John St. Leger (died 1596) facts for kids
Sir John St Leger (died 1596) was an important English landowner and politician from the county of Devon. He lived at a place called Annery in Monkleigh. He worked for the government both locally and across the country.
Who Was Sir John St Leger?
Sir John St Leger came from a well-known family. His father was Sir George St Leger. His mother was Anne Knyvett. His grandmother, Lady Anne Butler, was related to royalty. She was the great-aunt of Queen Anne Boleyn. This means Sir John St Leger was also distantly related to the Queen!
He also had a great-uncle named Sir Thomas St Leger. This great-uncle married Anne of York, Duchess of Exeter. She was the sister of two English kings, King Edward IV and King Richard III. So, Sir John St Leger's family had strong connections to powerful people in England.
Sir John's Public Service
Sir John St Leger was a very active person in public life. He was made a knight in 1544. This was a special honor given by the King or Queen.
In 1560, he became the Sheriff of Devon. A sheriff was a very important official. They were in charge of keeping law and order in the county. They also helped manage elections and collect taxes.
Sir John also served as a Member of Parliament. This means he was chosen to represent different areas in the English Parliament. Parliament was where laws were made. He represented several places over the years:
- Dartmouth, Devon (1555–1558)
- Devon (1559–1563)
- Arundel, Sussex (1563–1571)
- Devon again (1571–1583)
- Tregony, Cornwall (1584–1585)
His Family Life
Sir John St Leger married Catherine Nevill. Her father was George Nevill, 5th Baron Bergavenny. Her mother was Lady Mary Stafford. Lady Mary was the youngest daughter of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham.
Sir John and Catherine had several children:
- John St Leger: He was a soldier in Ireland. Sadly, he died without marrying or having children. He also faced financial difficulties.
- Mary St Leger: She married Sir Richard Grenville. He was a famous sea captain. He commanded a ship called the Revenge. Mary and Richard had a son named Sir Bernard Grenville.
- Frances St Leger: She married John Stucley. They lived at Affeton in Devon. Their son was Sir Lewis Stucley.
- Margaret St Leger: She married Richard Bellew. They lived at Ash in Devon. There is a special monument to them in Braunton parish church.
- Eulalia St Leger: She married twice. Her first husband was Edmund Tremayne. He was an important official in Ireland. Her second husband was Tristram Arscott. Tristram later bought Annery, Sir John's home, from his father-in-law.
Later Life and Death
Even though Sir John St Leger owned a lot of land, he ended up with many debts. This meant he had to sell off many of his properties. He died "a poor man" in 1596. He was buried on October 8, 1596, in the church at Monkleigh.
Since his son John died without children, the St Leger family line at Annery came to an end.
