Francis Kenelm Bouverie
Francis Kenelm Bouverie (1797-1837) was the third son Edward Bouverie (junior) of Delapre Abbey, Hardingstone, Northamptonshire and Catherine daughter and heir of William Castle. He was born on 19 November 1797, matriculated from Brasenose College, Oxford in 1816.[1] As a result of the later deaths of his two elder brothers, Everard and Charles, without issue, the Bouverie inheritance passed through his line.
He married Elizabeth Sheil of Castledawson, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland, on 20 November 1826. They had one son John Augustus Shiel Bouverie.
Marriage and family life
Francis came to be at Castledawson as part of a detachment of his regiment, the 62nd (Wiltshire) Regiment, being stationed there. Elizabeth was said to have great personal attractions, and she claimed she possessed a fortune of £4,000. Francis had at that time only his pay and a £100 a year allowance from his father.
The wedding to Elizabeth, 10 years younger than Francis, was witnessed by his younger brother James Bouverie. For some months they lived at the house of Elizabeth's mother, but the detachment was then moved to Enniskillen. After about a year, having been promoted to the rank of Captain, Francis sold his commission and settled with his wife back at Castledawson.[2]
The marriage was not without its problems, in 1832 Elizabeth gave birth to a still-born daughter, and then in 1835 a Mr Bell persuaded her to accompany him for a ten or twelve day tour to Liverpool, giving rise to claim that Francis was not the father of her son James Augustus Sheil Bouverie, born the following year on 12 July 1836. However, Francis never entertained the slightest misgivings, but it would result in a subsequent legal battle by his son to prove his legitimacy.[3]
Despite his lowly marriage he still remained on good terms with his family back at Delapré Abbey and appreciated that with his only surviving elder brother still being childless, the Bouverie line could pass to him.
Death
Only a year after his son’s birth, on 19 September 1837, Francis died and it seems that contact was lost between his family at Delapré Abbey and that at Castledawson with the result that his son, as he grew up, was not aware of his possible inheritance.