Farragut and Family

About the Book

David Glasgow Farragut, the Civil War icon and America’s first four-star admiral, had a family worthy of fiction. The main character -- those who influenced him most -- were heroes themselves in their day: In the American Revolution, it was George, this Spanish immigrant father; in the War of 1812, David Porter, both his foster father and commander; and in the Civil War, David Dixon Porter, his adopted brother and naval partner. This book tells how Farragut’s hero-relatives impacted him at successive stages in his growth and career. A kind of family album in text and illustration, the book begins with details of Farragut’s Spanish and Irish ancestry. It concludes with a profile of his son, Loyall, his chosen biographer, who along with the admiral’s wife, Virginia, became guardians of his legacy when he passed.

About the Author

Robert L. Caleo is a retired communications practitioner. His 35-year business career included experiences as a technical writer, magazine editor and public relations manager. Since his retirement from Bell Laboratories in 1989, he has remained active in two of his long-time avocations—writing on historical subjects and teaching at the college level. Mr. Caleo’s history articles have appeared in such publications as Golf, MacLean’s (Canada), Naval Aviation News, and Rutgers Magazine. This book is a culmination of both his writing and teaching pursuits. He has had three Farragut profiles—on the admiral, his father and his son—published in periodicals, and he has conducted courses on family history and memoir writing at Ocean County College in Toms River, New Jersey. Mr. Caleo holds degrees from Rutgers University and New York University.