Background
He was born on June 29, 1851 at Cranesville, the son of James and Sarah (Hurd) Bailey.
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Frank Harvey Bailey
Edit ProfileEducation
He was educated in the public schools of Gowanda, New York, at Scio College, Scio, Ohio, and at the United States Naval Academy, where he was in the third class of two-year cadet engineers, graduating in 1875 at the head of his class.
Career
Then followed the alternation of duty at sea and on shore usual in the navy, with promotion through the various grades. Bailey was professor of marine engineering at Cornell University 1885-88, where he gained the respect of all for his ability in his own specialty as well as his broad knowledge of engineering.
In 1896 he was promoted to the position of chief engineer. Having come into the navy at a time of profound peace, most of his sea service was uneventful, but he took part under Admiral Dewey in the Battle of Manila Bay, May 1, 1898, where he was chief engineer of the Raleigh. Probably his most important achievement was as chief designer of the Bureau of Steam Engineering for eight years under Melville, where his ability took shape in the machinery of the famous flyers Columbia and Minneapolis, which were the fastest large vessels of their day (1890 - 1900).
On the amalgamation of the engineer corps with the line of the navy, he became a lieutenant commander and passed through the various grades, to rear admiral. He was inspector of engineering and ordnance material for the New York district for two years and completed his active duty by two years of service as inspector general of engineering under the Bureau of Engineering. He retired for age in 1913, but during the World War was recalled to active duty, and assigned to the design division of the Bureau of Engineering, where his ripe experience and sound judgment enabled him to render valuable service. After the war he returned to the retired list.
He died suddenly of heart failure while on a visit in Arizona.
Achievements
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Although an engineer by genius as well as occupation, Bailey was devoted to the Service as a whole and was one of the earliest to recognize the progress of the evolution which made inevitable the amalgamation of the line and the engineer corps, with the future naval officer what Roosevelt called a "fighting engineer. " This was the greatest change in naval personnel since the latter part of the seventeenth century, and the favorable attitude of Bailey and other progressive officers was an important factor in overcoming the inertia and prejudice of such a conservative organization as the navy.
Personality
He was a handsome man, tall and portly, of amiable and engaging personality.
With an unusual fund of information, he was modest to a fault, tolerant of opinions that differed from his, and always ready to listen to suggestions.
Connections
Bailey was married on December 28, 1881, to Anna Markham by whom he had three sons and one daughter.
