A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Owen, Richard
OWEN. (Captain, 1837.)
Richard Owen is the son of a clergyman in co. Wexford.
This officer entered the Navy, 30 May, 1811, and was employed during the remainder of the war in the Scipion 74 and Lion 64, flag-ships of Hon. Robt. Stopford at the Cape of Good Hope, and in the Blenheim 74, Capt. Sam. Warren, in the North Sea and Mediterranean. In July, 1817, after a servitude of three years on the coast of Africa and in the West Indies in the Ulysses 44, Capt. Thos. Browne, and Primrose 18, Capt. Chas. Geo. Rodney Phillott, he passed his examination; and on 16 Feb. 1821, while attached to the Kangaroo surveying vessel, he was promoted to a Lieutenancy in the Euryalus 42, Capt. Wilson Braddyll Bigland, on the Jamaica station. His next appointment was, 14 Nov. 1821, to the Leven 24, Capt. Wm. Fitzwilliam Owen, employed on a surveying expedition to the coast of Africa, where, during a continuance of nearly five years, he was for some time intrusted with the command of the Cockburn and Albatross schooners. In the Albatross it was his fortune, during the Ashantee war, to obtain the best thanks of Major-General Chas. Turner for his unceasing and successful exertions in getting his vessel up the river, and for his forwardness both in the boats and on shore in an attack made, 19 Feb. 1826, on the town of Maccaba.[1] As a reward for his services, he was promoted to the rank of Commander 30 Sept. 1826. In 1828 he was employed by the Admiralty in surveying on the south coast of Wales, in connection with the Ordnance Survey; and on 9 May, 1829, he commissioned the Blossom 16, for the purpose of conducting a survey in the West Indies. On the latter vessel from her defective condition being paid off, Capt. Owen obtained command, 25 March, 1833, of the Thunder 6. He continued employed as before in the West Indies until advanced to his present rank 10 Jan. 1837; and has since been on half-pay.
Capt. Owen [2] was lately employed as Auditor of the Poor-Law Commissioners. He married, 4 July, 1837, Susannah Charlotte, eldest daughter of John Walker, Esq., Ordnance Storekeeper at the Bahamas.
- ↑ Vide Gaz. 1826, p. 1159.
- ↑ See Rear-Admiral W. F. Owen.