Biography of Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde 1615-1684

Around September 1614 [her father] Richard Preston 1st Earl Desmond and [her mother] Elizabeth Butler were married. The King imposed this marriage on Black Tom, Elizabeth's father, who did not want the royal favourite for a son-in-law but could not oppose the King's will. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Thomas "Black Tom" Butler 10th Earl Ormonde 3rd Earl Ossory (age 82) and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Sheffield Countess Ormonde and Ossory.

On 25th July 1615 Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde was born to Richard Preston 1st Earl Desmond and Elizabeth Butler.

In 1628 [her mother] Elizabeth Butler died.

On 28th October 1628 [her father] Richard Preston 1st Earl Desmond was drowned whilst travelling between Dublin [Map] and Holyhead, Anglesey.

In December 1629 James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 19) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 14) were married. She the daughter of Richard Preston 1st Earl Desmond and Elizabeth Butler. They were second cousin once removed.

In 1632 [her son] Thomas Butler was born to [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 21) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 16).

In 1632 [her son] Thomas Butler died.

On 24th February 1633 Walter Butler 11th Earl Ormonde 4th Earl Ossory (age 74) died. His grandson [her husband] James (age 22) succeeded 12th Earl Ormonde, 5th Earl Ossory. Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 17) by marriage Countess Ormonde.

On 8th July 1634 [her son] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory was born to [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 23) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 18) at Kilkenny Castle, Kilkenny, County Kilkenny.

In 1636 [her son] James Butler was born to [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 25) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 20).

On 15th July 1639 [her son] Richard Butler 1st Earl Arran was born to [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 28) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 23).

On 29th June 1640 [her daughter] Elizabeth Butler Countess Chesterfield was born to [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 29) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 24).

On 30th August 1642 [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 31) was created 1st Marquess Ormonde. Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 27) by marriage Marchioness Ormonde.

In 1643 [her son] John Butler 1st Earl Gowran was born to [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 32) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 27).

In 1645 [her son] James Butler (age 9) died.

In 1646 [her daughter] Mary Butler Duchess Devonshire was born to [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 35) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 30).

After 1654 [her son-in-law] Philip Stanhope 2nd Earl Chesterfield (age 20) and [her daughter] Elizabeth Butler Countess Chesterfield (age 13) were married. She by marriage Countess Chesterfield. She the daughter of [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 43) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 38). He the son of Henry Stanhope and Katherine Wotton Countess Chesterfield (age 45).

On 14th November 1659 [her son] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory (age 25) and [her daughter-in-law] Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory (age 24) were married at Den Bosch. He the son of [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 49) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 44).

John Evelyn's Diary. 14th December 1660. I visited my Lady Chancellor, the Marchioness of Ormond (age 45), and Countess of Guildford, all of whom we had known abroad in exile.

Diary of John Nicoll. 1st January 1661. We find in the Inglifche Diurnell, that Charles, fone to his Royall hynes James Duke of York (age 27), (onlie brother to our lord the King) wes, upone the firft day of this moneth of Januar, baptized by Gilbert Lord Bifhop of Lundon, at Worchefter hous, quhair wes prefent his Majeftie himfelf; quho, with the Duke of Albemarle (age 52), wer the two godfatheris, and the Marchiones of Ormond (age 45) godmother; thair being alfo prefent his heynes Prince Rupert (age 41), the Lord Heigh Treafaurer, the Lord Stewart, and Lord Chalmerland of his Majefteis counfall, with many uther perfonages of honor, befyde the Lord Heigh Chancellar (age 51) himfelf, father to hir heynes Anne Dutches of York (age 23), quho that fame nycht fuped with the Quene, and the nixt day dyned with his Majeftie and his hynes the Duke of York (hir hulband) in the prefence chalmer at Quhytehall. And now the good pepill of England haif thair wifches, feing thai lie a grandchyld of that verteous king, Charles the Confeffor and martyre, borne in England, quhome it hath pleafed his Majeftie to creat Duke of Cambridge; and a Dutches of York of thair awin cuntrie, and of thair awin religion.

On 26th October 1662 [her son-in-law] William Cavendish 1st Duke Devonshire (age 22) and [her daughter] Mary Butler Duchess Devonshire (age 16) were married. She the daughter of [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 52) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 47). He the son of William Cavendish 3rd Earl Devonshire (age 45) and Elizabeth Cecil Countess Devonshire (age 43). They were fifth cousins.

In July 1665 [her daughter] Elizabeth Butler Countess Chesterfield (age 25) died.

In January 1675 [her son] John Butler 1st Earl Gowran (age 32) and [her daughter-in-law] Anne Chichester Countess Gowran and Longford were married. She the daughter of Arthur Chichester 1st Earl Donegal (age 68) and Letitia Hicks Countess Donegal (age 48). He the son of [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 64) and Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 59).

In 1677 [her son] John Butler 1st Earl Gowran (age 34) died at Paris [Map].

John Evelyn's Diary. 8th February 1677. I went to Roehampton, Surrey, with my Lady Duchess of Ormond (age 61). The garden and perspective is pretty, the prospect most agreeable.

On 30th July 1680 [her son] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory (age 46) died. He was buried in the Duke of Ormonde Vault, King Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey the next day.

In April 1682 [her sister-in-law] Ellen Butler Countess Clancarty died.

On 9th November 1682 [her husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 72) was created 1st Duke Ormonde by King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 52). Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 67) by marriage Duchess Ormonde.

On 21st July 1684 Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde (age 68) died. On 24th July 1684 she was buried in the Duke of Ormonde Vault, King Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey.

On 21st July 1688 [her former husband] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde (age 77) died. His grandson [her grandson] James (age 23) de jure 2nd Duke Ormonde, 2nd Marquess Ormonde, 13th Earl Ormonde, 6th Earl Ossory. [her granddaughter-in-law] Mary Somerset Duchess Ormonde (age 24) by marriage Duchess Ormonde.

Theobald Butler and [her mother] Elizabeth Butler were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Thomas "Black Tom" Butler 10th Earl Ormonde 3rd Earl Ossory and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Sheffield Countess Ormonde and Ossory. They were first cousins.