John Verney, 1st Viscount Fermanagh

John Verney, 1st Viscount Fermanagh (5 November 1640 – 23 June 1717),[1] known as Sir John Verney, 2nd Baronet between 1696 and 1703, was an English peer, merchant and Tory politician.

Background

He was the second and only surviving son of Sir Ralph Verney, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary Blacknall, daughter of John Blacknall.[2] Accompanying his father into his French exile, Verney, aged eight, was educated at Blois for the following five years. After the family's return to England, he joined James Fleetwood's school at Barn Elms and in 1655 went to another school in Kensington.[3] Thereafter Verney worked for a levant merchant, making expeditions to Mesopotamia and Cyprus.[3] In 1696, he succeeded his father as baronet.[2]

Career

Verney was several years assistant to the Royal African Company and served as governor of Bethlem Royal Hospital.[3] He contested Buckingham in the elections of 1696, 1698 and 1701; each time unsuccessfully.[3] On 16 June 1703, Verney was created Viscount of the County of Fermanagh along with the subsidiary title Baron Verney of Belturbet, in the County of Cavan.[4] Both titles were in the Peerage of Ireland and hence don't prevented him to enter the British House of Commons finally in 1710, sitting for Buckinghamshire until 1715.[5] Subsequently he represented Amersham until his death in 1717.[6]

Family

On 27 May 1680, he married firstly Elizabeth Palmer, daughter of Ralph Palmer, at Westminster Abbey, and had by her a son and three daughters.[7] After her death in 1686, Verney remarried Mary Lawley, daughter of Sir Francis Lawley, 2nd Baronet on 10 July 1692 in the same church.[3][7] She died in childbed only two years later and their newborn son shortly thereafter.[7] Verney married thirdly Elizabeth Baker, daughter of his neighbour Daniel Baker, on 8 April 1696 at Kensington.[7] He died aged 76 and was buried in Middle Claydon in Buckinghamshire a week later.[8] Verney was succeeded in his titles by his only surviving son Ralph.[4]

References

  1. "Leigh Rayment - Peerage". Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  2. 1 2 Courthope, William (1835). Synopsis of the Extinct Baronetage of England. London: G. Woodfall. pp. 204–205.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Eveline Cruickshanks, Stuart Handley and D. W. Hayton, ed. (2002). The House of Commons, 1690-1715. vol. V. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. pp. 729–730.
  4. 1 2 Lodge, John (1789). Mervyn Archdall, ed. The Peerage of Ireland or A Genealogical History of the Present Nobility of that Kingdom. vol. II. Dublin: James Moore. pp. 285–288.
  5. "Leigh Rayment - British House of Commons, Buckinghamshire". Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  6. "Leigh Rayment - British House of Commons, Amersham". Retrieved 27 August 2009.
  7. 1 2 3 4 Broad, John (2004). Transforming English Rural Society: The Verneys and The Claydons, 1600-1820. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 0-521-82933-X.
  8. "ThePeerage - John Verney, 1st Viscount Fermanagh". Retrieved 4 February 2007.
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Richard Hampden
Sir Edmund Denton, 1st Bt
Member of Parliament for Buckinghamshire
17101715
With: Sir Edmund Denton, 1st Bt 1710–1713
John Fleetwood 1713–1715
Succeeded by
John Fleetwood
Richard Hampden
Preceded by
John Drake
Francis Duncombe
Member of Parliament for Amersham
1715 – 1717
With: Montague Garrard Drake
Succeeded by
The Viscount Fermanagh
Montague Garrard Drake
Peerage of Ireland
New creation Viscount Fermanagh
1703–1717
Succeeded by
Ralph Verney
Baronetage of England
Preceded by
Ralph Verney
Baronet
(of Middle Claydon)
1696–1717
Succeeded by
Ralph Verney
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