A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Wilson, John (b)
WILSON. (Captain, 1830.)
John Wilson (b) is only son of Sir John Wilson, Kt., one of the Judges of the Court of Common Pleas, and for some time one of the Lords Commissioners of the Great Seal.
This officer entered the Navy, 2 Oct. 1801, as a Boy, on board the Spider, Lieut.-Commander Harrison, in which vessel he served for 10 months on the Plymouth station. In Aug. 1803, at which period he had been for 12 months employed at Portsmouth and in the Channel, in the Blenheim 98, Capt. Philip Turner Bover, Donegal 74, Capt. Sir Rich. John Strachan, Neptune 98, Capt. Wm. O’Brien Drury, and Magnificent 74, Capt. Wm. Henry Jervis, he became Midshipman of the Dragon 74, Capt. Edw. Griffith Colpoys, under whom we find him present in Sir Robt. Calder’s action with the combined fleets off Cape Finisterre 22 July, 1805. In the following Oct. he removed to the Melpomène[1] 38, Capts. Robt. Dudley Oliver and Peter Parker, on the Mediterranean station; where, after he had again served for 10 months with Capt. Griffith as Master’s Mate in the Sultan 74, he was nominated, 1 Oct. 1808, Acting-Lieutenant of the Hind 20, Capt. John Rich. Lumley. In that ship, to which he was confirmed 16 May, 1809, he remained until July, 1810. His next appointments were – 7 Feb. 1811, for two years, to the Boyne 98, bearing the flag of Sir Harry Burrard Neale in the Channel – 19 Jan. 1814, to the Newcastle 58, Capt. Lord Geo. Stuart, with whom, after having conveyed Louis XVIII. from England to France, he sailed for the coast of North America – 23 and 30 Sept. ensuing, to the Centurion 50 and Tonnant 80, flag-ships there of Admirals E. Griffith and Sir Alex. Cochrane, under the latter of whom he served as Signal-Lieutenant in the expedition against New Orleans – and, in April, 1815, to the Bulwark 74, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Griffith. On 6 June, 1815, he was made Commander into the Gorée sloop; and on that vessel being laid up at Halifax, he was removed, 1 May, 1816, to the Portia 14. Her he paid off in the following Aug. His succeeding appointments appear to have been – 4 Aug. 1818, to the Salisbury 58, fitting for the flag of Rear-Admiral Campbell, Commander-in-Chief in the West Indies – 28 Dec. 1825, to the Java 52, lying at Plymouth – and, 14 May, 1828, to the Victory 104, bearing the flag of Sir Robt. Stopford at Portsmouth, where he continued until paid off in May, 1830. He has not been since afloat. His Post-commission bears date 22 Oct. 1830.
Capt. Wilson married Dorothy, daughter of Chas. Gibson, Esq., of Quernmore Park and Myerscough House, Colonel-Commandant of the Lancaster Regt. of Volunteers, and a Deputy-Lieutenant for the co. Agent – Joseph Woodhead.
- ↑ The Melpomène, while Mr. Wilson was in her, was caught in a violent storm, which left her for five days without a rudder.