James Vashon
| James Vashon | |
|---|---|
Admiral James Vashon
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| Born | 9 August 1742 Eye, near Leominster, Herefordshire |
| Died | 27 October 1827 Ludlow |
| Allegiance |
 Great Britain United Kingdom
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| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy
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| Years of service | 1755–1827 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
HMS Alert HMS Prince William HMS Formidable HMS Sibyl HMS Europa HMS Ardent HMS St Albans HMS Dreadnought HMS Pompee Jamaica Station |
| Battles/wars |
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Admiral James Vashon (9 August 1742 – 27 October 1827) was a British officer of the Royal Navy. He saw service during the Seven Years' War, the American War of Independence and the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He was first captain of HMS Dreadnought, between 1801 and 1802. Previously, he had commanded Alert (1781), Europa (1786), and Formidable.
Washington's Vashon Island was named after him by the explorer George Vancouver, who had been Vashon's subordinate in Europa. Vashon rose to the rank of Admiral of the White and was knighted. He is reported to have been stationed for many years in the West Indies.
James Vashon was born on 9 August 1742 in the village of Eye, near Leominster, Herefordshire. He was the son of the Vicar of Eye, the Reverend James Volant Vashon. The family was descended from Peter Vashon, a Huguenot apothecary c. 1636, who had immigrated from Paris. The family name is of French origins and became English. James Vashon entered the Royal Navy at age thirteen, in 1755, and first served aboard the 28-gun frigate HMS Revenge under Captain Cornwall. As a midshipman he served on a number of vessels and saw combat service in the Mediterranean, the coast of North America, and in the Caribbean. In 1763 he passed his examination for lieutenant, but continued to serve as a midshipman until 1772 for lack of a lieutenant’s posting. Vashon was serving on HMS Quebec when the Seven Years' War ended and went ashore on half-pay until 1774 when the Navy began re-arming for the approaching American War of Independence.
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