Oliver St John, 5th Baron St John of Bletso facts for kids

Oliver St John, 5th Baron St John of Bletso (1603 – 23 October 1642) was an English politician. He served in the House of Commons, which is like today's Parliament, from 1624 to 1629. Later, he joined the House of Lords in 1639. Oliver St John died fighting for the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War.

Early Life and Family

Oliver St John was born in 1603 and was the son of Oliver St John, 1st Earl of Bolingbroke. His mother was Elizabeth Paulet. He started his education at Queens' College, Cambridge in 1615 and earned his Master of Arts degree in 1620.

In 1623, Oliver St John married Arabella Egerton. She was the daughter of John Egerton, 1st Earl of Bridgewater. They had four daughters together:

• Frances St John, who married Sir William Beecher.
• Elizabeth St John, who married George Bennett.
• Arabella St John, who married Sir Edward Wyse.
• Dorothy St John, who married Francis Charlton.

His Time in Parliament

First Steps in Politics

In February 1624, Oliver St John became a Member of Parliament (MP) for Bedfordshire. His father, who owned a lot of land there, helped him get elected. Oliver replaced his uncle, Sir Beauchamp St John, in this role. He served alongside his father's cousin, Sir Oliver Luke, who was also supported by the family.

In Parliament, Oliver St John confirmed that there were no recusants (people who refused to attend Church of England services) holding office in his county. After his father became the Earl of Bolingbroke in December 1624, Oliver began using the special title Lord St John of Bletsoe.

Standing Up to the King

Oliver St John was re-elected for Bedfordshire in 1625. He became more active in Parliament, joining several committees that worked on new laws. He was also appointed a justice of the peace for Bedford, Bedfordshire, and Hertfordshire, which meant he helped keep law and order.

In January 1626, he was elected again to Parliament. On February 1, 1626, he was made a Knight of the Bath by King Charles I. In this Parliament, he joined important groups like the Committee of Privileges, which dealt with the rights of Parliament members. He also criticized the Duke of Buckingham for his actions during the war with Spain.

This Parliament was dissolved in June 1626 because its members disagreed with the King. They wanted the Duke of Buckingham removed before they would give the King more money for the war. After Parliament was closed, St John and others were ordered to destroy copies of a protest they had written against Buckingham. However, a copy survived in his family's papers.

Oliver St John was elected to the House of Commons for the last time in February 1628. Even though his family had disagreements with the King, Oliver St John played a smaller role in creating the Petition of Right, a document that limited the King's power. He continued to support the "popular party" in Parliament, which often opposed the King. He even asked to visit Sir John Eliot, a Parliamentary leader who was imprisoned in the Tower of London.

Facing Financial Troubles

During the 1630s, Oliver St John helped his father with a big project to drain the Great Level, a large area of wetlands. However, he spent most of his time dealing with his own growing debts.

A historian named Clarendon wrote that Lord St John was well-liked, but he had a lot of debts. He owed a huge amount of money, possibly as much as £60,000, which was an enormous sum back then. He had convinced many important gentlemen in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire to guarantee his debts. This meant that if he couldn't pay, they would have to.

His debts caused serious problems for these people. Some of his uncle's possessions were seized by his creditors. Another person who guaranteed his debts had to make a deal with Oliver's father to pay some of the money to avoid losing his own property.

In November 1638, Oliver St John tried to travel abroad using a fake name to avoid his creditors. However, he was caught and arrested in December. He was later released and spent the next two years living outside England.

He asked for protection from his creditors while he was away. This was granted when he was called to the House of Lords in May 1641. This move was partly to help him deal with his debts and calm the situation with his creditors.

The English Civil War

When the English Civil War began, Oliver St John raised a troop of horsemen and a regiment of foot soldiers for Parliament. He likely used his father's good name to get the money for this. Oliver Cromwell's eldest son, also named Oliver, served as a junior officer in his regiment.

In early October 1642, Oliver St John took control of Hereford for Parliament. He fortified the town and refused to let King Charles I enter when the King arrived on October 8. After this, he joined the army led by the Earl of Essex.

Oliver St John was wounded at the Battle of Edgehill on October 23, 1642. He was captured by the Royalists (those who supported the King). According to historical accounts, he died the next morning from his wounds.