John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower

John Leveson-Gower, 1st Earl Gower PC (10 August 1694 – 25 December 1754), known as The Baron Gower from 1709 to 1746, was a British Tory politician from the Leveson-Gower family, one of the first Tories to enter government after the Hanoverian Succession.

Background

Gower was a son of John Leveson-Gower, 1st Baron Gower (7 January 1675 – 31 August 1709) and his wife Lady Catherine Manners (19 May 1675 – 7 March 1722). His maternal grandparents were John Manners, 1st Duke of Rutland and Catherine Wriothesley Noel, daughter of Baptist Noel, 3rd Viscount Campden.

He was educated at Adams' Grammar School before entering Christ Church, Oxford in 1710. He was awarded degree as D.C.L. from the latter university in 1732.

Political career

Gower served as Lord Privy Seal between 1742 and 1743 and 1744 and 1754. In 1742, he was appointed to the Privy Council, and on 8 July 1746, he was created Viscount Trentham, of Trentham in the County of Stafford, and Earl Gower. In 1739, he became a founding Governor of London's Foundling Hospital.

Family

Gower married firstly, 13 March 1711 or 1712, Lady Evelyn Pierrepont (6 September 1691 – 26 June 1729), daughter of Evelyn Pierrepont, 1st Duke of Kingston-upon-Hull and his first wife Lady Mary Feilding. Mary was a daughter of William Feilding, 3rd Earl of Denbigh and his wife Mary King. They were parents to eleven children:

• Hon. John Leveson-Gower (28 November 1712 – 15 July 1723).
• Lady Gertrude Leveson-Gower (15 February 1714/1715 – 1 July 1794), who married John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford.
• Hon. William Leveson-Gower (17 February 1715/1716 – 4 April 1739).
• Lady Mary Leveson-Gower (30 October 1717 – 30 April 1778), who married Sir Richard Wrottesley, 7th Baronet.
• Hon. Frances Leveson-Gower (12 August 1720 – 1788), who married John Philip Sackville, son of Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset, and had issue John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset.
• Granville Leveson-Gower, 1st Marquess of Stafford (4 August 1721 – 26 October 1803).
• Lady Elizabeth Leveson-Gower (20 January 1723/1724 – 28 April 1784), who married John Waldegrave, 3rd Earl Waldegrave.
• Lady Evelyn Leveson-Gower (26 January 1724/1725 – 14 April 1763), who married firstly John Fitzpatrick, 1st Earl of Upper Ossory. secondly Richard Vernon and had issue by both. (N.B. Henrietta Vernon daughter of Richard Vernon & Evelyn Leveson-Gower is married on 14 July 1776 at the home of her Uncle the Earl of Gower in Whitehall to George Greville, 2nd Earl of Warwick)
• Hon. Richard Leveson-Gower (30 April 1726 – 19 October 1753), who served as a member of parliament.
• Hon. Catherine Leveson-Gower (possibly born on 31 May 1727 and died in infancy).
• Hon. Diana Leveson-Gower (31 May 1727 – 1737).

Gower married secondly, on 31 October 1733, Penelope Stonhouse (d. 19 August 1734), daughter of Sir John Stonhouse, 3rd Baronet, and had issue:

• Hon. Penelope Leveson-Gower (circa June 1734 – 26 February 1742).

Gower married thirdly, on 16 May 1736, Mary Tufton, Dowager Countess of Harold, daughter of Thomas Tufton, 6th Earl of Thanet and widow of Anthony Grey, Earl of Harold, and had issue:

• Hon. Thomas Leveson-Gower (born on 23 August 1738 but known to have died young).
• Admiral Hon. John Leveson-Gower (11 July 1740 – 28 August 1792), married Frances Boscawen, daughter of Admiral Edward Boscawen.

Ancestry