The John Luke Porter papers consist of genealogy of the Trader, Bailey, and Porter families, as well as excerpts, and correspondence about the naval battle between the C.S.S. VIRGINIA and the U.S.S. MONITOR. The research was conducted by James Trader, Maryland Eastern Shore local, he traced his genealogy back to the 17th century Virginia; these papers reflect the research from 2002-2003. He found that he was related to several military figures, such as John Luke Porter, the architect of the C.S.S VIRGINIA.

John Luke Porter was born on September 13, 1813, in Portsmouth, Norfolk County, Virginia.  He grew up in his father’s shipyard and gained a familiarity with naval engineering. At the age of 18, his father died and he took over his family’s shipyard on the North side of the Elizabeth River. In 1834, he married Susan Naylor Buxton and had six children, over their 59-year marriage.  John was employed by the United States Navy and was named Full Naval Constructor in 1859. A week after the attack on Fort Sumter, he resigned from the U.S. Navy.  He joined the Confederate States of America Navy and was named Chief Constructor. John Luke Porter was known for his design of the first ironclad ship, the C.S.S. VIRGINIA, which was reconstructed from the frame of the MERRIMAC. After Robert E. Lee’s surrender in 1865, he continued his maritime vocation in Norfolk and Berkley, Virginia until his retirement in 1888. He died on December 14, 1893, in Portsmouth, Virginia and is buried in Cedar Grove Cemetery.

Folders are listed by their location in each box; any given subject may be dispersed throughout the entirety of the collection.