Sir William Courtenay, 2nd Baronet

Sir William Courtenay, 2nd Baronet (11 March 1676 – 6 October 1735) of Powderham Castle, Powderham, Devon, was an English landowner, a leading member of the Devonshire gentry and Tory politician who sat in the English House of Commons from 1701 to 1707 and in the British House of Commons almost continually from 1707 to 1735.

Powderham Castle

Early life

Courtenay was the son of Colonel Francis Courtenay, MP for Devonshire from 1689 to 1699, and his wife Mary Boevey, daughter of William Boevey (died 1661), of Flaxley Abbey, Gloucestershire.[1] The Boevey family was of Netherlandish Huguenot descent.[2] Mary's brother was John Boevey (died 1706) who refers to himself in his will dated 6 March 1703 [3] as "John Boevey of Powderham Castle". Courtenay's father died in 1699, predeceasing his own father Sir William Courtenay, 1st Baronet. Courtenay succeeded his grandfather in 1702 to the baronetcy and the estate of Powderham Castle. He married Lady Anne Bertie, daughter of James Bertie, 1st Earl of Abingdon on 13 July 1704.[1]

Career

Courtenay first stood for Parliament at Honiton at the first general election of 1701. He was defeated, but was then returned unopposed for Devonshire at the second general election of 1701. He was returned again unopposed in the general elections of 1702, 1705, and 1708. He was a moderate Tory, but opposed the impeachment of Dr. Sacheverell in 1710. He stood down at the 1710 general election in favour of Sir William Pole, but when Pole had to submit to re-election on appointment to office, Courtenay was pressured by popular demand to stand again. He defeated Pole by a massive majority at the by-election on 22 July 1712. He was returned unopposed at the 1713 general election. From 1714 to 1716 he served as Lord Lieutenant of Devon.[2] He was returned as a Tory at the 1715 general election and was returned unopposed again at the succeeding general elections in 1722, 1727 and 1734.[4]

Death and legacy

Courtenay died on 6 October 1735. He directed his body to be buried in the north aisle of Powderham Church "near the monument there erected". He further desired "my executor (who was his nephew William Courtenay (died 1735) of Powderham)...to bestow and lay out the summe of fifty pounds in erecting a monument near the place of interrment in such manner as my executor shall think fit". No such monument survives. His children included:[5]

He left £10 each to his nieces Elizabeth, Mary, Lucy and Isabella Courtenay for mourning clothes. He also bequeathed them each the sum of £30 to buy a diamond ring each to be worn in his memory. He bequeathed to Sir William Courtenay his nephew the sum of £100 and also made him his residuary beneficiary.

In 1831 Courtenay was recognised as having been de jure 6th Earl of Devon.

References

  1. Cokayne, George Edward, ed. (1902), Complete Baronetage volume 2 (1625-1649), 2, Exeter: William Pollard and Co, retrieved 9 October 2018
  2. "COURTENAY, William (1676-1735), of Powderham Castle, Devon". History of Parliament Online (1690-1715). Retrieved 8 October 2018.
  3. National Archives prob 11/492
  4. "COURTENAY, Sir William, 2nd Bt. (1676-1735), of Powderham Castle, Devon". History of Parliament Online (1715-1754). Retrieved 18 January 2018.
  5. John Burke A General and heraldic dictionary of the peerage and baronetage of the British Empire, Volume 1
  6. Heanton Punchardon burials record buried 14/9/1765
Parliament of England
Preceded by
Thomas Drewe
Samuel Rolle
Member of Parliament for Devon
Jan. 1701 – 1707
With: Samuel Rolle 1701
Sir John Pole 1701–02
Robert Rolle 1702–1707
Succeeded by
Parliament of Great Britain
Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by
Parliament of England
Member of Parliament for Devon
17071710
With: Robert Rolle
Succeeded by
Sir William Pole
John Rolle
Preceded by
Sir William Pole
John Rolle
Member of Parliament for Devon
1712–1735
With: John Rolle 1712–13, 1727–30
Sir Coplestone Bampfylde 1713–27
Henry Rolle 1730–35
Succeeded by
Henry Rolle
John Bampfylde
Preceded by
Sir William Drake
James Sheppard
Member of Parliament for Honiton
1715–1716
With: Sir William Yonge
Succeeded by
Sir William Yonge
Sir William Pole
Honorary titles
Preceded by
The Earl Poulett
Lord Lieutenant of Devon
1714–1716
Succeeded by
The Lord Carteret
Peerage of England
Preceded by
William Courtenay
Earl of Devon
de jure

1702–1735
Succeeded by
William Courtenay
Baronetage of England
Preceded by
William Courtenay
Baronet
(of Powderham)
1702–1735
Succeeded by
William Courtenay
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