Benjamin Franklin Tilley

Benjamin Franklin Tilley , often known as B. F. Tilley, was a career officer in the United States Navy who served from the end of the American Civil War through the SpanishAmerican War. He is best remembered as the first ActingGovernor of American Samoa, as well as the territorys first Naval governor.

Benjamin Franklin Tilley was born March 29, 1848, the sixth of nine children, in Bristol, Rhode Island. During the American Civil War, Tilley enrolled in the United States Naval Academy on September 22, 1863, at the age of 15. The war forced the school to relocate from Annapolis, Maryland to Newport, Rhode Island. In 1866 he graduated first in his class, going on to serve as a midshipman first on board USS160Franklin, and then USS160Frolic. Tilley spent three years serving on board Frolic, eventually being promoted to ensign. His next assignment was on board USS160Lancaster, where he was promoted twice first to master in 1870 and then to lieutenant in 1871. From 1872 to 1875, Tilley served on board USS160Pensacola in the South Pacific. After Pensacola, he served briefly on board USS160New Hampshire and then spent two years serving on USS160Hartford.

Source: Wikipedia