Son of an officer who perished in the Royal George, at Spithead, Aug. 29, 1782^[1].

Mr. John Williams was born at Plymouth, in 1772; and made a Lieutenant in Oct. 1 795; from which period he ​commanded an armed sloop on the West India station until 1802. His next appointment was to the Fearless gun-brig, in which vessel he had his skull fractured when iu the act of capturing a Danish craft, off Copenhagen: he appears also to have been frequently engaged with the enemy’s flotilla during the siege of that capital, in Aug. and Sept. 1807^[2]. His commission as a Commander bears date Oct. 13 following.

Towards the close of 1809, Captain Williams was appointed to the Hound bomb-vessel, and in her he materially contributed to the defence of Cadiz, in 1810 and 1811: his promotion to post rank took place Mar. 4, in the latter year.

Captain Williams died at Okehampton, April 12, 1824; leaving a widow and 8 children, 7 of whom were then under 12 years of age.