A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Graeme, Alexander John
GRAEME. (Commander, 1842. f-p., 15; h-p., 19.)
Alexander John Graeme, born in March, 1799, is a younger son of Colonel Graeme, of Inchbrahie, in Perthshire (who at the period of his death was the oldest officer who had served throughout and survived the famous siege of Gibraltar), by Margaret Oliphant, of Condie, N.B. He belongs to the ancient family now represented by the Duke of Montrose, being a direct descendant from William, the first Earl, so created in 1504-5. His father was heir-presumptive to the Earldom after the late Duke’s brother.
This officer entered the Navy, 6 April, 1813, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Queen Charlotte 100, Capt. Robt. Jackson, bearing the flag off Brest of his relative Lord Keith. Proceeding in Aug. 1814 to the Mediterranean as a passenger in the Granicus 36, Capt. Wm. Furlong Wise, he there became Midshipman of the Elizabeth 74, flag-ship of Hon. Chas. Elphinstone Fleeming, under whom he continued until April, 1815. From that period until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant, 5 Dec. 1822, he was successively employed, part of the time as Master’s Mate, on the Gibraltar, Lisbon, Portsmouth, St. Helena, and Jamaica stations, in the Minstrel 26, Capt. Fras. Erskine Loch, Granicus again, Capt. W; F. Wise, Vengeur 74, Capt. Thos. Alexander, Orontes 36, Capt. Nathaniel Day Cochrane, Racoon and Falmouth sloops, both commanded by Capt. Geo. Fred. Rich, Vengeur again, Capt. Alexander, Parthian brig, Capt. Wilson Braddyll Bigland, and Serapis 4, Lieut.-Commander Geo. Vernon Jackson. He then joined the Pyramus 42, Capt. Fras. Newcombe, also in the West Indies, whence he returned home in the Gloucester 74, bearing the broad pendant of Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen, and was paid off 10 June, 1825. Soon after this, in consequence of the weakened circulation produced by the great variety of climate under which Lieut. Graeme had served, and the exposure to which he had been subjected, he had the misfortune, during a moderately frosty day, to lose, from the effects of cold, the last two joints of the four fingers of his left hand; and, indeed, slight exposure since that time has often caused alarming numbness and discoloration of his ears and nose. Being thus prevented from energetically pursuing his profession, he remained unemployed until 13 Jan. 1840, when he was appointed to the Victory 104, guard-ship at Portsmouth, Capt. Fras. Erskine Loch. He was promoted, shortly after his removal to the First-Lieutenancy of the Queen 110, to the rank he now holds in honour of Her Majesty’s visit to that ship when on the eve of sailing from Spithead with the flag of Sir Edw. W. C. R. Owen, by commission dated 7 March, 1842; since which period he has been on half-pay.
Commander Graeme married, in 1826, Eleanora, daughter of John Johnson, Esq., of Liverpool.