Biography of Walter St John 3rd Baronet 1622-1708

On 9th July 1604 [his father] John St John 1st Baronet [aged 18] and [his mother] Anne Leighton were married.

In May 1622 Walter St John 3rd Baronet was born to [his father] John St John 1st Baronet [aged 36] and [his mother] Anne Leighton.

On 19th September 1628 [his mother] Anne Leighton died in childbirth.

On 23rd October 1630 [his father] John St John 1st Baronet [aged 44] and [his step-mother] Margaret Whitmore [aged 54] were married.

In October 1632 [his brother-in-law] Francis Henry Lee 2nd Baronet [aged 16] and [his sister] Anne St John Countess Rochester [aged 17] were married. She by marriage Lady Lee of Quarrendon in Buckinghamshire.

In 1644 [his brother-in-law] Henry Wilmot 1st Earl Rochester [aged 31] was created 1st Viscount Wilmot. [his sister] Anne St John Countess Rochester [aged 29] by marriage Viscountess Wilmot.

In 1644 [his brother-in-law] Henry Wilmot 1st Earl Rochester [aged 31] and [his sister] Anne St John Countess Rochester [aged 29] were married.

In 1648 [his father] John St John 1st Baronet [aged 62] died. His grandson John [aged 6] succeeded 2nd Baronet St John Lydiard Tregoze in Wiltshire.

In 1651 Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 28] and Johanna St John Baroness St John Lydiard Tregoze [aged 19] were married. They were sixth cousins.

In 1652 [his brother-in-law] Henry Wilmot 1st Earl Rochester [aged 39] was created 1st Earl Rochester. [his sister] Anne St John Countess Rochester [aged 37] by marriage Countess Rochester.

Before 17th October 1652 [his son] Henry St John 1st Viscount St John was born to Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 30] and [his wife] Johanna St John Baroness St John Lydiard Tregoze [aged 21]. He married (1) 11th January 1673 Mary Rich, daughter of Robert Rich 3rd Earl Warwick and Anne Cheeke Countess Warwick, and had issue (2) 1st January 1687 Angelica Magdalena Pellissary Viscountess St John and had issue.

In 1656 Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 33] was elected MP Wiltshire.

In 1657 John St John 2nd Baronet [aged 15] died. His uncle Walter [aged 34] succeeded 3rd Baronet St John Lydiard Tregoze in Wiltshire. [his wife] Johanna St John Baroness St John Lydiard Tregoze [aged 25] by marriage Lady St John Lydiard Tregoze in Wiltshire.

In 1659 Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 36] was elected MP Wiltshire.

In 1661 Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 38] was elected MP Wootton Bassett.

John Evelyn's Diary. 20th October 1664. Hence, to see the famous wells, natural and artificial grots and fountains, called Bushell's Wells, at Enstone. This Bushell had been Secretary to my Lord Verulam. It is an extraordinary solitude. There he had two mummies; a grot where he lay in a hammock, like an Indian. Hence, we went to Dichley [Map], an ancient seat of the Lees, now [his nephew] Sir Henry Lee's [aged 25]; it is a low ancient timber-house, with a pretty bowling-green. My Lady gave us an extraordinary dinner. This gentleman's [his sister] mother [aged 49] was Countess of Rochester, who was also there, and Sir Walter St. John [aged 42]. There were some pictures of their ancestors, not ill painted; the great-grandfather had been Knight of the Garter [Note. Reference to Henry Lee of Ditchley who was not great-grandfather; he was second-cousin once-removed]; there was a picture of a Pope, and our Savior's head. So we returned to Cornbury.

On 11th January 1673 [his son] Henry St John 1st Viscount St John [aged 20] and [his daughter-in-law] Mary Rich [aged 35] were married. She the daughter of Robert Rich 3rd Earl Warwick and Anne Cheeke Countess Warwick.

In October 1679 Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 57] was elected MP Wiltshire.

In 1681 Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 58] was elected MP Wiltshire.

John Evelyn's Diary. 20th December 1684. A villainous murder was perpetrated by Mr. St. John [aged 32], eldest son to S' Walter St. John [aged 62], a worthy gentleman, on a knight of quality [Sir William Estcourt], in a tavern. The offender was sentenc'd and repriev'd. So many horrid murders and duels were committed about this time as were never before heard of in England, which gave much cause of complaint and murmurings.

Note. Following the aquittal of Edward Nosworthy the jury repaired to the Globe tavern in Fleet Street. An altercation broke out between St John and Francis Stonehouse. St. John and Edmund Webb both ran Estcourt through with their swords. Both were found guilty of murder, and condemned to death. St. John's mother [Johanna St John Baroness St John Lydiard Tregoze [aged 53]] obtained a pardon for him at the reported price of £16,000. St. John was expected to go abroad for some time, but publicly entered the next parliamentary election at Wootton Bassett a few weeks after the close of his case, and was duly elected to James II's first Parliament.

On 1st January 1687 [his son] Henry St John 1st Viscount St John [aged 34] and [his daughter-in-law] Angelica Magdalena Pellissary Viscountess St John [aged 21] were married.

In 1690 Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 67] was elected MP Wiltshire.

On 18th March 1696 [his sister] Anne St John Countess Rochester [aged 81] died.

In 1705 [his wife] Johanna St John Baroness St John Lydiard Tregoze [aged 73] died.

Before 1708 Godfrey Kneller [aged 61]. Portrait of Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 85].

Before 3rd July 1708. Michael Dahl [aged 49]. Portrait of Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 86]. Lydiard House.

On 3rd July 1708 Walter St John 3rd Baronet [aged 86] died. His son Henry [aged 55] succeeded 4th Baronet St John Lydiard Tregoze in Wiltshire. Angelica Magdalena Pellissary Viscountess St John [aged 42] by marriage Lady St John Lydiard Tregoze in Wiltshire.

[his daughter] Daughters x 4 St John was born to Walter St John 3rd Baronet and Johanna St John Baroness St John Lydiard Tregoze.

[his son] Sons x 7 St John was born to Walter St John 3rd Baronet and Johanna St John Baroness St John Lydiard Tregoze.

[his daughter] Anne St John was born to Walter St John 3rd Baronet and Johanna St John Baroness St John Lydiard Tregoze.