Samuel Rhoads Fisher was born on December 31, 1794 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania to Samuel Wharton Fisher and Elizabeth Rhoads Fisher, a family with Quaker ties. He resided for a number of years in Philadelphia. Fisher was married to the former Ann Pleasants on September 2, 1818. Children of the couple include Samuel W. born in 1819 in Missouri, Ann Nancy Fisher born in Philadelphia in 1823 followed by Samuel R. Fisher, Jr. born in Texas in 1833.
Continue reading Samuel Rhoads FisherCategory: maritime
The First Battleship Texas (1892)
In service only for just under 20 years, the first battleship bearing the name Texas was built in the Norfolk, Virginia navy yard being the first battleship, or arguably one of the first battleships, of the United States Navy. The funding for the Texas was part of the military appropriation act that authorized the Maine (a cruiser, but also referred to as a battleship), the Baltimore (a cruiser), the Vesuvius (also a cruiser) and the Cushing (a torpedo boat). The Texas had armor plating of 12 inch thick steel over the bulkheads, turret conning tower and redoubt (a protecting reinforcement, also of steel), six inches of steel protecting much of the rest of the ship. To a certain extent, the ship was derivative, built from designs purchased from Britain, before the days when both design and construction were unique and American.
Continue reading The First Battleship Texas (1892)USS Indianapolis
The U.S.S. Indianapolis (CA-35) is part of a fascinating World War II story. The ship was a heavy cruiser that played an important role in the atomic bombing missions that led Japan directly to its surrender and the end of the war. Indianapolis was ordered in 1929 and her hull was laid down at the Camden Yard in New Jersey on March 31, 1930 by the New York Shipbuilding Corp. According to Naval History and Heritage Command, her displacement was 9,800 tons, her length was 610 feet, beam was 66 feet and draft was 17’4″. The ship was constructed to accommodate a crew of 1,269, achieve a speed of 32 knots and was armed with 9 8-inch and 8 5-inch guns. The Indianapolis was the second of two ships of the Portland class.
Texas City Explosion of 1947
April 15 through April 17 are the calendar days associated with the filing deadline for federal income taxes. In Texas, they are also known for being the days that surround the anniversary of the Texas City Explosion.
Battleship Texas (BB-35)
The USS Texas is now berthed near the San Jacinto Monument. She is second of the New York ship class, which consisted of only two ships, the USS New York and the USS Texas. The New York Class (1908-1914) was characterized as being more heavily armed than the previous Wyoming Class. They were the first battleships to use 14 inch/45 caliber guns. This particular gun was used on the Nevada- and Pennsylvania Class ships. The ships of the New York Class were also powered by coal and had five gun turrets when first built. Some of the above was changed during overhauls and retrofitting, including her conversion from coal to diesel power.
