Parsons family genealogy

Ireland

Arms: Gu. a leopard’s face betw. three crosses pattée fitchée ar.

The Right Rev. Doctor Parsons, Lord Bishop of Norwich, had a sister, Katherine, who married Sir William Cole, of Enniskillen. This Doctor Parsons had three sons:

1. Thomas.
2. Sir William[1] (Lord Justice of Ireland, 1643) who married Katherine Lacy (or Eliz. Lany).
3. Sir Laurence, of Birr Castle.[2]

2. Sir Laurence, of Birr (Attorney General of Ireland): third son of the Right Rev. Doctor Parsons; m. Anne or Jane Maiham, of Yorkshire, and had two sons and one dau.:

1. Richard, who m. Anne Loftus, d.s.p.
2. William, of whom presently.
1. Jane, who m. Sir John Hay.

3. William, of Birr: second son of Sir Laurence; m. June, 1636, Dorothy (d. 1st April, 1671), dau. of Thomas Philips, of Limavady (by his wife, Alicia Usher), and had six sons and three daughters; d. 1653.

1. Laurence, mar. Frances Savage, and had William, of whom presently.
2. William.
3. Savage.
4. John.
5. Oliver.
6. Arthur.

The daughters were:

1. Dorothy.
2. Anna.[3]
3. Frances.
4. Margaret, married Thomas Stockdale, of Bilton, in 1640.

4. William: eldest son of Laurence; mar. Eliza, dau. of George Preston, Bart., and had:

5. William, who mar. Martha Pigott, and had:

1. Laurence, of whom presently.
2. William.
3. Savage.

6. Laurence Parsons: son of William; mar. Mary Sprigge, in 1730.

Notes

[1] William: This Sir William Parsons settled in Ireland in the reign of Queen Elizabeth; he was Commissioner of Plantations in Ireland; and obtained large grants of land from the Crown. He was for some time Lord-Justice, in conjunction with Sir John Borlace, but was rumored in 1643. From this Sir William Parsons descended the Earls of Rosse. Sir Laurence Parsons, the second earl, represented the University of Dublin, and afterwards the King’s County, in the Irish Parliament, where he distinguished himself, especially in his efforts against the Union, as an eloquent and popular speaker. He continued to represent the King’s County in the Imperial Parliament until the death of his uncle, on the 20th April, 1807, when he became second Earl of Rosse. He died, 24th February, 1841, and was succeeded by his son, William Parsons, third Earl of Rosse, who was born at York on the 17th June, 1800, and died in 1867. He was buried in the church of St. Brandon, Birr (or Parsonstown). This earl was the eminent astronomer, who, after seventeen years’ labour, and at an outlay of upwards of £20,000, constructed the great telescope which is known by his name. He was known as a genial companion and a liberal landlord; he was succeeded by his son, Laurence Parsons, the fourth Earl of Rosse, living in 1888.

[2] Birr: This castle in King’s County, was the ancient seat of the O’Carrolls, of Ely O’Carroll. Sir Gerard Lowther (who bequeathed St. John’s, co. Wexford, to his nephew, Lowther Parsons) is said to have mar. Anne, dau. of Sir Laurence Parsons (?) Was it not Anne, the widow of Laurence, or Anne, widow of Nicholas Osborne?

[3] Anna: This Anna married in 1684 Nicholas Osborne, of Thackincor, in county Waterford, and had three sons and four daughters. The sons were: 1. Nicholas; 2. Thomas; 3. John. The daughters were: 1. Frances; 2. Arabella; 3. Mary; 4. Katherine, s.p.