Maurice Eustace (Harristown MP) facts for kids

Sir Maurice Eustace (born 1637, died April 13, 1703) was an Anglo-Irish politician. This means he was from an English family living in Ireland and was involved in Irish politics.

Sir Maurice Eustace: A Look at His Life

Early Life and Family Connections

Sir Maurice Eustace came from an important family. His uncle was Sir Maurice Eustace, who held a very high position as Lord Chancellor. This role was like being the chief judge and legal advisor to the King in Ireland.

Sir Maurice's parents were William Eustace and Anne Netterville. His father, William, was the younger brother of the Lord Chancellor. Because his uncle, the Lord Chancellor, had no legal children, William and his brother were set to inherit a large fortune.

The Lord Chancellor made a will that left most of his property to William. This included a large estate called Harristown in County Kildare. It also included the family home in central Dublin, located on what is now Eustace Street.

His Political Career

Sir Maurice Eustace became a Member of Parliament (MP). An MP is a person chosen to represent a group of people in a country's law-making assembly. He served in the Irish House of Commons, which was the main law-making body in Ireland at the time.

He first represented Knocktopher from 1664 to 1666. Later, he represented Harristown from 1692. However, in December 1695, he was removed from the Commons. This happened because he did not attend meetings often enough. After this, he lived outside of Ireland for some time. He was also given the title of Knight Bachelor, which is an honor given by the King.

Family and Legacy

Sir Maurice Eustace was married twice. His first wife was Anne Colville, whose father, Sir Robert Colville, was a well-known landowner and statesman. His second wife was Clotilda Parsons.

He had eight children, but only three daughters lived longer than him. Their names were Anne, Penelope, and Clotilda. Each of them inherited a part of his estate.

• Anne married Benjamin Chetwood, who was also an MP.
• Penelope married twice. Her first husband was Robert Echlin, another MP. Her second husband was Edward Stratford.
• Clotilda was described as a "most clever and excellent lady." She married Thomas Tickell, who was a poet and worked for the government. Their grandchildren included the famous playwright and satirist Richard Tickell.

Images for kids

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  Thomas Tickell, who married Sir Maurice's youngest daughter Clotilda