William Trench, 1st Earl of Clancarty

William Power Keating Trench, 1st Earl of Clancarty (23 June 1741 – 27 April 1805; Ballinasloe, Ireland) was an Irish aristocrat and politician and later United Kingdom statesman at the time of the Act of Union. His family, through his son Richard, became prominent and hereditary members of the Netherlands' nobility.

Life

The son of Richard Trench and Frances Power, William was a Member of Parliament in the Irish House of Commons, and supported the Whigs. He represented Galway County from 1768 until 1797 and served as High Sheriff of County Kilkenny in 1777. He was advanced to the Irish House of Lords as Baron Kilconnel (created 25 November 1797), and to the position of Viscount Dunlo (created 3 January 1801) as a reward for his continuing support of the Whig Party. On 12 February 1803 he became Earl of Clancarty. His choice of the title is derived from his descent from Elena MacCarty, wife of John Power, daughter of Cormac Oge MacCarty, Viscount Muskerry, and sister of Donough MacCarty, 1st Earl of Clancarty. He therefore became the first Earl of Clancarty in its second creation. He was succeeded by his son Richard.

The Trench family seat was at Garbally in Ballinasloe.

Family

On 30 October 1762 he married Anne Gardiner, daughter of Charles Gardiner of Dublin and Florinda Norman, and sister of Luke Gardiner, 1st Viscount Mountjoy. William and Anne had nineteen children:

1. Frances Trench (b. 1765, d. 1768)
2. Anne Trench (b. 1766, d. 21 November 1833), married William Gregory of Coole
3. Lady Florinda Trench (b. 3 August 1766, d. 9 February 1851), married William Handcock, 1st Viscount Castlemaine
4. Francis Trench (b. 1767, d. 1805)
5. Charles Trench (b. 1767, d. 1770)
6. Sir Richard Le Poer Trench, 2nd Earl of Clancarty (b. 19 May 1767, d. 24 November 1837), married Henrietta Margaret Staples
7. The Most Reverend and Honourable Power Le Poer Trench, Archbishop of Tuam (b. 10 June 1770, d. 26 March 1839), married Anne Taylor
8. Rear Admiral the Honourable William Le Poer Trench (b. 4 July 1771, d. 14 August 1846), married firstly Sarah Cuppage and secondly Margaret Downing
9. The Reverend Charles Le Poer Trench, Archdeacon of Ardagh (b. December 1772, d. 31 October 1839), married Frances Elwood
10. Thomas Le Poer Trench (b. 1774, d. June 1795)
11. Luke Henry Le Poer Trench (b. November 1775, d. 24 July 1798)
12. Louisa Trench (b. 1776, d. 1785)
13. Frederick Trench (b. November 1778, d. 1800)
14. Colonel Sir Robert Le Poer Trench (b. July 1782, d. 14 March 1823), married Letitia Susanna Dillon (daughter of Robert Dillon, 1st Baron Clonbrock)
15. Lady Elizabeth Trench (b. 1784, d. 30 May 1877), married John McClintock of Drumcar
16. Lady Harriet Trench (b. September 1785, d. 17 November 1855), married Sir Daniel Toler Osborne, 12th Baronet
17. Lady Frances Mary Trench (b. October 1787, d. 22 November 1843), married Henry Stanley Monck, 1st Earl of Rathdowne
18. Lady Louisa Trench (b. March 1789, d. 8 August 1852)
19. Lady Emily Trench (b. September 1790, d. 1816), married Robert La Touche of Harristown

• Burke 1869, p. 225.

Ancestry