A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Parson, John
PARSON. (Captain, 1837. f-p., 19; h-p., 28.)
John Parson died 29 Nov. 1847, at St. Helier’s, Jersey, aged 62.
This officer entered the Navy, in the spring of 1800, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Leviathan 74, Capt. Jas. Carpenter, bearing the flag in the West Indies of Sir John Thos. Duckworth; with whom he continued employed as Midshipman in the Hercule 74, until Feb. 1805. He was in consequence present in the latter ship at the unsuccessful attack upon Curaçoa in 1804, and in various other operations. After sharing, we believe, as Master’s Mate of the Acasta 40, Capt. Rich. Dalling Dunn, in the battle fought off Cape St. Domingo, and serving for a short time as a Supernumerary on board the Dolphin, bearing the flag of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane, he was constituted, 6 May, 1806, Sub-Lieutenant of the Pert sloop, Capt. Jas. Pringle. He was nominated Acting-Lieutenant, 20 Jan. 1807, of the St. Christopher, Capts. Andrew Hodge and John Tancock; was confirmed, 1 Nov. following, into the Alexandria 32, Capt. Nathaniel Day Cochrane; and was subsequently (after cruizing for two years in the North Sea) appointed – 29 Jan. and 4 May, 1810, to the San Josef and Hibernia, of 110 guns each, Capts. R. D. Dunn and John Nash, stationed off Gibraltar and Cadiz – 8 Nov. following, to the Armide 38, Capts. R. D. Dunn, Fras. Temple, and Sir Edw. Thos. Troubridge, employed, until May, 1815, in the Channel and off the coast of North America – and, in July, 1816, to the Granicus 36, Capt. Wm. Furlong Wise, under whom he fought as First-Lieutenant at the battle of Algiers. For his conduct on that occasion he was advanced to the rank of Commander by commission bearing date 16 Sept. 1816. He subsequently, from 14 Oct. 1833 until advanced to Post-rank 10 Jan. 1837, officiated as Second-Captain of the Thunderer 84, Capt. W. F. Wise, on the Mediterranean station. He did not again go afloat. Capt. Parson was married and has left issue.