John Parnell (1680–1727) facts for kids
John Parnell (1680–1727) was an important Irish politician and judge. He was the brother of the famous poet Thomas Parnell. He was also an ancestor of Charles Stewart Parnell, who became a very well-known Irish leader much later.
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John Parnell's Early Life and Education
John Parnell was born in Dublin in 1680. He was the second son of Thomas Parnell, who came from Portlaoise. His mother was Anne Grice from County Tipperary.
John went to school in Dublin. In 1694, he started studying at Trinity College Dublin, a famous university. Later, in 1698, he joined the Inner Temple in London. This was a place where people studied to become lawyers.
A Career in Law and Politics
John Parnell became a lawyer in Ireland in 1706. He quickly moved up in his career. By 1715, he was made a King's Counsel. This meant he was a senior lawyer who advised the King's government. He also worked as a lawyer for the Revenue Board, which collected taxes.
He was a member of the King's Inns, a society for lawyers in Ireland, and even became its Treasurer. John also served as a Recorder (a type of judge) for the town of Cashel. He was also a "seneschal" for William King, who was the Archbishop of Dublin. An archbishop is a very high-ranking church leader. Archbishop King was very powerful and helped John Parnell a lot in his career. They wrote many letters to each other, which we can still read today!
From 1713 to 1722, John Parnell was a member of the Irish House of Commons. This was like being a Member of Parliament (MP) in Ireland at that time. He represented the area of Granard.
Becoming a Judge
In 1722, John Parnell was appointed as a judge in the Court of King's Bench (Ireland). This was one of the most important courts in Ireland. Some people at the time didn't think he was the best judge. However, his appointment was likely due to the strong support from Archbishop King and his brother-in-law, William Whitshed, who was the Chief Justice of Ireland.
Even if some people didn't think he was the smartest judge, John Parnell was known for being a very kind and charitable person. After he died, a special poem was written about him. It said that his greatest quality was his kindness and how much he helped poor people.
Family and Legacy
John Parnell married Mary Whitshed, who was the sister of Chief Justice Whitshed. They had one son, who later became Sir John Parnell, 1st Baronet.
John Parnell has many important descendants. The most famous one is Charles Stewart Parnell, who was a major leader in Irish politics in the 1800s.
When his brother Thomas, the poet, died in 1718, John inherited his property. This happened because Thomas's own sons had passed away before him. John also had a sister named Margaret. She married into the important Burgh family from County Kildare.
John Parnell mostly lived at Rathleague, which is near Portlaoise. He passed away there in 1727.
Images for kids
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John's elder brother Thomas Parnell, the poet
