John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower

The Earl Gower PC

Lord Privy Seal
In office 1742–1743
Monarch	George II
Prime Minister	The Earl of Wilmington
Preceded by	The Lord Hervey
Succeeded by	The Earl of Cholmondeley
In office 1744–1754
Monarch	George II
Prime Minister	Hon. Henry Pelham
Preceded by	The Earl of Cholmondeley
Succeeded by	The Duke of Marlborough
Personal details
Born	10 August 1694 (1694-08-10)
Died	25 December 1754(1754-12-25) (aged 60)
Nationality	British
Political party	Tory
Spouse(s)	(1) Lady Evelyn Pierrepont (1691-1729) (2) Penelope Stonhouse (d. 1734) (3) Lady Mary Tufton (1701-1785)

John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower PC (10 August 1694 – 25 December 1754),^[1]^[2] known as The Baron Gower from 1709 to 1754, was a British Tory politician, one of the first Tories to enter government in the 18th century.

1 Background
2 Political career
3 Family
4 Ancestry
5 References

Background

Gower was a son of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron Gower (07 Jan 1674 – 31 Aug 1709) and his wife Lady Catherine Manners (19 May 1675 – 07 Mar 1722).^[2] His maternal grandparents were John Manners, 1st Duke of Rutland and Catherine Wriothesley Noel, daughter of Baptist Noel, 3rd Viscount Campden.^[2]

Political career

Gower served as Lord Privy Seal between 1742 and 1743 and 1744 and 1754. In 1742, he was appointed to the Privy Council, and on 8 July 1746, he was created Viscount Trentham, of Trentham in the County of Stafford, and Earl Gower. In 1739, he became a founding Governor of London's Foundling Hospital.

Family

Gower married firstly, 13 Mar 1711 or 1712, Lady Evelyn Pierrepont (06 Sep 1691 – 26 Jun 1729), daughter of Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull and his first wife Lady Mary Feilding. Mary was a daughter of William Feilding, 3rd Earl of Denbigh and his wife Mary King. They were parents to eleven children:^[2]

Hon. John Leveson-Gower (28 Nov 1712 – 15 Jul 1723).
Lady Gertrude Leveson-Gower (15 Feb 1714/1715 – 1 Jul 1794), who married John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford.
Hon. William Leveson-Gower (17 Feb 1715/1716 – 4 Apr 1739).
Lady Mary Leveson-Gower (30 Oct 1717 – 30 Apr 1778), who married Sir Richard Wrottesley, 7th Baronet.
Hon. Frances Leveson-Gower (12 Aug 1720 – 1788), who married John Philip Sackville, son of Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset, and had issue John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset.
Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford (4 Aug 1721 – 26 Oct 1803).
Lady Elizabeth Leveson-Gower (20 Jan 1723/1724 – 28 Apr 1784), who married John Waldegrave, 3rd Earl Waldegrave.
Lady Evelyn Leveson-Gower (26 Jan 1724/1725 – 14 Apr 1763), who married John Fitzpatrick, 1st Earl of Upper Ossory.
Hon. Richard Leveson-Gower (30 Apr 1726 – 19 Oct 1753), who served as a Member of Parliament.
Hon. Catherine Leveson-Gower (possibly born on 31 May 1727 and died in infancy).
Hon. Diana Leveson-Gower (31 May 1727 – 1737).

Gower married secondly, on 31 Oct 1733, Penelope Stonhouse (d. 19 Aug 1734), daughter of Sir John Stonhouse, 7th Baronet, and had issue:^[2]

Hon. Penelope Leveson-Gower (circa Jun 1734 – 26 Feb 1742).

Gower married thirdly, on 16 May 1736, Lady Mary Tufton, daughter of Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet and widow of Anthony Grey, Earl of Harold, and had issue:^[3]

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

Ancestry

Ancestors of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower

16. Thomas Gower, 1st Bt of Stittenham

8. Thomas Gower, 2nd Bt of Stittenham

17. Anne Doyley

4. William Leveson-Gower, 4th Bt.

18. John Leveson

9. Frances Leveson

19. Frances Sondes

2. John Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron Gower

20. Belville Granville

10. John Granville, 1st Earl of Bath

21. Grace Smythe

5. Jane Granville

22. Peter Wyche

11. Jane Wyche

23. Jane Meredith

1. John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower

24. George Manners

12. John Manners, 8th Earl of Rutland

25. Grace Pierrepont

6. John Manners, 1st Duke of Rutland

26. Edward Montagu, 1st Baron Montagu of Boughton

13. Frances Montagu

27. Frances Cotton

3. Catherine Manners

28. Edward Noel, 2nd Viscount Campden

14. Baptist Noel, 3rd Viscount Campden

29. Juliana Hicks

7. Catherine Wriothesley Noel

30. Montagu Bertie, 2nd Earl of Lindsey

15. Elizabeth Bertie

31. Martha Cockayne

References

^ Record for John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower at www.thepeerage.com
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e George Edward Cokayne, editor. The Complete Baronetage, 5 volumes (no date (c. 1900); reprint, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 1983), volume III, pages 39-40
^ Charles Mosley, editor. Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes (Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.A.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), volume 1, page 1065

Political offices
Preceded by The Lord Hervey	Lord Privy Seal 1742–1743	Succeeded by The Earl of Cholmondeley
Preceded by The Earl of Cholmondeley	Lord Privy Seal 1744–1754	Succeeded by The Duke of Marlborough
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Earl Ferrers	Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Staffordshire 1742–1754	Succeeded by The Earl Gower
Peerage of Great Britain
New creation	Earl Gower 1746–1754	Succeeded by Granville Leveson-Gower
Peerage of England
Preceded by John Leveson-Gower	Baron Gower 1709–1754	Succeeded by Granville Leveson-Gower

Persondata
Name	Gower, John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	10 August 1694
Place of birth
Date of death	25 December 1754
Place of death