WILKINSON, Jesse, naval officer, born in Virginia about 1790; died in Norfolk, Virginia, 23 May, 1861. He entered the navy as a midshipman, 4 July, 1805, and was commissioned a lieutenant, 10 April, 1810. During the war of 1812 he commanded the schooner "Hornet," which was used as a despatch-vessel on Potomac river in 1813-'15. He served at the Norfolk navy-yard in 1816-'18 and in 1820-'1, and in the intervening time commanded the " Hornet" and was on coast-survey duty. He was promoted to master-commandant, 18 April, 1818, commanded the brig "Spark," of Commander David Porter's flotilla, for the suppression of piracy in the West Indies in 1822-'3, and served at the Norfolk navy-yard in 1824-'5 and at Boston in 1826. He served in the "John Adams" in the West Indies against the pirates in 1827-'8, was promoted to captain, 11 March, 1829, and was at the navy-yard at Norfolk in 1829-'33. He commanded the frigate " United States," of the Mediterranean squadron, in 1835-'40, and the West India squadron, in the flag-ship "Macedonian," in 1840-'2, and was commandant of the Norfolk navy-yard in 1843-'7. In 1848-'9 he was commodore commanding the West India squadron in the flag-ship " Raritan." After this he served on boards and courts-martial until his death, though most of this period of his life was spent on leave or waiting orders.