John Browne, 1st Earl of Altamont facts for kids

Quick facts for kids John Browne, 1st Earl of Altamont
Portrait by Sir Joshua Reynolds
Member of the Parliament of Ireland
In office 1744–1760

John Browne, 1st Earl of Altamont (born around 1709 – died 4 July 1776), was an important Irish noble and politician. He is best known for starting the building of Westport House and the town of Westport in Ireland. Over his life, he held several titles, including The Lord Mount Eagle and The Viscount Westport, before becoming the Earl of Altamont.

Early Life and Education

John Browne was the only son of Peter Browne and Mary Daly. His father, Peter Browne, was a wealthy landowner in County Mayo, Ireland. John's grandfather was Colonel John Browne, who signed an important agreement called the Treaty of Limerick. His other grandfather was Denis Daly, a judge.

Even though his sisters were Roman Catholics, John himself was a member of the Church of Ireland. He went to Christ Church, Oxford, a famous university in England, in July 1725 to study.

His Work and Titles

Serving His Community

In 1731, John Browne became the High Sheriff of Mayo. This was an important role, similar to being the chief law officer for the county.

In 1744, he was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for Castlebar. This meant he represented the people of Castlebar in the Parliament of Ireland, which was like the government's law-making body. He held this job until 1760, though he didn't always attend meetings.

Becoming a Nobleman

John Browne received several special honors, known as "peerages," from the King. These titles made him a noble.

• In 1760, he was given the title Baron Mount Eagle.
• In 1768, he became Viscount Westport.
• In 1771, he received an even higher honor, becoming the Earl of Altamont.

Improving the Land and Town

John Browne was a very active and helpful landlord. He cared a lot about making his lands better. He was especially interested in:

• Breeding better farm animals, like cows and sheep.
• Improving the types of crops grown on his land.

He also worked hard to help the linen trade in the town of Westport, County Mayo. Linen is a strong fabric made from flax plants. His efforts helped the town's economy.

He also greatly rebuilt Westport House. This beautiful house remained the family home for many years, until 2017.

Westport House in 2008.

Family Life

Anne Gore, 1st Countess of Altamont.

Lord Altamont married Anne Gore in December 1729. Anne was the daughter of Sir Arthur Gore, a well-known figure. John and Anne had a large family with ten children – six sons and four daughters.

Some of their notable children included:

• Peter Browne, who became the 2nd Earl of Altamont after his father.
• Colonel Arthur Browne, who was a soldier and also served as a Member of Parliament for County Mayo.
• Lady Anne Browne.
• George Browne, who was also a Member of Parliament for County Mayo.
• James Browne, who was a Member of Parliament for Castlebar and a top lawyer in Ireland.
• Henry Browne.
• John Browne, whose daughter Mary married Peter Blake. Their family line included Sir Henry Arthur Blake, who became a colonial governor.