Sir John St John, 1st Baronet facts for kids
Sir John St John, 1st Baronet (born November 5, 1585 – died 1648) lived in a place called Lydiard Tregoze in Wiltshire, England. He was an important member of Parliament. He was also a strong supporter of the King during the English Civil War, a time when England was divided. He received a special title, a baronet, on May 22, 1611.
Sir John St John's Life Story
John St John was the second son of Sir John St John and his wife Lucy. When his father passed away in 1594, most of the family's lands went to his older brother, Walter. John received a large estate in Garsington, Oxfordshire, and was promised money when he grew up.
At first, a distant relative, Lord St John, looked after him. But when Lord St John died, John's uncle, Sir Oliver St John, became his guardian. Sir Oliver made sure John got a good education. John went to Trinity College, Oxford, in 1601 and later studied law in London in 1604.
Sadly, John's older brother Walter drowned in 1597. Because of this, John inherited Lydiard Tregoze and the rest of the family's lands in Wiltshire. His mother passed away in 1598, leaving him more estates.
In 1602, Sir Thomas Leighton, who was the Governor of Guernsey, took over John's care. Sir Thomas arranged for John to marry his daughter, Anne, on July 9, 1604. Anne was 12 years old at the time. John and Anne had nine sons and four daughters. Only two of their sons and three of their daughters lived longer than John. Anne passed away on September 19, 1628.
John was given the title of Knight in 1608. Then, in 1611, he became one of the very first Baronets ever created. In the early 1630s, he inherited more estates in Battersea and Wandsworth from his uncle, Lord Grandison.
John St John was a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire from 1624 to 1625. He also served as the High Sheriff of Wiltshire from 1632 to 1633.
During the English Civil War, John St John and his family strongly supported King Charles I. Three of his sons bravely fought for the King and were killed in battle. William, his second son, died in Cirencester. Edward, his third son, was killed at the Second Battle of Newbury. John, his fifth son, died fighting in the north.
Only two of his eight sons lived longer than him. His sixth son, Walter, became his heir. Sir Walter later founded the Sir Walter St John School in Battersea.
In 1634, John St John built a special memorial in St Mary's Church, Lydiard Tregoze. It honored himself and his two wives. The memorial included sculptures of his children who were still alive kneeling, and those who had passed away lying down.
John St John's Family
John St John was the third child and oldest son of Sir John St John and Lucy Hungerford. Lucy was the daughter of Sir Walter Hungerford (Knight of Farley).
He married twice. His first wife was Anne Leighton, who passed away in 1628. She was the daughter of Sir Thomas Leighton (Governor), who was the Governor of Jersey and Guernsey. His second wife was Margaret Whitmore. John and Anne had thirteen children together.
John St John is an ancestor of the Viscounts Bolingbroke and the Viscounts St John. His uncle, Oliver St John, became the first Viscount Grandison in 1620.
His Children
Here are some of his children:
- Oliver St John (1612/1613 – 1641 or 1642) married Catherine Vere. They had a son, Sir John St John, 2nd Baronet.
- Anne St John, Countess of Rochester (November 5, 1614 – March 18, 1696) married twice.
- John St John (born March 24, 1615).
- William St John (born 1616).
- Edward St John (February 26, 1617 – died at the Second Battle of Newbury, 1645).
- Barbara St John (born 1618).
- Nicholas St John (March 29, 1620 – April 18, 1639).
- Lucy St John (born 1621).
- Sir Walter St John, 3rd Baronet of Lydiard Tregoze and Battersea (1622 – July 3, 1708) married his cousin Johanna St John.
- Francis St John (1623–1624).
- Elizabeth St John (1624–1629).
- Thomas St John (1625–1630).
- Henry St John of Tandragee, County Armagh (July 1628 – September 1679) married his cousin Catherine St John. He died on his estate.
See also
- St John baronets
- Viscount Bolingbroke
