Morley Saunders facts for kids
Morley Saunders (born 1671, died 1737) was an important person in Irish history. He was an Irish politician, a lawyer, and a landowner. He followed in his father's footsteps, becoming a member of the Irish House of Commons (which was like Ireland's Parliament back then) and a top lawyer called the Prime Serjeant-at-law. Today, he is mostly remembered for building Saunders' Grove, a beautiful family home in County Wicklow. The town of Swanlinbar in County Cavan, where he owned a lot of land, is partly named after his father.
Early Life and Family
Morley Saunders was born in County Wexford. He was the third son of Robert Saunders, who was also a very successful lawyer and a member of Parliament. His father was the Prime Serjeant-at-law from 1703 to 1708.
Morley's grandfather, Colonel Robert Saunders, was the Governor of Kinsale during a period called the Interregnum. Even after the king returned to power during the Restoration of Charles II, his grandfather kept his large landholdings in Wexford. Morley was known for being a strong supporter of the Tory political party. He had two older brothers, Walter and Joseph, but they both passed away without having children.
His father bought a lot of land in County Laois. However, there were arguments about who truly owned this land, which led to many years of legal battles for Morley's family. A famous writer named Jonathan Swift said that Morley's father lost a lot of money investing in an iron factory in Swanlinbar. But it seems these losses were only temporary, as the family's main wealth remained strong.
A Career in Law and Politics
Morley Saunders became a lawyer and was elected to the Irish House of Commons. He represented the area of Enniscorthy from 1703 to 1714. He became the Second Serjeant in 1711 and then the Prime Serjeant in 1712. He even worked as an extra judge for special court sessions in 1713.
Back then, judges and top legal officers in Ireland didn't have jobs for life. They were often chosen based on their political party. When Queen Anne died in 1714, a new government came to power in England. This new government, which belonged to the Whig party, didn't like that most of the important people in Ireland were Tories. Because of this, Morley Saunders, along with almost all his colleagues, lost their jobs later that year.
Even though he lost his important and well-paying job, Morley's financial situation was still good. He inherited the family's estates from his brother Joseph, who died in 1713. He had also inherited the family lands in Swanlinbar from his father in 1708.
Morley spent many of his later years building a new family home called Saunders' Grove. This house is located near Baltinglass in County Wicklow. It was known as a very beautiful house. Saunders' Grove stayed in the Saunders family for several generations. Today, the land where the Saunders estate once stood is a farm. Morley Saunders passed away in 1737.
Family Life
Morley Saunders was married to Frances Goodwin. They had one daughter and heiress named Cordelia. Cordelia married George Pendred, who was the younger son of William Pendred and Elizabeth Champney. George Pendred was the High Sheriff of Wicklow in 1735. His family came from Northampton and had settled in Ireland during the time of William III of Orange.
Cordelia and George had one daughter and three sons. Their eldest son, the Reverend Morley Pendred Saunders, inherited the family estates from his grandfather, Morley Saunders. At his grandfather's request, he even took on the surname Saunders to continue the family name.
