Myer, Albert James, 1829-1880

Variant names

Hide Profile

U.S. Army officer and surgeon.

From the description of Papers of Albert James Myer, 1851-1933 (bulk 1851-1880). (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81681433

From the description of Papers of Albert James Myer, 1816-1880. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 76892172

Albert James Myer (b. Sept. 20, 1829, Newburgh, New York-d. Aug. 24, 1880), Brigadier General in the U.S. Army, graduated from medical school in 1851. He became a signal officer in 1860, organized and commanded the Signal Corps, and furnished plans for naval signaling. He served as chief signal officer and the signal officer, Division of West Mississippi, from 1863 to the end of the Civil War. He was chief signal officer for the U.S. Army in 1866, and established and supervised the U.S. Weather Bureau in 1870.

From the description of Myer, Albert James, 1829-1880 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10582944

Biographical Note

  • 1828, Sept. 20: Born, Newburgh, N.Y.
  • circa 1841: Entered Geneva College (now Hobart College), Geneva, N.Y.
  • 1851: M.D., Buffalo Medical College, Buffalo, N.Y. 1854 Entered military service
  • 1857: Married Catherine Walden
  • 1858 - 1861 : Appointed by the army to a board to examine signaling principles Conducted field trial of signaling inventions in the Department of New Mexico
  • 1860: Ordered to organize and command U.S. Army Signal Corps
  • 1860 - 1863 : Served under Benjamin Butler at Fort Monroe, Va., and then as chief signal officer under George Brinton McClellan in the Army of the Potomac
  • 1863: Promoted to colonel in new U.S. Signal Corps, but removed him from his post as chief signal officer by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton
  • 1864: Publication of Manual of Signals Appointed signal officer, Military Division of West Mississippi
  • 1864 - 1865 : Signal officer, Department of the Gulf Developed coding system for transmitting routine messages between land and sea forces
  • 1867 - 1880 : Chief signal officer, Signal Corps
  • 1873: Proposed establishment world-wide of weather-reporting stations, International Meteorological Congress, Vienna, Austria
  • 1880, Aug. 24: Died, Buffalo, N.Y

From the guide to the Albert James Myer Papers, 1851-1933, (bulk 1851-1880), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Biographical Note

  • 1828, Sept. 20: Born, Newburgh, N.Y.
  • circa 1841: Entered Geneva College (now Hobart College), Geneva, N.Y.
  • 1851: M.D., Buffalo Medical College, Buffalo, N.Y. 1854 Entered military service
  • 1857: Married Catherine Walden
  • 1858 - 1861 : Appointed by the army to a board to examine signaling principles Conducted field trial of signaling inventions in the Department of New Mexico
  • 1860: Ordered to organize and command U.S. Army Signal Corps
  • 1860 - 1863 : Served under Benjamin Butler at Fort Monroe, Va., and then as chief signal officer under George Brinton McClellan in the Army of the Potomac
  • 1863: Promoted to colonel in new U.S. Signal Corps, but removed him from his post as chief signal officer by Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton
  • 1864: Publication of Manual of Signals Appointed signal officer, Military Division of West Mississippi
  • 1864 - 1865 : Signal officer, Department of the Gulf Developed coding system for transmitting routine messages between land and sea forces
  • 1867 - 1880 : Chief signal officer, Signal Corps
  • 1873: Proposed establishment world-wide of weather-reporting stations, International Meteorological Congress, Vienna, Austria
  • 1880, Aug. 24: Died, Buffalo, N.Y

