Francis Grice 1789 - 1865

The marker can be seen on the first story at right next to the staircase.

Francis Grice and his team of builders would have used this half-hull model to construct USS Delaware on the stocks at Gosport Navy Yard. Delaware was designed by Naval Constructor William Doughty. Grice was Naval Constructor at the Gosport Navy Yard when the ship was laid down in 1817. This model is at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, within Nauticus.

Model of the Ship-of-the-Line Delaware as she would have appeared after Grice was done with her - although after launching the ship was roofed over and kept in ordinary - essentially storage - until 1828 when her masts were installed and trials were run. Grice remained involved in construction at the naval yard until 1857. This model is in the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard Museum.

This side-wheel steamship, Commodore Matthew C. Perry's flagship during his expeditions to force the opening of Japanese ports to American commerce, led the squadron of Japanese-described "giant dragons puffing smoke" into Edo Bay in 1853, 1854, and 1858. Painted black and churning out exhaust, the Japanese had never seen steamships and were impressed by the size and armament of such vessels. Two major US-Japan treaties were signed aboard her in that period. Designed by Grice and Captain Neely, the ship was built under the supervision of constructor Samuel Hartt.
Naval History and Heritage Command Photo # NH 48102

At the Navy Memorial in Washington, DC. Grice's design, USS Powhatan, is among the masted steamships included at left distant in the depiction. Perry's Japan expeditions had major implications in future events - namely World War II, 85 years later.