Benjamin Chetwood facts for kids
Benjamin Chetwood (born 1655, died 1728) was an Irish politician. He was born in England but later lived in Ireland.
Contents
Who Was Benjamin Chetwood?
Benjamin Chetwood was a politician who served in the Irish House of Commons. This was like the parliament of Ireland back in the 1700s. He was a Member of Parliament (MP) for a place called Harristown. He held this position between 1713 and 1714.
Family and Early Life
Benjamin Chetwood was the fourth son of Valentine Chetwood and Mary Shute. His family came from Buckinghamshire, England. It's not clear exactly when he moved to Ireland.
He married Anne Eustace. Her father was Sir Maurice Eustace, who owned land in Harristown, County Kildare. This marriage connected Benjamin Chetwood to an important family in Ireland. Benjamin and Anne had at least seven children together. Anne passed away in 1713.
His Role in Harristown
After his father-in-law, Sir Maurice Eustace, passed away, Benjamin Chetwood inherited Harristown. He also gained control of many properties in Dublin. However, these properties came with a lot of debt.
Benjamin Chetwood was in charge of managing this large estate. He had to sell off some of the properties to help pay the debts. People said he was very good at business and made a lot of money from managing the estate.
Challenges and Complaints
Benjamin Chetwood was known for being a very clever businessman. However, some people complained about how he managed the Eustace family's money.
- In 1715, Trinity College Dublin said that Chetwood refused to pay back money he owed them.
- Later, in 1719, his late wife's stepmother and half-sister also complained. They said he wouldn't pay them money they were due. The parliament agreed with the half-sister, and she eventually received her payment.
