Wikipedia

Templin Potts

Templin Morris Potts(November 1, 1855 – March 22, 1927) was aUnited States NavyCaptainand the 11th NavalGovernor of Guam.He held many important posts during his time in the Navy, including Director of theOffice of Naval Intelligence,Naval attachétoKaiserWilhelm II,and aid for naval personnel. During theSpanish–American War,he participated in theBattle of Santiago de Cuba,after which he commanded a number of ships. In 1913, he was forced into retirement after not having spent a large enough portion of his service at sea. This forced retirement sparked outrage from many, and led to letters and marches of protest. AUnited States Senatoreven introduced a bill in Congress to have him re-instated. Though these efforts all ultimately failed, they led to greater scrutiny of the retirement board. As governor, he forbade the men under his command to marry nativeChamorrowomen and increased funding to fight disease onGuam.

Captain
Templin Morris Potts
Captain Templin Potts
11thNaval Governor of Guam
In office
December 3, 1906 – October 3, 1907
Preceded byLuke McNamee
Succeeded byLuke McNamee
14thDirector of the Office of Naval Intelligence
In office
December 1909 – January 1912
Preceded byCharles E. Vreeland
Succeeded byThomas S. Rodgers
Personal details
BornNovember 1, 1855
Washington, D.C.
DiedMarch 22, 1927(1927-03-22)(aged 71)
Pasadena, California
NationalityUnited States
Spouse(s)Anna Powers Cash Potts, Marie Charlier Potts
Alma materUnited States Naval Academy
Military service
AllegianceUnited States
Branch/serviceUnited States Navy SealUnited States Navy
RankCaptain
CommandsUSSDes Moines(CL-17);USSGeorgia(BB-15);Office of Naval Intelligence;USSLouisiana(BB-19)
Battles/warsBattle of Santiago de Cuba

Early life

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Potts was born on November 1, 1855, inWashington, D.C.Potts' father was John F. C. Potts. Potts mother was Louisa Elizabeth (nee Rose) Potts.[1][2]Potts received his education in the Washington areaprivate school system.[2]

Education

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On June 20, 1876, Potts graduated from theUnited States Naval Academy.[3][4]

Career

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In 1877, Potts served aboardUSSPlymouthas amidshipman.[5]He also served aboardUSSSwatarain 1879 andUSSPalosfrom 1879 to 1892.[4]During theSpanish–American War,he served aboardUSSMassachusetts,where he participated in theBattle of Santiago de Cuba.[3]From 1885 to 1887, he served onUSSPensacola.[4]

On October 1, 1902, aslieutenant commander,Potts served asNaval attachétoRome,Italy,Vienna,Austria, andBerlin,Germany, until December 30, 1904.[6][7]

He served ascommanding officerofUSSDes Moinesand ofUSSGeorgiain 1908.[2]That same year, he obtained the rank ofCaptain.[3]

On December 17, 1909, Potts became the Director of theOffice of Naval Intelligence,until January 25, 1912.[6]

In 1911, he acted as the official United States representative for the reception ofJapaneseAdmiralTōgō Heihachirō.[8]Soon after, he became Navy aid for personnel.[9]

On May 3, 1913, Potts commandedUSSLouisiana,until July 2, 1913.[10][11]After this command, Potts was forced into retirement. The Captain had passed his examination forrear admiral,but had been let go nonetheless, as he had not spent at least half of his time as captain at sea.[12][13][14]His case drew national attention after he savedLouisianafrom flooding following a valve blowout in the ship'sstarboardengine room that left a hole in the ship's hull.[11]He consulted his lawyers about the possibility of reinstatement, and a group of sailors protested the forced retirement through demonstrations and letter-writing,[11]and aSenatoreven introduced a bill in Congress to reinstate him with the rank of Rear Admiral.[15]Despite the criticism, the Navy did not reinstate him.[3]

Governorship

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Potts served asGovernor of Guamfrom December 3, 1906, to October 3, 1907.[16]Potts sought to separate whites from the nativeChamorropopulation by denouncing interracial marriage, calling it "degenerating to the whites", and threatened to forciblydischargeany military man who married a native Guamanian woman.[17]He successfully obtained additional funding fromCongressto combat outbreaks ofleprosyandyawson the island.[18]

