John Willes-Johnson

John Samuel Willes-Johnson (3 July 1793 – 25 July 1863 ) was a British naval officer and for a short time a Conservative Party politician.

Early life Willes-Johnson was born in South Stoke, Somerset to Charles Johnson and Mary Willes, daughter of the Archdeacon of Wells, William Willes. His sister, Harriet Johnson, married John Owen Herbert of Dolforgan Hall and, after his death, Sir John Edwards, 1st Baronet, of Garth. From her first marriage, she was the mother of Harriet Avarina Brunetta Herbert (wife of Walter Long, eldest son of Walter Long). From her second marriage, she was the mother of Mary Cornelia Edwards (wife of George Vane-Tempest, 5th Marquess of Londonderry).

Career Entering the navy in 1807, Willes-Johnson became a first class volunteer serving on the Vestal under Captain Edwards Lloyd Graham for two years at Home and Newfoundland stations.

Becoming a master's mate in 1809, he was then placed in charge of the merchantman Fortitude, deploying the ship at Lisbon and Cádiz. During his travels, he succeeded in a ruse de guerre, causing an enemy's armed vessel to sheer off despite not possessing a gun on board on the ship.

Personal life He married Elizabeth de Windt, daughter of John de Windt, in Paris in 1821, and they had one child:

Elizabeth Sarah Johnson (1825–1870), who married Capt. Joseph Clayton Jennyns de Windt of Blunsdon House.

After Elizabeth's death in 1842, in 1849 he married secondly Joanna Burn Smeeton, who died five years later. In 1858, Willes-Johnson married thirdly Margaret Ann Pugh, daughter of David Pugh and Ann née Vaughan, and they had two daughters: Harriet Mildred Vaughan Johnson (1860–1938), who in 1880 married Henry Jenner Scobell, an army officer; in the 1921 census, her name is given as "H. Mildred V. Scobell", suggesting that she was known as Mildred; Maud Felicia Frances Ann Johnson (1862–1919), who married Robert Chaloner Critchley Long, son of Richard Penruddocke Long and Charlotte Anna Hume, in 1884.

He died at 'Westhill' in Highworth, Wiltshire and was buried at Hannington.

Descendants Through his eldest daughter Elizabeth, he was a grandfather of Harry de Windt (who married (1) Frances Laura Arabella Long, sister of the 1st Viscount Long; (2) Hilda Frances Clark, daughter of the Rev. William Robinson Clark; and (3) actress Charlotte Elizabeth Ihle, better known by her stage name, Elaine Inescourt) and Margaret Alice Lili de Windt (who married Charles Brooke, Rajah of Sarawak).