navy Victor H . Metcalf closed the conference on 1 September 1908 . Merrell was placed on the retirement list on 7 September 1908 , but at the request of Secretary of the Navy Metcalf remained on active duty for an additional 13 months until 6 October 1909 , when his college presidency ended and he left active Navy service . Personal life . Merrell married Sarah Frances Tyler on 22 January 1872 . The couple made their home in her home town , Marshall , Michigan . Merrell was a life member of the United States Naval Institute , as well as a member of the Army and Navy Club in Washington , D . C . , the Naval Academy Club in Annapolis , Maryland , and the Army and Navy Club in Manila in the Philippine Islands . Death . Merrell fell ill while visiting his daughter and son - in - law in New London , Connecticut , late in 1916 , and died in their apartment on 8 December 1916 . He is buried at the United States Naval Academy Cemetery .