Dmitry Petrovich Maksutov
Prince Dmitri Petrovich Maksutov (Template:Lang-ru, 10 May, 1832 - 21 March 1889) was an Imperial Russian Navy rear-admiral who was the last Governor of Russian America (1863-67). He has streets dedicated to his memory in Sitka and Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky.
Maksutov was born on May 10, 1832 in the city of Perm. In 1840 he enrolled in Naval Cadets Corps, which he graduated in 1847 in the rank of naval cadet (гардемарин). Maksutov was promoted to the rank of lieutenant in March 1851, was assigned to the 46th division and left for the Russian Far East.
As the Crimean War broke out, he was transferred to Petropavlovsk in June 1854. Dmitri Maksutov and his two brothers - Pavel and Alexander took part in the war. Pavel Maksutov served in the Black Sea Fleet and was onboard of the battleship Paris during the Battle of Sinop, while Alexander and Dimitri took part in the defense of Petropavlovsk during the siege of Petropavlovsk. Dmitri Maksutov commanded the legendary cannon battery number 2, his brother Alexander commanded the battery number 3. After the battle, both were awarded with the cross of Order of St. George of the 4th degree (posthumously for Alexander Maksutov).
In 1859, Prince Dmitri Maksutov came to Russian Alaska to work for the Russian-American Company. At the beginning he was Assistant to the Governor Johan Hampus Furuhjelm, whom he succeeded at the helm of the company in March 1864. After the Russian-American Treaty of 1867, the Russian Imperial flag was lowered and the Star-Spangled Banner was raised on October 6, 1867. Maksutov went down into Alaska's history as its last Russian governor. He stayed in Alaska for one more year, serving as Russian consul in Sitka and was in charge of the immigration of the remaining Russians.
In 1869 Maksutov turned over his duties to Fyodor Koskul and returned to Russia. Maksutov served at various commercial vessels and was promoted to the rank of counter-admiral on May 17, 1882 (the day of his resignation). He died in Saint Petersburg on March 21, 1889 and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery.
