Sir John Gell, 2nd Baronet facts for kids

Sir John Gell, 2nd Baronet (1613–1689) was an English politician. He served as a Member of Parliament (MP) in the House of Commons several times between 1654 and 1689. An MP is a person elected to represent an area in the government.

Early Life and Education

John Gell was born in 1613 and baptised in Kedleston, England. His father was Sir John Gell, 1st Baronet, and his mother was Elizabeth Willoughby. When he was 17, he started studying at Magdalen Hall, Oxford university in 1632.

Political Career

In 1654, John Gell was first elected as a Member of Parliament for Derbyshire. He served in the First Protectorate Parliament. He was re-elected for Derbyshire in 1656 and again in 1659. These were parliaments during a time when England was not ruled by a king, but by Oliver Cromwell.

When his father passed away in 1671, John Gell inherited the title of Baronet. A baronet is a special title, like a knight, that can be passed down in a family. In 1673, he became the High Sheriff of Derbyshire. This was an important local role, similar to a chief law enforcement officer for the county. He was elected MP for Derbyshire one last time in January 1689 but died a month later at 76 years old.

Family Life

John Gell married Katherine Packer. She was known for supporting religious groups. They had four sons and three daughters together. Six of their children lived past infancy. Their first child, Katherine, was baptised in Westminster Abbey in 1645.

Their children included:

• Sir Philip Gell, 3rd Baronet (1651–1719), who married Elizabeth Fagg.
• Katherine Gell (born 1645), who married William Eyre.

John Gell's son, Philip, inherited the baronetcy after him. However, the baronetcy (the special title) ended when Philip died in 1719 without having any children of his own.

Notable Descendants

Since Philip Gell had no children, the family lands at Hopton were passed down to his nephew, John Eyre. John Eyre was the son of Katherine Gell, Sir John's daughter. John Eyre took on the Gell surname to inherit the lands.

John Eyre Gell later became the father of Admiral John Gell. He was also the father of Philip Eyre Gell, who inherited the family's wealth. Philip Eyre Gell was the father of Philip Gell, who also became an MP. Another famous descendant was the respected historian and expert on ancient times, Sir William Gell.

Another grandson, William Eyre, who was an MP for Berkshire, took the surname Archer. He did this to inherit the estates of Sir John Archer. Among William Archer's four children were John Archer, Michael Archer (who was an MP), Catherine Archer, and Susanna Archer.