Harold Hayden Eames Seamanship Notebook, 1885: Finding Aid

Biography of Harold Hayden Eames

Harold Hayden Eames was born on December 19, 1863 in Shanghai, China and moved to Maine when his family returned to the United States in 1870. In 1878, he was appointed to the United States Naval Academy as a member of the Class of 1882. Completing the academic course at the Academy in 1882, Eames was assigned to U.S.S. Tennessee (Screw frigate) for his mandatory pre-commissioning sea service. Commissioned as an ensign on July 1, 1884, Eames' first duty was aboard U.S.S. Kearsarge (Screw sloop-of-war), followed by duty aboard U.S.S. Quinnebaug (Screw corvette). In July 1889, he was assigned to special duty in Hartford, Connecticut, where he remained until resigning from the Navy effective February 11, 1894.

Immediately following his resignation from the Navy, Eames, along with Percy Maxim, founded the Pope Tube Company in Hartford and, in 1895, organized the motor carriage department of the Pope Manufacturing Company to produce gasoline powered Pope-Hartford Automobiles. Eames was also one of the founders of the Columbia Manufacturing Company of Hartford, which produced electric automobiles. In 1900, Eames relocated to Pittsburgh where he worked for Westinghouse until 1903, when he relocated to Cleveland to serve as a consultant in the manufacture of automobiles and their parts. From 1907 until 1910 he served as general manager for Studebaker.

In 1916, Eames traveled to Russia to represent several clients, and escaped across Siberia with the onset of the Russian Revolution. Following his return to the United States and the country's entrance into World War I, Eames was commissioned a lieutenant colonel in the Army, tasked with manufacturing small arms and munitions. Following the War, Eames returned to Cleveland. Harold Hayden Eames died November 24, 1938 in Cleveland Heights, Ohio.

Description of Contents

The Harold Hayden Eames Seamanship Notebook, comprising a single volume, was kept by Eames in 1885 while serving as an Ensign aboard U.S.S. Kearsarge (Screw sloop-of-war) in the Mediterranean.

The opening of the notebook offers only positional readings for July 21, 1885. After twenty blank leaves, the notebook resumes with sections on loosing and furling; loosing a bowline; making sail and getting underway; and station bills. Another eleven blank leaves intervene before the notebook resumes with an in depth discussion of procedures for the use of torpedoes, including readying the ship for action; and rigging the spars; as well as boat crew stations and exercises; and bills for abandoning ship.

Arrangement

The Harold Hayden Eames Seamanship Notebook comprises a single volume.

Access and Use

Access

Access is unrestricted.

Copyright and Permission

The Harold Hayden Eames Seamanship Notebook is the physical property of Nimitz Library. Copyright belongs to the authors or creators of the works, or their legal representatives. For further information, consult the Head, Special Collections & Archives.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to secure written permission to publish, reprint, or reproduce material from Special Collections & Archives. The researcher assumes responsibility for infringement of copyright or literary or publication rights. Please contact the Head, Special Collections & Archives for permission to publish and for further information.

Acquisition and Appraisal

Provenance and Acquisition

Gift of Mrs. Hamilton Eames in June 1981. Accession No. 81-16.

Related Materials

Related Archival Material

Additional material pertaining to Harold Hayden Eames in this repository includes his Midshipman Personnel Jacket, Alumni Jacket, and class portrait in Photo Album 98.

Materials Cataloged Separately

No materials have been removed from this collection and cataloged separately.

Processing and Other Information

Preferred Citation

Harold Hayden Eames Seamanship Notebook, MS 493

Special Collections & Archives Department

Nimitz Library

United States Naval Academy

Selected Bibliography

The following sources were consulted during preparation of the biographical note:

United States. Bureau of Naval Personnel. Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1882-1894.

Eames, Hayden Alumni Jacket, RG 405, Special Collections & Archives, Nimitz Library.

Processing Information

This collection was processed by David D'Onofrio in April 2019. Finding aid written by David D'Onofrio in April 2019.

Subject Headings

Name and Subject Terms

• Eames, Harold Hayden, 1863-1938
• Seamanship
• Torpedoes

Genre Terms

• Manuscripts
• Notebooks