William West Medwin was born in England around 1769, and attended schools in High Wycombe until the age of 10, when he joined the crew of the Mercury . He served in the Royal Navy throughout much of the rest of his life, and traveled to North America, the Caribbean, South America, and Europe. He lived for extended periods in the United States; in High Wycombe and London, England; and in Paris, France. In May 1802, Medwin married Susannah Elizabeth Taylor. They had at least three children; their eldest son died at sea. William West Medwin died in London on May 3, 1835.
From the guide to the William West Medwin memoir and poems, Medwin, William West memoir and poems, 1830-1833, (William L. Clements Library, University of Michigan)
