Naval History and Heritage Command

Finding aid (Word)

Biographical Note

John Richard Edwards was born in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, on 9 July 1853. He entered the U.S. Naval Academy in 1871 and graduated as a Cadet Engineer in the class of 1874. He became a Chief Engineer in 1895 and transferred to the Line of the Navy in 1899 as a Lieutenant Commander. He achieved the rank of Rear Admiral in 1911.

His sea service included cruises on the North Atlantic, Pacific, and Asiatic Stations and special duty on the Presidential yacht Despatch. During the Spanish-American war, he was assigned to the monitor Puritan and later commanded the Naval Unit of Brown University.

From 1888 to 1891, Admiral Edwards was on special duty as Professor of Mechanical Engineering at the University of South Carolina. After studying law at the University, he started his practice in South Carolina in 1891. In 1904 he was detailed as Engineer Officer of the Navy Yard at Portsmouth, NH. He became Inspector of Machinery at the Cramp Shipyard in Philadelphia in 1908, and in 1912 was named Chairman of the United States delegation to the International Radiotelegraphic Conference by President Taft. The Conference assembled in London to regulate international control of radio communication. He served as Commandant and Supervisor for 6th Naval District Navy Yard at Charleston, South Carolina, from October 1914 through July 1915. He was placed on the retirement list on 9 July 1915. After his retirement, he had special duty at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, from May 1918 through October 1919.

Scope and Content Note

These papers relate to the service of Rear Admiral John R. Edwards, USN who was on active duty from 1874 to 1915. The collection contains biographical data, correspondence between Edwards and his wife, Christmas cards, photographs, and newspaper clippings.

Preferred Citation

This collection should be cited as Papers of John R. Edwards, Archives Branch, Naval History and Heritage Command, Washington, D.C.

Subject Headings (LCSH)

United States. Navy--History--Sources.
United States. Navy--Officers.