James Vashon Sir 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 and was knighted . He is reported to have been stationed for many years in the West Indies . Family and early life . James Vashon was born on 9 August 1742 in the village of Eye , near Ludlow , Shropshire . 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 at the time of the Conquest . James Vashon entered the Royal Navy at age thirteen , in 1755 , and first served aboard the 28 - gun frigate 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 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 . American War of Independence . He was appointed lieutenant on the frigate and was assigned to the West Indies . He was quickly promoted to first - lieutenant when Lieutenant Peter Rainier ( for whom Mount Rainier was named ) was promoted and transferred off the " Maidstone " . He achieved recognition with his action during the capture of the French ship " Lion " , when he was given command of the prize and over 200 prisoners , and successfully reached the British naval base at Antigua . As a reward , he was returned to England , promoted to commander , and given command of the 14 - gun brig . During 1780 – 81 , " Alert " served on convoy duty in the North Atlantic and in the Caribbean . During the second tour in the Caribbean for the " Alert " , Joseph Baker ( after whom Mount Baker was named ) served as cabin boy for Commander Vashon . Because of distinguished action as commander of the " Alert " during the battle of the Saintes , Vashon was promoted to captain and given command of the 64 - gun ship - of - the - line . He then served as flag captain aboard , and then the frigate . With the end of the American wars , Vashon again went ashore on half pay in 1783 . He and his wife Jane Bethell , who married in 1779 , had a son in 1784 , but Jane died suddenly in 1786 . Vashon then married Sarah Rainier , the sister of his earlier shipmate Peter Rainier . French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars . In late 1786 Vashon was recalled to service and took command of the 50 - gun , where serving under him were Midshipmen James Baker and Peter Puget , and Lieutenant George Vancouver , who would become significant in future explorations of the area of Washington State . Vashon commanded a series of ships during the period from 1789 to 1804 including the 64 - gun ships , , , and the 80 - gun HMS " Pompee " . It was during this period that George Vancouver commanded the Pacific Northwest expedition that bears his name and during which Vancouver named a number of prominent features of the Northwest after his colleagues and friends in the Royal Navy . On 28 May 1792 Vancouver named Vashon ' s Island in honour of Captain Vashon . In 1842 Charles Wilkes of the United States Exploring Expedition named Maury Island as a separate island and the usage began to change to Vashon Island . In April 1804 Vashon was promoted to Rear - Admiral in command of the naval squadron at Leith , Scotland with his flag aboard . He instituted a formal convoy system out of Leith to protect this vital shipping route , and was so successful that he was promoted to Vice - Admiral in 1808 . When Vashon decided to retire in late 1808 , the merchants and leaders of Leith were so pleased that they gave him a public dinner , awarded him two commemorative plates , and honoured him as a Freeman of the City of Edinburgh . After the Navy . Vashon retired to Ludlow where he lived at Number 54 Broad Street ( which is marked with a Ludlow Civic Society plaque ) . He was promoted to Admiral in 1821 , and died on 27 October 1827 at the age of 85 . He was buried at St Laurence Church in Ludlow .