John Skeffington, 2nd Viscount Massereene facts for kids

John Skeffington (born December 1632, died June 1695) was an important Anglo-Irish politician and nobleman. He held the title of the 2nd Viscount Massereene. He was also a very influential member of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland during his life.

Early Life and Family Background

John Skeffington was born in Lichfield, a town in Staffordshire, England. His parents were Sir Richard Skeffington and Anne Newdigate. From a young age, he was raised in the Presbyterian faith.

He went to Magdalene College, Cambridge, a famous university, in 1649. There, he studied with a tutor named Samuel Morland. One of his classmates was Samuel Pepys, who later became very well-known for his diaries. In 1652, John Skeffington inherited a special title, becoming a baronet.

In 1654, he married Mary Clotworthy. She was the eldest daughter of John Clotworthy, 1st Viscount Massereene. John and Mary had two daughters and one son together.

Political and Public Service Career

John Skeffington began his political career as a Member of Parliament. In 1659, he represented the areas of Down, Antrim, and Armagh in the Third Protectorate Parliament. The next year, in 1660, he became a captain of a group of soldiers called militia in County Antrim.

In 1661, he was chosen again as a Member of Parliament for County Antrim. This was for the re-established Irish House of Commons. In 1665, he took over his father-in-law's title and lands, becoming the 2nd Viscount Massereene. This meant he then joined the Irish House of Lords.

He also served as a justice of the peace in Antrim. This role involved keeping law and order. However, he was removed from this position in 1663. This happened after a plot by Colonel Thomas Blood to set up a Presbyterian government in Ireland was stopped.

Despite this, John Skeffington continued to hold important positions. In 1666, he was appointed Custos Rotulorum of Londonderry. This was a senior official role. In 1667, he became a member of the Privy Council of Ireland, which advised the King. Later, in 1678, he was made Governor of Londonderry.

Later Years and Challenges

In 1680, Skeffington was given the role of captain of Lough Neagh, a large lake. This was partly because he had spent money to improve the defenses at Antrim Castle. He was very active in enforcing laws against the Roman Catholic clergy in Ireland. In 1681, he claimed that many soldiers in the Irish Army were Catholic or married to Catholics.

After the Rye House Plot in 1683, a plot against the King, John Skeffington was pressured to join the official Church of Ireland. However, he refused to change his Presbyterian faith. When James II of England became King in 1685, he removed Skeffington from the Irish Privy Council.

Williamite War and Final Years

The Williamite War in Ireland began in 1689. On March 15, 1689, John Skeffington had to leave his home at Antrim Castle. The very next day, soldiers supporting King James II took over the castle. They took many of his belongings, worth a lot of money.

After leaving Antrim, he spent time in Derry and Scotland. By September 1689, he was in London. There, he was part of a group of Irish Protestants who had left Ireland. They worked to represent their concerns to the new English government under William III of England. During this time, King James II's Patriot Parliament declared him an outlaw.

After the war ended, Skeffington returned to Ireland. He was readmitted to the Irish Privy Council by King William III in 1692. He passed away in 1695. His son, Clotworthy Skeffington, inherited his title.