John Leveson-Gower (1694 - 1754)

Born 10 Aug 1694 in Yorkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Evelyn (Pierrepont) Leveson-Gower — married 13 Mar 1711 in Westminster, Middlesex, England

Descendants

Died 25 Dec 1754 at age 60 in London, England

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Biography

John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower (1694-1754) was the son of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron Gower (7 January 1675 – 31 August 1709) and his wife Lady Catherine Manners (19 May 1675 – 7 March 1722).

He succeeded his father as 2nd Baron Gower of Stittenham in 1709 and was educated at Adams' Grammar School and Westminster School before entering Christ Church, Oxford in 1710. Around 1730, Gower erected the first Trentham Hall based on the designs of Buckingham House (Buckingham Palace). He was awarded degree as D.C.L. from the latter university in 1732.

Gower firstly became a founding Governor of London's Foundling Hospital in 1739. He then served as Lord Privy Seal between 1742 and 1743 and 1744 and 1754. He was a prominent Tory politician being the first major Tory to enter government after the accession of King George I, coming aboard the administration of John Carteret, 2nd Earl Granville in 1742. He was also appointed to the Privy Council in 1742, and he was created Viscount Trentham, of Trentham in the County of Stafford, and Earl Gower on July 8, 1746.

Lord Lieutenant & Custos Rotulorum of Staffordshire: 1742-1754

Appointed to Privy Council: 8 Jul 1746

He m.(1) 13 March 1711/2 Lady Evelyn Pierrepont (6 September 1691 – 26 June 1729), daughter of Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull and his first wife Lady Mary Feilding (daughter of William Feilding, 3rd Earl of Denbigh and his wife Mary King).

(2) on 31 October 1733, Penelope Stonhouse (d. 19 August 1734), daughter of Sir John Stonhouse, 3rd Baronet and

(3) on 16 May 1736, Lady Mary Tufton, daughter of Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet and widow of Anthony Grey, Earl of Harold.

Children of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower and Lady Evelyn Pierrepont:

1. Hon. John Leveson-Gower (28 November 1712 – 15 July 1723).
2. Lady Gertrude Leveson-Gower (15 February 1714/1715 – 1 July 1794), who married John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford.
3. Hon. William Leveson-Gower (17 February 1715/1716 – 4 April 1739).
4. Lady Mary Leveson-Gower (30 October 1717 – 30 April 1778), who married Sir Richard Wrottesley, 7th Baronet.
5. Hon. Frances Leveson-Gower (12 August 1720 – 1788), who married John #Philip Sackville, son of Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset, and had issue #John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset.
6. Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford (4 August 1721 – 26 October 1803).
7. Lady Elizabeth Leveson-Gower (20 January 1723/1724 – 28 April 1784), who married John Waldegrave, 3rd Earl Waldegrave.
8. Lady Evelyn Leveson-Gower (26 January 1724/1725 – 14 April 1763), who married firstly John Fitzpatrick, 1st Earl of Upper Ossory. secondly Richard Vernon and had issue by both. (N.B. Henrietta Vernon daughter of Richard Vernon & Evelyn Leveson-Gower is married on 14 July 1776 at the home of her Uncle the Earl of Gower in Whitehall to George Greville - 2nd Earl of warwick)
9. Hon. Richard Leveson-Gower (30 April 1726 – 19 October 1753), who served as a member of parliament.
10. Hon. Catherine Leveson-Gower (possibly born on 31 May 1727 and died in infancy).
11. Hon. Diana Leveson-Gower (31 May 1727 – 1737).

Children of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower and Penelope Stonhouse:

1. Hon. Penelope Leveson-Gower (circa June 1734 – 26 February 1742)

Children of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower and Lady Mary Tufton:

1. Hon. Thomas Leveson-Gower (born on 23 August 1738 but known to have died young).
2. Admiral Hon. John Leveson-Gower (11 July 1740 – 28 August 1792), married Frances Boscawen, daughter of Admiral Edward Boscawen.

Sources

• The University of Nottingham, Biography of Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull (c.1665-1726)
• Wikipedia:John_Leveson-Gower,_1st_Earl_Gower
• http://www.thepeerage.com/p10559.htm#i105589
• George Edward Cokayne, editor, The Complete Baronetage, 5 volumes (no date (c. 1900); reprint, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 1983), volume III, page 40. Hereinafter cited as The Complete Baronetage.
• Gower, Earl (GB, 1746) Cracroft's Peerage