Cantly Navy Pension
Andrew Cantley, Jr. joined the U.S. Navy in May of 1867. According to the record, Andrew served on the USS Potomac, on the USS Savannah as Gunner's Mate, on the USS Plymouth as Quarter Gunner on the Constellation as Master at Arms, and on the USS Dale as Master at Arms, on the USS Santee at the Naval Academy as Quarter Master.
After his death on 11 Oct 1882, his widow Eliza Willis filed for a widows pension for herself and their daughter, Hannah. One of the records in this file is testimony from Andrew's sister Margaret, that she "was present at the marriage of Andrew Cantley and Eliza Cantley which occurred in the City of Cork, Ireland in August 1855, and has known them since that time and knows that they lived together as man and wife up to the death of the said Andrew Cantley. [She] further [swore] that she was present at the birth of Hannah Margaret daughter of the said Andrew and Eliza Cantley at Williamsburg in the state of New York on the 20th of February 1871 ... [she swore] further that she [was] the sister of Andrew Cantley deceased ." Hannah was born in New York on 20 Feb 1871 was baptized on 23 April, 1879 in St. Anne's Rectory in Annapolis, Maryland.
Ships at the Naval Academy, 1879
Ships left to right: Dale, Constellation and Santee