From the guide to the Albert James Myer Papers, 1816-1880, (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn National Archives And Records Administration. Rg 111: Chief Signal Officer.
creatorOf Healy, George Peter Alexander, 1813-1894. Autograph letter signed : Paris, to General Albert J. Myer, 1877 Feb. 9. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Rhees, William Jones, 1830-1907. William Jones Rhees Papers, 1744-1907 The Huntington Library
creatorOf Boardman, John, 1828-1898. Autograph album, 1849-1858. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
referencedIn Brown & Williams, Diary Of James A. Garfield. [Contact repository for more information].
referencedIn Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885. Autograph letter signed : [Washington, D.C.], to E.B. Washburne, 1868 Feb. 17. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1863-1879 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn National Archives And Records Administration. Rg 78: Naval Observatory.
creatorOf United States. Army of the Potomac. General orders, 1861. Alabama Department of Archives and History
referencedIn National Academy Of Sciences, Archives. Rg 192: Commissary General Of Subsistence.
referencedIn Abbe, Cleveland, 1838-1916. Meteorology in the United States. United States. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
referencedIn Scheips, Paul J. (Paul Joseph). Paul J. Scheips biographical study of Albert James Myer [microform], 1965. Kansas State Historical Society
referencedIn Coffin, James H. (James Henry), 1806-1873. James Henry Coffin Papers, 1848-1884 Smithsonian Institution Archives
referencedIn U.S. Army Communications Electronics Museum. [Contact repository for more information].
creatorOf Field, Cyrus W. (Cyrus West), 1819-1892. Autograph letter signed : New York, NY, to General Albert J. Myer, 1877 Oct. 22. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Library Of Congress, Manuscript Division. Albert J. Myer Papers.
creatorOf Fillmore, Millard, 1800-1874. Autograph letter signed : Buffalo, to General Albert J. Myer, 1871 Oct. 28. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Myer, Albert James, 1829-1880. Papers. Ohio History Connection, Ohio Historical Society
creatorOf Albert James Myer Papers, 1851-1933, (bulk 1851-1880) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Library Of Congress, Manuscript Division. Letters Of Scientists.
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Historical Films. 1914 - 1936. CHIEF SIGNAL OFFICERS OF THE ARMY National Archives at College Park
creatorOf Albert James Myer Papers, 1816-1880 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Library Of Congress, Manuscript Division. T. S. C. Lowe Papers.
referencedIn Smithsonian Institution. Office of the Secretary. Correspondence, 1865-1891 Smithsonian Institution Archives
creatorOf Hayes, Rutherford Birchard, 1822-1893. Autograph letter signed : Washington, D.C., to General Albert J. Myer, 1878 Dec. 11. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Noailles, Emmanuel Henri Victurnien, Marquis de, 1830-1909. Autograph letter signed : Rome, to General Albert J. Myer, 1873? Apr. 16. Pierpont Morgan Library.
referencedIn Forbes Library. Benjamin Smith Lyman Papers.
creatorOf Ramsay, Alexander, 1815-1903. Autograph letter signed : Washington, to the Chief Signal Officer [Albert J. Myer], on behalf of William Wallace, a soldier from Minnesota, 1864 Jan. 9. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf Grant, Julia Dent, 1826-1902. Autograph note in pencil signed : [Washington, D.C.], to General Albert J. Myer, [1874?]. Pierpont Morgan Library.
creatorOf United States. Army. Signal Corps. Signal Corps Historians' Collection, 1870-1971 (bulk 1940-1969). U.S. Army Heritage & Education Center
referencedIn Weather Bureau National Archives at College Park
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Abbe, Cleveland, 1838-1916. person
associatedWith Alden, George J. person
correspondedWith Alden, Thomas E. person
correspondedWith Baird, Spencer F. person
correspondedWith Ballot, Benjamin person
associatedWith Barrveta, G., Dr. person
correspondedWith Barry, Redmond (Sir) person
associatedWith Boardman, John, 1828-1898. person
correspondedWith Brocard, Captain person
associatedWith Browning, Orville Hickman, 1806-1881. person
correspondedWith Brunner, J. H. person
associatedWith Delaney, John person
correspondedWith Dunwoody, H. H. C. person
