A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Church, William Harvey
CHURCH. (Lieutenant, 1838. f-p., 20; h-p., 0.)
William Harvey Church entered the Navy, 24 March, 1827, as Midshipman, on board the Victor 18, Capt. Geo. Woollcomhe, on the Irish station, where he continued to be employed until 1831, in the Semiramis 42, Capts. Roht. Rowley and Maurice Fred. Fitzhardinge Berkeley, and Pike schooner, Lieut.-Commander John Gwyn Wigley. From the latter date until 1838 he next served on board the Aetna surveying-vessel, commanded successively by Capts. Edw, Belcher, Wm. Geo. Skyring, Wm. Arlett, and Alex. Thos. Emeric Vidal; and, during that period, was at first employed in the river Douro for the protection of British interests during the Pedro and Miguel hostilities; also in examining, latterly as Assistant-Surveyor, different parts of the Mediterranean and of the coast of Africa, including the Canary Islands; and was on shore at Cape Roxo when Capt. Skyring was killed by the natives. He passed his examination in Sept. 1833; obtained his commission 28 June, 1838; and, from that period until the end of 1846, employed, under the Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty, as Lieutenant and Assistant-Surveyor, on board the Sylvia and Hind cutters, and Tartarus steam-vessel, Capts. Wm. Lewis Sheringham and Jas. Wolfe.
Lieut. Church married, in 1839, Anna Matilda, daughter of T. Harvey, Esq.