James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden

James Agar, 1st Viscount Clifden (25 March 1734 1 January 1789) was an Irish peer and politician[1] and held the office of one of the joint Postmasters General of Ireland

For others named James Agar, see the James Agar navigation page

Family

He was the second son of Henry Agar, a former MP for Gowran, and Anne Ellis, and probably born at Gowran Castle on 25 March 1734. On 20 March 1760 James married Lucia Martin, widow of Henry Boyle-Walsingham. Together they had three children; Henry-Welbore, John Ellis, b. 31 December 1763, and Charles-Bagnell, b. 13 August 1765. Agar was made a Baron Clifden on 27 July 1776 and Viscount Clifden on 12 January 1781 and on 13 August 1794 became Baron Mendip. He died on 1 January 1789 when his eldest son became the second viscount and Baron Mendip.[2] Agar's younger brother was Charles Agar, first Earl of Normanton (1736–1809), who became the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Dublin.[3]

Politics

In addition to being a Member of Parliament (MP) for Gowran, for which he sat three times, from 1753 to 1761, again from 1768 to 1769 and finally from 1776 to 1777, he controlled three other borough seats through the strength of his family holdings. Between 1761 and 1776, he represented Kilkenny County[4] and between 1768 and 1769 Thomastown. He held the post of joint Postmaster General of Ireland between 1784 until 1789[4] with William Ponsonby, 1st Baron Ponsonby.

References

Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by
James Agar
David Chaigneau
Member of Parliament for Gowran
1753–1761
With: James Agar
Succeeded by
George Dunbar
William Henry Burton
Preceded by
Henry Flood
Patrick Wemys
Member of Parliament for Kilkenny County
1761–1776
With: Hon. John Ponsonby
Succeeded by
Hon. John Ponsonby
Hon. Edmund Butler
Preceded by
George Dunbar
William Henry Burton
Member of Parliament for Gowran
1768–1769
With: Hon. John Ponsonby
Succeeded by
Arthur Browne
Henry Prittie
Preceded by
Lord Frederick Campbell
Thomas Eyre
Member of Parliament for Thomastown
1768–1769
With: Thomas Maunsell
Succeeded by
George Dunbar
Thomas Maunsell
Preceded by
Arthur Browne
Henry Prittie
Member of Parliament for Gowran
1776–1777
With: John Butler
Succeeded by
Sir Boyle Roche, 1st Bt
John Butler
Peerage of Ireland
New creation Viscount Clifden
1781–1788
Succeeded by
Henry Ellis
Baron Clifden
1776–1788
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