correspondedWith Elliott, R. S. person
correspondedWith Field, Cyrus W. person
associatedWith Field, Cyrus W. (Cyrus West), 1819-1892. person
associatedWith Fillmore, Millard, 1800-1874. person
associatedWith First National Bank Of Washington corporateBody
associatedWith Flugel, Felix person
correspondedWith Forshey, C. G. person
associatedWith Francke, G. A. person
correspondedWith Garfield, James A. (General) person
associatedWith Gibbon, D. J. person
correspondedWith Gibbs, George person
associatedWith Gilman, Daniel C. person
associatedWith Grant, Julia Dent, 1826-1902. person
associatedWith Grant, Ulysses S. (Ulysses Simpson), 1822-1885. person
correspondedWith Hand, Thomas C. person
associatedWith Hayes, Rutherford Birchard, 1822-1893. person
associatedWith Healy, George Peter Alexander, 1813-1894. person
correspondedWith Henry, Joseph, 1797-1878 person
associatedWith Hering, C. J. person
correspondedWith Higgins, F. W. person
associatedWith Hoge, J. M. person
correspondedWith Hopkins, William Rogers person
associatedWith Hughes, James. person
associatedWith Jelinck, Ch. (Dr.) person
associatedWith Jennings, S. K., Jr. (Dr.) person
correspondedWith Lapham, Increase Allen person
associatedWith Latham, D. H. person
associatedWith Latham, Hiram (Dr.) person
associatedWith Leidy, Joseph person
associatedWith Leverrier, U. J. J. person
correspondedWith Lowe, Thaddeus S. C. person
correspondedWith Lyman, Benjamin Smith person
correspondedWith Mallery, Garrick person
correspondedWith Moore, J. L. person
associatedWith Myer, Catherine Walden. person
associatedWith Myer, Catherine Walden. person
associatedWith Myer, Henry Beekman. person
associatedWith Myer, Henry Beekman. person
associatedWith Myers, Felix person
associatedWith Nason, J. R. person
associatedWith Nesmith, James Willis, 1820-1885. person
associatedWith Noailles, Emmanuel Henri Victurnien, Marquis de, 1830-1909. person
associatedWith Norris, P. W. person
associatedWith Norwegian War Dept. corporateBody
correspondedWith Paine, Charles person
associatedWith Poley, Mr. person
associatedWith Ramsay, Alexander, 1815-1903. person
associatedWith Reis, J. B. (Prof.) person
correspondedWith Rhees, William J. person
correspondedWith Rockwell, G. J. person
associatedWith Rodgers, John person
correspondedWith Rogers, Henry J. person
correspondedWith Sands, Benjamin Franklin person
associatedWith Scheips, Paul J. (Paul Joseph) person
correspondedWith Scott, Robert H. person
associatedWith Smallwood, Charles (Dr.) person
associatedWith Solly, Edward person
associatedWith Stanton, Edwin McMasters, 1814-1869. person
correspondedWith Tanner, O. K. person
associatedWith United States. Army. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army of the Potomac. corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Army. Signal Corps. corporateBody
associatedWith United States North Polar Expedition (1871-1873) corporateBody
associatedWith United States. Weather Bureau. corporateBody
associatedWith Vidal, Sebastian person
associatedWith Walden, Ebenezer. person
associatedWith Walden, Ebenezer. person
associatedWith Walden, James. person
correspondedWith Washington Philosophical Society corporateBody
associatedWith Wright, E. A. person
associatedWith Yellowstone National Park corporateBody
associatedWith Young, M. J. (Mrs.) person
associatedWith Young, S. O. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
United States
New Mexico
Texas
Arctic regions
Fort Duncan (Tex.)
United States
Fort Davis (Tex.)
Fort Davis (Tex.)
Arctic regions
Fort Duncan (Tex.)
United States
United States
Subject
Applications for positions
Army
Army Engineers
Astronomy
Chemistry
Comanche Indians
Communication
Congress
Exchanges Of Publications
Fortification
Fortification
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Indians of North America
Inventors
Light House Board
Meteorology
Military bases
Military bases
National Academy of Sciences
Natural history
Photography
Railroad cars
Recommendations For Positions
Science In America
Scientific organizations
Scientific publications
Smithsonian Endowment
Smithsonian Exchange
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Publications
Smithsonian Weather Service
Standardization
Surveys And Explorations, General
Telegraph
Occupation
Army officers
Surgeons
Activity

Person

Birth 1829-09-20

Death 1880-08-24

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6669gqc

Ark ID: w6669gqc

SNAC ID: 18217530