John Williams Wilson

John Williams Wilson
Born	1798 Bristol, England
Died	1857 (aged 58–59) Valparaíso, Chile
Allegiance	Chile
Service/branch	Navy
Rank	Commander

John Williams Wilson, also known as Juan Guillermos (1798 – September 14, 1857), was a British-Chilean sailor and politician. Born in Bristol, he entered the newly founded Chilean navy in 1824 and rose to the rank of commander. He was appointed governor of Talcahuano (1849–1855). He supervised construction of Fuerte Bulnes in 1843, which the government intended for a settlement at the Strait of Magellan. Puerto Williams, founded in 1953, was named for the naval commander.

John Williams Wilson was born in Bristol, England to a family with a long seafaring tradition. He learned to sail with his father.

As a young man, he traveled to South America to enter the newly organized Chilean Navy in 1824, directed by the British Lord Cochrane. Williams was soon promoted to the rank of lieutenant. His name was Hispanicized and he was known as Juan Guillermos.

In early 1826 Williams took part in the campaign for the capture of Chiloé Archipelago from royalists. He was appointed as commander of Talcahuano. In 1827 he was promoted to lieutenant commander

In 1827 he also married Doña Micaela Rebolledo, born in Chile. The couple had three sons: Horacio, Luis, and Juan, and a daughter Lavinia. Juan Williams had an illustrious navy career.

In 1837, Williams defended General Ramón Freire Serrano after he revolted against the government of President General Joaquín Prieto Vial. For this, Williams was temporarily dismissed from the naval service. He was reinstated in 1838, and was available to fight in the second year of the war against the Peru-Bolivian Confederation.

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