During Washington's administration the Secretaries of the Navy were also Secretaries of War. Three men occupied the double position: Gen. Henry Knox, of Massachusetts; Timothy Pickering, of Massachusetts; and James McHenry, of Maryland. In John Adams's administration the Navy was made a separate department. The Secretaries of the Navy since 1798 have been as follows: Benjamin Stoddert, of Maryland; Robert Smith, of Maryland; Jacob Crowninshield, of Massachusetts; Paul Hamilton, of South Carolina; William Jones, of Pennsylvania; Benjamin W. Crowninshield, of Massachusetts; Smith Thompson, of New York; Samuel L. Southard, of New Jersey; John Branch, of North Carolina; Levi Woodbury, of New Hampshire; Mahlon Dickerson, of New Jersey; James K. Paulding, of New York; George E. Badger, of North Carolina; Abel P. Upshur, of Virginia; David Henshaw, of Massachusetts; Thomas W. Gilmer, of Virginia; John Y. Mason, of Virginia; George Bancroft, of Massachusetts; William B. Preston, of Virginia; William A. Graham, of North Carolina; John P. Kennedy, of Maryland; James C. Dobbin, of North Carolina; Isaac Toucey, of Connecticut; Gideon Welles, of Connecticut. Since then have come John Faxon, Adolph E. Bane, Geo. M. Robeson, Watson Goff, Jr.; N. H. Hunt, Wm. E. Chandler, Wm. C. Whitney, Benj. F. Tracy, H. A. Hobart, John D. Long, M. H. Moody, Paul Morton, Chas. J. Bonaparte, S. H. Newberry and George von L. Meyer. Mr. Long resigned in 1902, and was succeeded by Mr. Moody, who later was transferred to the Supreme Court. Of Mr. Meyer the Directory says:
GEORGE VON LENGERKE MEYER, of Hamilton, Mass., Secretary of the Navy, is trustee Provident Institution for Savings, Boston; director Old Colony Trust Company, Boston, Amoskeag Manufacturing Company, Manchester, N. H., and United Electric Securities Company, Boston; was a member of the city government of Boston, 1890-1892; member of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1892-1896; Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, 1894-1896; Republican national committeeman, 1898 to 1905; confirmed as ambassador to Italy December 14, 1900; transferred as ambassador to Russia March 8, 1905; recalled in February, 1907, to enter the Cabinet as Postmaster-General, and took oath of office March 4, 1907, holding that post until March 6, 1909, when he took oath of office as Secretary of the Navy.