John Fitzjames (MP) facts for kids
Sir John Fitzjames was an important English politician who lived a long time ago, from 1619 to 1670. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like today's Parliament, where laws are made. He served in this role at different times between 1654 and 1670.
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Early Life and Family
John Fitzjames was born on December 31, 1619. His father was Leweston Fitzjames, who owned an estate in a place called Leweston in Dorset, England.
When John was 16 years old, he went to Magdalen College, Oxford, a famous university. He had two brothers, Thomas and Henry. In 1638, when his father passed away, John took over the family estate at Leweston.
His Role in the English Civil War
The English Civil War was a big conflict in England. From 1644 to 1646, John Fitzjames was a Colonel in the Parliamentarian army. This means he fought on the side of Parliament against the King.
After the war, he took on important local jobs. He was the High Sheriff of Dorset from 1645 to 1646. This role was like a chief law enforcement officer for the county. He also worked as a Justice of the Peace for Dorset. A Justice of the Peace helps keep order and deals with minor legal matters. He held this job from 1648 to 1652, and again from 1656 until he died.
Becoming a Member of Parliament
Sir John Fitzjames was elected as a Member of Parliament (MP) several times. An MP is a person chosen to represent an area in the House of Commons.
- In 1654, he became an MP for Dorset in the First Protectorate Parliament.
- He was re-elected for Dorset in 1656 for the Second Protectorate Parliament.
- In 1659, he was chosen to be an MP for Poole in the Third Protectorate Parliament. However, his election was later cancelled on March 23.
In April 1660, John Fitzjames was elected MP for Dorset again, this time in the Convention Parliament. On July 9, 1660, he was given the title of Knight, becoming "Sir John Fitzjames."
In 1661, he was re-elected as MP for Poole in the Cavalier Parliament. He continued to serve in this role until he passed away in 1670.
His Later Life and Legacy
Sir John Fitzjames was buried at a place called Long Burton on June 23, 1670.
He was married to Margaret, who was the daughter of Nathaniel Stephens. They had two sons, but sadly, both of them passed away before their father. They also had five daughters.
After Sir John's death, his family estate at Leweston was divided among his daughters. However, one of his sons-in-law, Sir George Strode, later brought the estate back together under one ownership.
