Washington District of Columbia
Biographies
Thomas Tingey
1750 - 1829
Furnished by : John Sharp
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| Photo from : Naval Historical Center, Department of Navy
Portrait of
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Thomas Tingey was born in London, England, in his youth he served as an officer in the British Navy; He left the British service, however, and commanded merchant vessels trading with the West Indies. Prior to the Revolutionary War, he is said to have come to the United States, marrying an American girl in 1777. Following the War he engaged in the American merchant service. Thomas Tingey was commissioned a United States Navy as Captain in it September 3, 1798. During the War with France (1798-1801) he commanded the ship Ganges of 24 guns. While Commanding Officer of the Ganges he captured numerous prizes On 22 January 1800, Commodore Tingey was appointed to lay out and command the new Navy Yard Washington DC. He was discharged from the Navy under the Peace Establishment Act of 3 March, 1801, but was retained as superintendent of the Washington Navy Yard. Thomas Tingey was well connected in political circles and had close relations with members of Thomas Jefferson and James Madison's cabinet. On November 23, 1804, he was again commissioned a Captain in the Navy and made Commandant of the Washington Navy Yard and naval agent, posts he held until his death. As naval agent in accordance with the naval regulations of the era, Commodore Tingey received 1% of his Washington Navy Yard disbursements as commission. His involvement in procurement and contracting issues soon gave rise to a perception of irregular purchase and an enquiry into these charges failed to find any substantive violations. See letter of 10 December 1810 from Robert Smith establishing enquiry into the Commodore's conduct. When the British invaded the capital in the summer of 1814, the Secretary of the Navy ordered Commodore Tingey to fire the Navy Yard. He wrote to his daughter under date of 17 September 1814, ’I was the last officer who quitted the city after the enemy had possession of it, having fully performed all orders received, in which was included that myself retiring, and not to fall into their possession. I was also the first who returned and the only one who ventured in on the day on which they were peaceably masters of it%#8221;. Throughout his twenty-nine year tenure as Washington Navy Yard Commandant, Commodore Tingey, exercised his considerable diplomatic acumen in reconciling the often conflicting demands placed upon him. As Yard Commandant, his correspondence reflects his strong desire to achieve balance between the requirements of his political superiors, and the needs and sometimes demands of his employees. The Secretary of the Navy on occasion placed heavy burdens on the Commodore such as directing that Naval Constructors like Josiah Fox and William Doughty be allowed to exercise work direction and hiring authority over Yard employees. Washington Navy Yard personnel were frequently used design and test new weapons see Robert Smith to Thomas Tingey 6 Feb and 17 Aug 1808 regarding a test of Doctor Wallace's invention and Robert Fulton's torpedo both projects which required Yard employees and resources. Some instructions were a particular cause for concern and put the Commodore at odds with the Secretary about how to deal with the whole question of enslaved labor, See Secretary Smith's letters to Commodore Tingey dated 25 Mar 1808 denying Tingey's request that Washington Navy Yard officers be compensated for the use of their servants [In late 18th and early 19th century correspondence ’servant” is frequently the preferred euphemism for slave.] ’And I cannot permit the introduction of a rule, without law or precedent, or any apparent necessity. The Servants in question must therefore be immediately discharged” The 1820 census for the District of Columbia reflects that Commodore Tingey owned five slaves. The Commodore died in at his official residence in 1829 and was buried with in the Congressional Cemetery (R57/1), Washington, D.C.
The title of Commodore was a courtesy title, given to a Captain (the highest rank in the Navy until 1862). Today Commodore Tingey's
residence at WNY popularly known as the ’Tingey House” still survives. Build in 1804; it is one of the earliest buildings erected
at Washington Navy Yard.
Tingey House was one of the few public buildings not seriously damaged in the British invasion of the Capital in 1814. It has served as the
residence for all of the Washington Navy Yard commandants. |
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