Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham facts for kids
Robert Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham, was an important Irish nobleman and politician. He was born around 1720 and passed away on November 16, 1779. He held titles like Baron, Viscount, and Earl of Farnham. He was also a member of both the British and Irish Parliaments.
Robert Maxwell was the oldest son of John Maxwell, 1st Baron Farnham, and Judith Barry. He studied at Trinity College Dublin. In 1759, he inherited the Farnham estate in County Cavan after his father died. He was also made the High Sheriff of Cavan in 1757, which was a local law enforcement role.
Robert Maxwell's Political Journey
Robert Maxwell started his political career in Ireland. In 1743, he was elected to the Irish House of Commons for Lisburn. He kept this seat until 1759.
He also became a Member of Parliament in Great Britain. In 1754, he won a by-election for Taunton. This election was very expensive. His father contributed £3,000, and the government also provided a lot of money to help him win. Robert Maxwell worked hard to meet voters and gain their support during the campaign. He later said he had a strong majority of nearly 150 votes.
On August 6, 1759, he became the 2nd Baron Farnham. His titles continued to grow. On September 10, 1760, he was made Viscount Farnham. Then, on May 13, 1763, he became Earl of Farnham. He also joined the Privy Council of Ireland on September 19, 1760. He stayed in the British House of Commons until 1768. During this time, he supported the governments of Lord Bute and George Grenville. However, there are no records of him ever speaking in the House of Commons.
Robert Maxwell's Family Life
Lord Farnham was married two times. His first marriage was in 1759 to Henrietta Cantillon. She was the widow of William Matthias Stafford-Howard, 3rd Earl of Stafford. Henrietta was the daughter of Richard Cantillon and Mary Mahoney.
Robert and Henrietta had two children together:
- John (who passed away in 1777)
- Henrietta (who passed away in 1852)
Their daughter Henrietta married an Irish politician named Denis Daly. They had children together.
In 1771, Lord Farnham married for the second time to Sarah Cosby. She was the daughter of Pole Cosby of Stradbally and Mary Dodwell. Sarah was also the sister of Dudley Cosby, 1st Baron Sydney. Robert and Sarah did not have any more children.
When Lord Farnham passed away, his titles of Earl and Viscount became extinct, meaning they ended. However, the title of Baron passed to his brother, Barry Maxwell.