Personal life

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On February 6, 1883, Potts married Anna Powers Cash. They had a son, Templin Morris Powers Potts. On May 10, 1902, Potts married Mrs. Marie Alden Brown (nee Charlier) (maiden), in a civil ceremony, inBerlin,Germany.[19]

On November 21, 1918, Potts' wife, Marie Charlier Potts (died 1937), became a ship sponsor ofUSS Farragut (DD-300).[20][21]

On March 22, 1927, Potts died inPasadena, California.Potts is interred atArlington National CemeteryinArlington County, Virginia.[1][3][22]

References

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  1. ^ab"Templin Morris Potts".geni.com.November 1855.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
  2. ^abcDistinguished Successful Americans of Our Day: Containing Biographies of Prominent Americans Now Living.Chicago,Illinois:Successful Americans. 1912. p.455.Retrieved9 November2010.Templin Morris Potts.
  3. ^abcde"Capt. Templin M. Potts: Retired Navy Officer, Former Governor of Guam, Is Dead".The New York Times.New York City.The New York Times Company.23 March 1927. p. 25.
  4. ^abcHamersly, Lewis Randolph (1898).The Records of Living Officers of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps.Washington, D.C.:United States Government Printing Office.p.187.Retrieved11 November2010.Templin m Potts.
  5. ^"USS Plymouth (1869-1884)".Online Library of Selected Images.Washington, D.C.:Naval History & Heritage Command.19 March 2004. Archived fromthe originalon 12 September 2010.Retrieved9 November2010.
  6. ^ab"Records of the Office of the Secretary of the Navy, 1798-1921 - Records of the Office of Naval Intelligence, 1887-1927".navy.mil.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
  7. ^"The Naval Attache at Berlin: Report that the Kaiser Will Not Receive Lieut. Commander Potts Untrue"(PDF).The New York Times.New York City.The New York Times Company.27 May 1902.Retrieved9 November2010.
  8. ^"Japan's Navy Chief Here Next Month"(PDF).The New York Times Company.New York City.The New York Times Company.16 July 1911.Retrieved11 November2010.
  9. ^Fiske, Bradley (1919).From Midshipman to Rear-Admiral.The Century Company.p.531.Retrieved11 November2010.Templin m Potts.
  10. ^"BB-19 USS LOUISIANA".navsource.org.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
  11. ^abc"Sailors Appeal to Capt. Potts"(PDF).The New York Times.New York City.The New York Times Company.6 July 1913.Retrieved9 November2010.
  12. ^"Sailors Honor Capt. Potts"(PDF).The New York Times.New York City.The New York Times Company.4 July 1913.Retrieved9 November2010.
  13. ^"Urge Potts Appeal To End 'Plucking'"(PDF).The New York Times.New York City.The New York Times Company.9 July 1913.Retrieved9 November2010.
  14. ^"FOURTEEN NAVAL OFFICERS OF HIGH RANK" PLUCKED "".ucr.edu.San Francisco Call, Volume 114, Number 32. July 2, 1913. p. 1.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
  15. ^"Bill to Save Capt. Potts"(PDF).The New York Times Company.New York City.The New York Times Company.20 July 1913.Retrieved11 November2010.
  16. ^"Naval Era Governors of Guam".Guampedia.Guam:University of Guam.10 August 2010. Archived fromthe originalon 11 July 2011.Retrieved29 October2010.
  17. ^Hattori, Anne Perez (2004)."Sanitary Confinement: Guam and the US Navy, 1898—1941".Honolulu, Hawaii:University of Hawaii.p. 22.Retrieved9 November2010.
  18. ^Cunningham, Lawrence; Janice Beaty (2001).A History of Guam.Hawaii:Bess Press.p. 197.ISBN1-57306-047-X.Retrieved11 November2010.
  19. ^"Lieut. Com. Potts a Bridegroom: Naval Attache in Berlin Married to Mrs. Alden Brown"(PDF).The New York Times.New York City.The New York Times Company.11 May 1902.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
  20. ^Ships of the United States Navy and Their Sponsors, 1913-1923.The Plimpton Press. 1925. p. 70.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
  21. ^"Farragut II (Destroyer No. 300), 1920-1930".navily.mil.February 24, 2016.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
  22. ^"Templin Morris Potts Captain, United States Navy".arlingtoncemetery.net.2007.RetrievedDecember 1,2021.
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