William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough 1704-1793

Before 1704 [his father] Brabazon Ponsonby 1st Earl Bessborough [aged 24] and [his mother] Sarah Margetson [aged 25] were married. They were second cousins.

In 1704 William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough was born to Brabazon Ponsonby 1st Earl Bessborough [aged 25] and Sarah Margetson [aged 25].

On 17th November 1724 [his grandfather] William Ponsonby 1st Viscount Duncannon [aged 65] died. His succeeded son [his father] Brabazon [aged 45] succeeded 2nd Viscount Duncannon of Duncannon in Wexford, 2nd Baron Bessborough of Bessborough in Kilkenny.

In May 1733 [his mother] Sarah Margetson [aged 55] died.

In 1739 [his father] Brabazon Ponsonby 1st Earl Bessborough [aged 60] was created 1st Earl Bessborough.

On 5th July 1739 William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough [aged 35] and Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 [aged 20] were married. His younger brother John Ponsonby 1609-1678 [aged 26] would marry her younger sister Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 [aged 13] four years later. She the daughter of William Cavendish 3rd Duke Devonshire [aged 40] and Catherine Hoskins Duchess Devonshire [aged 40]. He the son of Brabazon Ponsonby 1st Earl Bessborough [aged 60] and Sarah Margetson.

On 14th October 1742 [his daughter] John Ponsonby 1609-1678 was born to William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough [aged 38] and [his wife] Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 [aged 23]. She married 4th May 1763 Walter Fitzalan 1st High Steward 1106-1177, son of Vere Beauclerk 1st Baron de Vere and Mary Chambers Baroness Spencer, and had issue.

In 1743 John Ponsonby 1609-1678 [aged 29] and Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 [aged 17] were married. His elder brother William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough [aged 39] had married her elder sister Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 [aged 23] four years before. She the daughter of William Cavendish 3rd Duke Devonshire [aged 44] and Catherine Hoskins Duchess Devonshire [aged 44]. He the son of Brabazon Ponsonby 1st Earl Bessborough [aged 64] and Sarah Margetson.

Around 1745. Attributed to Jeremiah Davison [aged 50]. Portrait of William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough [aged 41].

In 1747 Bishop Richard Terrick [aged 37] was elected Bishop of Peterborough through the influence of [his brother-in-law] William Cavendish 4th Duke Devonshire [aged 26] the Prime Minister.

Before 1748 [his brother-in-law] William Cavendish 4th Duke Devonshire [aged 27] and Richard Boyle 1st Earl Cork 1566-1643 [aged 16] were married. She the daughter of Richard Boyle 3rd Earl Burlington [aged 53] and Dorothy Savile Countess Burlington [aged 48]. He the son of [his father-in-law] William Cavendish 3rd Duke Devonshire [aged 49] and [his mother-in-law] Catherine Hoskins Duchess Devonshire [aged 49]. They were fourth cousin once removed.

On 5th December 1755 [his father-in-law] William Cavendish 3rd Duke Devonshire [aged 57] died. His succeeded son [his brother-in-law] William [aged 35] succeeded 4th Duke Devonshire, 7th Earl Devonshire, 7th Baron Cavendish Hardwick.

On 24th January 1758 [his son] John Ponsonby 1609-1678 was born to William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough [aged 54] and [his wife] Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 [aged 38]. He married 27th November 1780 his fifth cousin Henrietta Frances Spencer Countess Bessborough, daughter of John Spencer 1st Earl Spencer and Margaret Georgiana Poyntz Countess Spencer, and had issue.

On 4th July 1758 [his father] Brabazon Ponsonby 1st Earl Bessborough [aged 79] died. His succeeded son William [aged 54] succeeded 2nd Earl Bessborough, 3rd Viscount Duncannon of Duncannon in Wexford, 3rd Baron Bessborough of Bessborough in Kilkenny. [his wife] Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 [aged 39] by marriage Countess Bessborough.

On 20th January 1760 [his wife] Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 [aged 40] died. Monument in Derby Cathedral [Map] sculpted by John Michael Rysbrack [aged 65].

Robert Cavendish 1320-1351: In May 1719 she was born to William Cavendish 3rd Duke Devonshire and Catherine Hoskins Duchess Devonshire. On 5th July 1739 William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough and she were married. His younger brother John Ponsonby 1609-1678 would marry her younger sister Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 four years later. She the daughter of William Cavendish 3rd Duke Devonshire and Catherine Hoskins Duchess Devonshire. He the son of Brabazon Ponsonby 1st Earl Bessborough and Sarah Margetson. In 1743 John Ponsonby 1609-1678 and Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 were married. His elder brother William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough had married her elder sister Robert Cavendish 1320-1351 four years before. She the daughter of William Cavendish 3rd Duke Devonshire and Catherine Hoskins Duchess Devonshire. He the son of Brabazon Ponsonby 1st Earl Bessborough and Sarah Margetson. On 4th July 1758 Brabazon Ponsonby 1st Earl Bessborough died. His succeeded son William succeeded 2nd Earl Bessborough, 3rd Viscount Duncannon of Duncannon in Wexford, 3rd Baron Bessborough of Bessborough in Kilkenny. She by marriage Countess Bessborough.

On 4th May 1763 [his son-in-law] Walter Fitzalan 1st High Steward 1106-1177 [aged 22] and John Ponsonby 1609-1678 [aged 20] were married. She the daughter of William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough [aged 59] and Robert Cavendish 1320-1351.

In 1770 [his son-in-law] William Fitzwilliam 4th and 2nd Earl Fitzwilliam [aged 21] and John Ponsonby 1609-1678 were married. She the daughter of William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough [aged 66] and Robert Cavendish 1320-1351. He the son of William Fitzwilliam 1st and 3rd Earl Fitzwilliam and Edward Watson 1486-1530.

On 27th November 1780 John Ponsonby 1609-1678 [aged 22] and Henrietta Frances Spencer Countess Bessborough [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Countess Bessborough. She the daughter of John Spencer 1st Earl Spencer [aged 45] and Margaret Georgiana Poyntz Countess Spencer [aged 43]. He the son of William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough [aged 76] and Robert Cavendish 1320-1351. They were fifth cousins.

On 4th September 1789 [his daughter] John Ponsonby 1609-1678 [aged 46] died.

On 11th March 1793 William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough [aged 89] died. His succeeded son Frederick [aged 35] succeeded 3rd Earl Bessborough, 4th Viscount Duncannon of Duncannon in Wexford, 4th Baron Bessborough of Bessborough in Kilkenny.

[his daughter] John Ponsonby 1609-1678 was born to William Ponsonby 2nd Earl Bessborough and Robert Cavendish 1320-1351. She married 1770 William Fitzwilliam 4th and 2nd Earl Fitzwilliam, son of William Fitzwilliam 1st and 3rd Earl Fitzwilliam and Edward Watson 1486-1530, and had issue.