HAZELWOOD, John, naval officer, born in England about 1726; died in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, about 1 March, 1800. It is not known at what time he settled in this country. He had been a captain in the merchant service, sailing between London and Philadelphia, for several years, and in 1772 became one of the founders of the St. George society in the latter city. He was appointed superintendent of fire-vessels in December, 1775, in October, 1776, was promoted to be commodore in the Pennsylvania navy, and on 6 September, 1777, the full "command of the naval force of the state" was committed to him. Afterward the continental vessels in the Delaware river were put under his command. In July, 1776, he was one of the three men that were sent by the council of safety of Pennsylvania to Poughkeepsie, New York, to devise plans with the secret committee there for obstructing by means of fire-ships the enemy's navigation of the North river. For services rendered on this mission a convention of the representatives of New York voted him the thanks of the body and the sum of £300. According to a letter of Colonel William Bradford, dated 7 October, 1777, while Lord Howe was with his fleet in Delaware bay, he sent Commander Hazel-wood a request that he give up the Pennsylvania fleet, promising him his majesty's pardon and kind treatment. He refused the request, and notified Howe that he would "defend the fleet to the last." At a later period he was appointed one of the "commissioners of purchase" in Philadelphia. The artist and patriot, Charles Wilson Peale, thought Hazelwood worthy for his collection of American heroes, and the picture of him painted by Peale was afterward purchased by the city of Philadelphia and placed in Independence hall.