John Perceval, 1st Earl Of Egmont

John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont, PC, FRS (12 July 1683 – 1 May 1748), was an Anglo-Irish politician known by various titles throughout his life, including Sir John Perceval, Baronet, Lord Perceval, Viscount Perceval, and finally Earl of Egmont.

Early Life and Heritage:

Perceval was born in Burton, County Cork. He was the second son of Sir John Perceval, 3rd Baronet, and Catherine Dering, daughter of Sir Edward Dering, 2nd Baronet. His great-grandfather was Sir Philip Perceval (1605–1647), who acquired estates in Ireland and England, establishing the family's prosperity. Sir Philip's father, Sir Richard Perceval (1550–1620), had sold much of the family patrimony in 1616 and invested the proceeds in land and mortgages in County Cork. Sir Philip had three children with Catherine Ussher: Judith, John, and George. John Perceval's father died when he was two years old, and in 1691, he succeeded his elder brother as the fifth Baronet. His mother died the following year. He was educated at Westminster School in London and at Magdalen College, Oxford, though he did not obtain a degree.

Career:

In 1703, Perceval was elected to the Irish House of Commons representing County Cork. He was admitted to the Irish Privy Council in 1704. He was re-elected for County Cork in 1713 and served until 1715. That year, he was elevated to the Irish peerage as Baron Perceval, of Burton, with remainder to his father's heirs male. In 1722, he was further created Viscount Perceval, of Kanturk, in the Peerage of Ireland, again with remainder to his heirs male.

Perceval was elected to the British House of Commons for Harwich in 1727, holding the seat until 1734. He also served as Recorder of Harwich from 1728 to 1734. In 1733, he was granted the title Earl of Egmont in the Peerage of Ireland but refused a British peerage three times. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society and participated in parliamentary investigations into prison conditions, collaborating with James Oglethorpe.

He played an active role in the colonization of Georgia in America. In 1730, he and Oglethorpe formed an association that became the Trustees for the Establishment of the Colony of Georgia, with George II approving a charter in 1732. Egmont served as president of the Georgia Trustees, where he contributed significantly to the planning and administration of the colony, often personally involved in its development.

Diary and Publications:

Egmont kept a diary documenting parliamentary proceedings during the 1730s and early 1740s. This journal is considered an important historical source. His personal papers, including his diary, are preserved in the Manuscripts of the Earl of Egmont and the Parliamentary Archives.

Family:

In 1710, Perceval married Catherine Parker, daughter of Sir Philip Parker, 2nd Baronet. The couple had seven children, of whom three sons—John (1711–1770), who succeeded him as the 2nd Earl of Egmont, and two others who died young—and four daughters reached adulthood. Notable among his children were John, his heir, and Helena, who married Sir John Rawdon, 1st Earl of Moira.

Egmont died in London in May 1748 at age 64. He was succeeded by his eldest son, John. His extensive family included Spencer Perceval, who became Prime Minister and was the seventh son of the 1st Earl of Egmont.

See also:

- Earl of Egmont

Sources:

- Sidney Lee (1895). “Perceval, John (1683-1748),” in Dictionary of National Biography, Vol. 44.

- Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990).

External Links:

- Portrait in the National Portrait Gallery

- Sir John Percival papers, including Egmont Papers (1732–1745)

- Manuscripts of the Earl of Egmont

- Diary of Viscount Perceval