A Naval Biographical Dictionary/Matson, Henry James
MATSON. (Commander, 1843. f-p., 22; h-p., 2.)
Henry James Matson, born 5 April, 1810, is son of Chas. Matson, Esq., Paymaster and Purser, R.N. (1793); nephew of Admiral Rich. Matson; grand-nephew of the late Admiral Sir Henry Harvey, K.B., who commanded the Ramillies 74 in the action of 1 June, 1794, and also of the gallant Capt. John Harvey, R.N., who was mortally wounded in command of the Brunswick 74 on the same occasion; and second-cousin of Commander G. W. Matson, R.N.
This officer entered the Navy, 10 July, 1823, as Fst-cl. Vol., on board the Seringapatam 46, Capt. Sam. Warren, stationed in the Channel; and in the early part of the following year proceeded in the Samarang 28, Capt. Sir Wm. Saltonstall Wiseman, to North America; where, in Dec. 1824, he joined the Jupiter 60, bearing the flag of Rear-Admiral Willoughby Thos. Lake. In Sept. 1827, having attained the rating of Midshipman some time previously, he joined the Revenge 76, Capts. Norbome Thompson and Hon. Chas. Orlando Bridgeman, in which ship, stationed in the Mediterranean, he continued until Oct. 1830. In the course of the ensuing month (he had passed his examination 12 Aug. 1829) he became Mate of the Undaunted 46, Capt. Edw. Harvey, fitting for the Cape of Good Hope; and in Feb. 1833 he was transftrred from that frigate to the Curlew 10, Capt. Henry Dundas Trotter, and placed in charge of a watch. For his subsequent conduct at the capture of some pirates on the west coast of Africa, Mr. Matson, who left the Curlew in June, 1834, was promoted, 8 April, 1835, to the rank of Lieutenant, and appointed, a week afterwards, to the Pearl 20, Capts. Hugh Nurse and Lord Clarence Edw. Paget, employed at first on the Lisbon and then on the North America and West India station. The latter vessel, of which he had been for eighteen months First-Lieutenant, being put out of commission 2 Jan. 1839, he obtained command, 2 March following, of the Waterwitch 10, and was again ordered to the west coast of Africa; where four years of the most successful exertion in suppression of the slave trade resulted in his advancement to the rank of Commander, 17 July, 1843. His last appointment was to the command, 7 Sept. 1844, of the Daring 12, in which sloop he served on the Home and North America and West India stations until superseded in Feb. 1847.
Commander Matson married, 12 June, 1837, Philadephia Stephens, daughter of Thos. Josling, Esq., of Lisbon, by whom, who died 23 Oct. 1845, he had issue one daughter. Agents – Messrs. Stilwell.