Collection Summary
Edward John Dorn Papers
1868-1936
(bulk 1875-1922)
1868-1936
(bulk 1875-1922)
MSS22186
Dorn, Edward John,
1854-1937
1000 items
5 containers
2 linear feet
English
Collection material in
English
Manuscript Division, Library of
Congress
Washington, D.C.
Naval officer.
Correspondence, diaries, orders to duty, speeches, notes, photographs, and
printed materials pertaining to Dorn's naval cruises to Brazil, South Africa,
Samoan Islands, Guam, and Japan, and to his experiences as governor of American
Samoa and Guam, especially in regard to missionaries, schools, water supply,
and immigrants.
Selected Search Terms
The following terms have been used to index the description of this collection in the LC Catalog. They are grouped by name of person or organization, by subject or location, and by occupation and listed alphabetically.
People
Daniels, Josephus, 1862-1948.
Dorn, Edward John, 1854-1937.
Dyer, George L., 1849-1914.
Shapley, Lloyd S.
Tilley, Benjamin Franklin, 1848-1907.
Winthrop, Beekman, 1874-1940.
Subjects
American Samoa--Politics and government.
Missions--American Samoa.
Missions--Guam.
Schools--American Samoa.
Schools--Guam.
Water-supply--American Samoa.
Water-supply--Guam.
Places
Brazil--Description and travel.
Guam--Description and travel.
Guam--Politics and government.
Japan--Description and travel.
Samoan Islands--Description and travel.
South Africa--Description and travel.
United States--History, Naval.
Occupations
Governors--American Samoa.
Governors--Guam.
Naval officers.
Provenance
The papers of Edward John Dorn, naval officer, were deposited in the
Library of Congress by the Naval Historical Foundation in 1969 and converted to
a gift in 1998.
Processing History
The papers of Edward John Dorn were processed in 1970. Revisions were
made to the collection in 1979 and the finding aid was revised in 2010.
Copyright Status
The status of copyright in the unpublished writings of Edward John
Dorn is governed by the Copyright Law of the United States (Title 17,
U.S.C.).
Access and Restrictions
The papers of Edward John Dorn are open to research. Researchers are
advised to contact the Manuscript Reading Room prior to visiting. Many
collections are stored off-site and advance notice is needed to retrieve these
items for research use.
Preferred Citation
Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the
following information: Container number, Edward John Dorn Papers, Naval
Historical Foundation Collection, Manuscript Division, Library of Congress,
Washington, D.C.
Biographical Note
Date
Event
1854, Jan. 12
Born, Potosi, Wis.
1874
Graduated, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis,
Md.
Duty in Pensacola (screw
steamer), North Pacific Station
1877
Duty in Guard (ship), Special
Service
1880
Married Syble Halpine
1883
Duty in Nipsic (gunboat)
1886
Duty at United States Navy Yard, Washington, D.C.
1892
Duty in Naval Intelligence
1894
Ordnance instruction, Torpedo Station, Newport, R.I.
1897
Duty in Machias (gunboat),
Bangkok, Siam
1898
Duty in Lancaster (screw sloop of
war), Spanish-American War
1899
Commandant of cadets, United States Naval Academy, Annapolis,
Md.
1900
Acting commandant and governor, Pago Pago, Samoa
1902
Duty in United States Navy Yard, Havana, Cuba
1904
Commanded Castine
(gunboat)
1905
Commandant, United States Naval Station, and governor,
Guam
Placed on retired list with rank of captain
1917
Corresponding secretary, Navy Relief Society
1922
Relieved from duty
1937, Dec. 10
Died, Washington, D.C.
Scope and Content Note
The papers of Edward John Dorn (1854-1937) span the years 1868-1936,
with the bulk of the material dating from 1875 to 1922. The collection consists
of personal diaries, extracts from diaries, letterbooks, orders to duty,
general correspondence, addresses and lectures, notes on Guam and Samoa,
newspaper clippings, photographs, printed matter, and memorabilia.
In his personal diaries Dorn writes on his overseas duties and on
naval cruises to Brazil, South Africa, Samoa, Guam, and Japan. He also
describes those events in letters to his mother, Carolina Dorn, to his sisters,
Olga and Clara Dorn, to his wife, Syble Halpine Dorn, and to his nephew, Thomas
E. Mayhew. Much of the material is concerned with his governorships of Samoa
and Guam. The correspondence relates to such problems as missionaries, schools,
water supply, and immigrants. Among the correspondents are Josephus Daniels,
George Leland Dyer, Lloyd S. Shapley, Benjamin Franklin Tilley, and Beekman
Winthrop.
Arrangement of the Papers
This collection is arranged by type of material.
Catalog Record: [https://lccn.loc.gov/mm70022186]
Container List
Container
Contents
1
Diaries and orders to duty
1
Personal diaries,
1877-1878, 1890-1892, 1904-1911,
1932
1877-1878, 1890-1892, 1904-1911,
1932
(12
folders)
2
Extracts from diaries,
1879-1914
1879-1914
2
Orders to duty,
1876-1910
1876-1910
3
Letterbooks,
1874-1890, 1907-1910
1874-1890, 1907-1910
(2
folders)
3
General correspondence,
1868-1933
1868-1933
4
Miscellany
4
Governor's address,
undated
undated
4
Farewell address,
1910
1910
4
Lectures, "Guam, Samoa and the
Fiji Islands,"
1921
1921
4
Remarks on the Navy Relief
Society,
1921
1921
4
Notes on Guam,
undated
undated
4
Notes on the Philippine Islands,
undated
undated
4
Notes on Samoa,
undated
undated
4
Miscellaneous notes,
undated
undated
4
Music score,
1910
1910
4
Magazine clippings on Guam,
1903-1928
1903-1928
4
Newspaper clippings,
1871-1936
1871-1936
5
Photographs,
undated
undated
5
Printed matter,
1895-1923
1895-1923
5
Scrapbook, Castine (gunboat),
1904-1905
1904-1905
5
General miscellany, including
certificate, envelopes, invitation, menus, and verse,
1897-1935
1897-1935