Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham

Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham PC (Ire) (1723 – 7 October 1800), styled The Honourable Barry Maxwell from 1756 to 1779, was an Irish peer and politician.

Background

He was the son of John Maxwell, 1st Baron Farnham and Judith Barry.

Political career

He was Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas between 1741 and 1800, was called to the Irish Bar in 1748 and appointed a Bencher in 1757. On his brother's death on 16 November 1779, he succeeded as 3rd Baron Farnham, inheriting the Farnham estate. He commissioned James Wyatt, one of the most fashionable architects of the time, to design a new house. These plans are now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

He was created Viscount Farnham on 10 January 1781, Earl of Farnham on 22 June 1785, and became a Privy Councillor in Ireland on 6 June 1796. From 1756 to 1761 and again from 1768 to 1779, he sat in the Irish House of Commons for Cavan Borough. Between 1761 and 1768, he represented Armagh Borough.[1]

Family

He married twice, firstly on the 15 January 1757 to Margaret King, daughter of Robert King of Drewstown. They had the following children:

He then married secondly in 1771 to Grace Burdett (died 8 March 1816), daughter of Arthur Burdett of Ballymaney. They had the following issue:

  • Grace Maxwell (died 19 June 1866); she married to Sir Ralph St George, 7th Baronet (1758–1842)
  • Elizabeth Maxwell, died unmarried in January 1782.

On his death, he was succeeded by his son John James.

Notes

  1. "National Library of Ireland - Collection List No. 95 - FARNHAM PAPERS" (PDF). National Library of Ireland. Retrieved 18 August 2012.

References

Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by
John Maxwell
Hon. Brinsley Butler
Member of Parliament for Cavan Borough
1756–1761
With: Lord Newtown-Butler
Succeeded by
Brinsley Butler, Lord Newtown-Butler
Charles Coote
Preceded by
Robert Cuninghame
Hon. John Ponsonby
Member of Parliament for Armagh Borough
1761–1768
With: Robert Cuninghame
Succeeded by
George Macartney
Philip Tisdall
Preceded by
Lord Newtown-Butler
William Stewart
Member of Parliament for Cavan Borough
1768–1780
With: George Montgomery
Succeeded by
George Montgomery
Hon. John James Maxwell
Peerage of Ireland
New creation Earl of Farnham
1785–1800
Succeeded by
John Maxwell
Viscount Farnham
1781–1800
Preceded by
Robert Maxwell
Baron Farnham
1779–1800

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