William Jephson (died 1658) facts for kids
William Jephson (born 1609 – died 11 December 1658) was an English politician and soldier. He was a member of the House of Commons, which is like today's Parliament, from 1640 to 1648. William Jephson fought for the Parliamentary army during the English Civil War. Later, he became a special messenger, or "envoy," for Oliver Cromwell to Sweden. He also owned a lot of land in Ireland.
Early Life and Family
William Jephson was the oldest son of Sir John Jephson. His father was also a Member of Parliament (MP) and part of the Irish Privy Council, a group of advisors to the King in Ireland. William's mother was Elizabeth Norreys. She brought important family lands in Ireland, including Mallow, County Cork, to the Jephson family. Mallow Castle was the family home for a very long time, staying with them until 1984.
A Career in Politics
In April 1640, William Jephson was chosen to be a Member of Parliament for a place called Stockbridge. This was for a short period known as the Short Parliament. He was chosen again in November 1640 for the Long Parliament. During this time, he strongly disagreed with King Charles I.
Jephson was part of the Hampshire Committee in 1644. He also became the Lieutenant Governor of Portsmouth that same year. He went back to Ireland the next year, but things were very confusing there. He found it hard to make a difference. After a big event called Pride's Purge in 1648, Jephson was no longer recorded as being in Parliament.
By 1653, William Jephson was having money problems. He sold his family's estate in Froyle and moved back to Ireland. He became a major-general in the army. He also represented Cork in Parliament during the time Oliver Cromwell was in charge. This was in the First Protectorate Parliament in 1654 and the Second Protectorate Parliament in 1656.
Jephson was a very loyal supporter of Oliver Cromwell. He was even part of a group who wanted Cromwell to become King. When Cromwell refused, Jephson was very disappointed. He jokingly suggested that the word "King" should be removed from the English language!
Envoy to Sweden
In 1657, Oliver Cromwell sent William Jephson as a special messenger, or "envoy," to Sweden. Sweden was fighting against Denmark at the time. Jephson successfully helped these two countries make a peace treaty. However, he could not arrange a similar treaty between Sweden and Brandenburg.
William Jephson's health began to fail. He returned to England and spent his last months at Boarstall, his wife's family home.
Family Life
William Jephson married Alicia Dynham. They had four sons and at least two daughters. Their daughter Alicia married Bartholomew Purdon. Their daughter Penelope married Simon Patrick, who later became a Bishop. William's son, also named William, later became a Member of Parliament. His oldest son, John, inherited the family lands in Cork, Ireland.
