A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Treeve, John
TREEVE. (Retired Commander, 1848. f-p., 13; h-p., 33.)
John Treeve was born 12 March, 1785, at Penryn, co. Cornwall.
This officer entered the Navy, 1 Jan. 1801, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the San Josef 110, Capt. Thos. Masterman Hardy, bearing the flag of his patron Lord Nelson, whom he followed, in the ensuing March, into the St. George 98. In that ship, which bore the flag next of Vice-Admiral Chas. Morice Pole, he accompanied the expedition to Copenhagen, and proceeded afterwards off Cadiz, where, until the peace of 1802, he continued actively employed on boat service against the enemy’s gun-vessels – part of the time in the capacity of Midshipman. He then sailed with a squadron of observation for the West Indies; but returned home in July of the same year and was paid off. Being received, in March, 1803, on board the Tonnant 80, Capts. Sir Edw. Pellew, Wm. Henry Jervis, Chas. Tyler, Thos. Brown, and Rich. Turner Hancock, he was for four years and ten months employed in that ship on the coast of Spain, in the Mediterranean, off Cadiz, and in the Channel, and was present in her as Master’s Mate at the battle of Trafalgar 21 Oct. 1805. On leaving the Tonnant, which ship had for some time borne the flags of Rear-Admirals Eliot Harvey and Hon. Michael De Courcy, he joined on promotion, in Jan. 1808, the Belleisle 74, flag-ship of Hon. Sir Alex. Cochrane in the West Indies; where he became, 2 Feb. following and 20 July, 1809, an Acting and a confirmed Lieutenant of the York 74, Capt. Robt. Barton. In her he assisted at the reduction of the islands of Marie-Galante, Martinique, the Saintes, and the Walcheren. In July, 1812, at which period the York was serving in the Mediterranean, an attack of dysentery and liver complaint obliged him to invalid and return to England. His last appointments were – 14 Feb. 1812 and 28 July, 1813, to the Magnificent 74, Capts. Sir Geo. Eyre and Willoughby Thos. Lake, and Rover sloop, commanded in succession by Capt. Justice Finley, by himself (as Acting-Commander), and by Capt. Henry Wm. Bruce. While officiating as Second-Lieutenant of the Magnificent he landed with a division of seamen and marines on the north coast of Spain, and was active in his co-operation with the patriots. He commanded the Rover in the unsuccessful attack upon Baltimore in Sept. 1814. In a few weeks afterwards ill health obliged him to seek half-pay. He accepted his present rank 4 April, 1848.
CommanderTreeve married Isabella, eldest daughter of Capt. Touchett Blayney Campbell, a Knight of Windsor, and late a Captain in the 3rd Royal Veteran Battalion (a gentleman nearly allied to the noble houses of Breadalbane, Holland, Blayney, and Shrewsbury), by whom he has issue six children.