Sir Francis John Hartwell (1^st Baronet of Dale Hall, Essex)

Posted by Hans Weebers on Monday 16th of March 2015 17:21

He died 28.6.1831

Posted by Hans Weebers on Monday 16th of March 2015 17:19

naval biography john marshall vol II - page 60
SIR FRANCIS JOHN HARTWELL, BART.
A Director of Greenwich Hospital, and late Deputy Comptroller of the Navy.
THIS officer is the third son of Captain Broderick Hartwell,
who died Lieutenant-Governor of Greenwich Hospital in
January, 1784 ; was born about the year 1757 ; and at the
commencement of the war with the colonies, commanded the
Rattlesnake cutter, in which he fought several smart actions
with the enemy's privateers, and captured a very valuable
French West Indiaman. On his promotion to the rank of
Commander he was appointed to the ^Etna bomb, stationed
at Antigua ; and on the death of Captain Broughton, he succeeded that officer in the command of the Sphynx frigate,
from whence he removed to the Brune. His post commission
bears date December 19, 1779.
In the month of August, 17^9, when their late Majesties
reviewed a squadron under Commodore Goodall, at Plymouth,
Captain Hartwell commanded the Bellona of 74 guns,
and was presented to the King immediately after the sham
fight which took place on that occasion *. He continued in
the Bellona during the Spanish and Russian armaments, but
was. paid off in the autumn of 1791. Towards the close of
the following year we find him fitting out the Thetis of 38
guns, at Deptford ; and at the commencement of the war
with revolutionary France, cruising with considerable success in the Channel.
The Thetis was paid off in September, 1793 ; and about
the same period Captain Hartwell became a Commissioner of
the Victualling Board, in which office he remained until the
autumn of 1796, when he was appointed to superintend the
Dock-yard at Sheerness. In the course of 1799 he removed
to Chatham Yard ; and soon after obtained a seat at the Navy
Board, where he continued to sit, as a Commissioner and
Deputy Comptroller, till the summer of 1814. He has ever
since lived in retirement.
Commissioner Hartwell received the honor of knighthood
on the occasion of his acting as proxy for Lord Keith, at an
installation of Knights of the Bath. He subsequently had
a much greater mark of royal favor conferred upon him, being
raised to the dignity of Baronet of Great Britain, October
5, 1805.
Our officer married, first, May 12, 1781, Anna Charlotte
Maria, eldest daughter of John Elphinstone, Esq. Captain
R. N., Lieutenant-General, Vice-Admiral, and Commanderin-
Chief of the Russian fleet ; and by that lady, who died
June 6, 1809, had five sons and one daughter. His eldest
son, the Rev. Houlton Hartwell, Vicar of Loders and Bradpole, in Dorsetshire, and an active magistrate of that county, died February 24, 1819, aged 36 years.
Sir Francis Hartwell married, second, in 1812, Miss Aldridge, sister of John Aldridge, of New Lodge, co. Sussex,
Esq.
Residence. Laleham, Middlesex