Francis Mathew, 1st Earl Landaff facts for kids

Francis Mathew, 1st Earl Landaff (born September 1738 – died 30 July 1806) was an important Anglo-Irish politician and a noble. Being "Anglo-Irish" means his family had roots in both England (or Wales, in his case) and Ireland. A "politician" is someone who works in government, and a "peer" is a member of the nobility, like a lord or an earl.

Francis Mathew was the only son of Thomas and Mary Mathew. His family had moved to Ireland from Wales about one generation before he was born. He had one sister, Catherine. She passed away in 1771.

Early Life and Political Start

Francis Mathew began his political career in the Irish House of Commons. This was like the parliament for Ireland at the time. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) for County Tipperary. He held this position from 1768 to 1783.

In 1769, he also became the High Sheriff of Tipperary. This was an important local role, like a chief law enforcement officer for the county.

Rising Through the Ranks

Francis Mathew received several special honors during his life. On 12 October 1783, he was given the title of Baron Landaff. This made him a "peer" and allowed him to join the Irish House of Lords. This was the upper house of the Irish parliament.

Later, on 4 December 1793, he was given an even higher title: Viscount Landaff. He continued to serve in important roles. From 1794 to 1797, he was a Colonel in the 14th Regiment of Foot, which was a military unit.

His highest title came on 22 November 1797, when he was made Earl Landaff. This was a very high rank in the nobility.

After the Union

After the Acts of Union 1800 were put into place, Ireland and Great Britain joined together. This meant the Irish Parliament ended. However, Lord Landaff was chosen as one of the 28 original Irish representative peers. This allowed him to keep his seat in the British House of Lords in London.

He also held the position of Custos Rotulorum of Tipperary from 1769 until his death. This role involved keeping the county's records and documents.

Family Life

Lord Landaff was married three times during his life. His titles were passed down to his oldest son from his first marriage, who was also named Francis Mathew. Another one of his sons, Montague James Mathew, also became a politician.

First Marriage

Francis Mathew first married Ellis Smyth on 6 September 1764. She was the daughter of James Smyth from County Wicklow. Ellis passed away in 1781.

Their children included:

• Francis James Mathew (1768-1833)
• Montague James Mathew (1773-1819)

Second Marriage

In June 1784, Francis married Catherine Skeffington. She was the daughter of Clotworthy Skeffington, who was the 1st Earl of Massereene. Catherine died in 1796.

Their children included:

• George Toby Skeffington Mathew (died 1832)
• Elizabeth Skeffington Mathew (died 1842)

Third Marriage

Francis Mathew's third marriage was to the younger daughter of Jeremiah Coghlan from County Waterford. They did not have any children together.