William Keats is nephew of the late Admiral Sir Rich. Goodwin Keats, G.C.B.
This officer entered the Navy, 30 Sept. 1805, as Fst.-cl. Vol., on board the Superb 74, Capt. R. G. Keats, bearing the flag at first of Sir John Thos. Duckworth, under whom he bore a part in the action off St. Domingo 6 Feb. 1806. After attending the expedition to Copenhagen in 1807, and witnessing the embarkation from Nyeborg of the Spanish troops under the Marquis de la Romana, he served until July, 1813, as Midshipman, on the Home, Cadiz, and Mediterranean stations, in the Puissant 74, Capt. Irwin, Milford 74, and Hibernia 120, bearing each the flag of Rear-Admiral Keats, and Caledonia 120, flag-ship of Sir Edw. Pellew. In Aug. of the latter year he became Acting-Lieutenant of the Partridge sloop, Capt. John Miller Adye, to which vessel (being confirmed to her by commission dated 6 of that month) he continued attached until Oct. 1814. He next, from 23 March to 9 Dec. 1815, officiated as Flag-Lieutenant to Sir R. G. Keats, in the Salisbury 50, at Newfoundland; and, on 17 April, 1816, after having been intermediately employed in the Albion 74, flag-ship of Sir Chas. Rowley at Sheerness, he was promoted to the rank of Commander. He obtained command, 7 Oct. 1822, of the Cherokee 10, on the Leith and Cork stations; but has not been since employed. His elevation to his present rank took place 27 March, 1826.
Capt. Keats married, first, 10 April, 1833, Catherine Jane, eldest daughter of Jas. Pitman, Esq., of Dunchideock House, Devon, who was drowned a few weeks after her marriage by the upsetting of a boat; and, secondly, 6 July, 1835, Augusta Maria, daughter of Giles King Lyford, Esq., of Winchester.