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Roscommon, Earl of (I, 1622 - 1850)

Creation: let.pat. 5 Aug 1622

Extinct: 15 May 1850

Family name: Dillon

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Arms:

Argent a Lion rampant between three Crescents an Estoile issuant from each Gules over all a Fess Azure

Crest:

On a Chapeau Gules turned up Ermine a Falcon rising Argent belled Or

Supporters:

Dexter:  a Griffin Vert wings expanded beaked and legged Or armed Gules;  Sinister:  a Falcon Gules wings expanded and inverted beaked legged and belled Or

Motto:

 Auxilium Ab Alto

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James [Dillon], 1st Baron Kilkenny West later 1st Earl of Roscommon

son and heir of Sir Lucas Dillon, of Newtown and Moymet, co. Meath, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer and Seneschal of the Barony of Kilkenny-West, by his wife Jane Bathe, dau. of James Bathe, of Athcarne and Drumconragh, Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer

born

mar.

Eleanor Barnewall (d. 11/12 Oct 1628), 2nd dau. of Sir Christopher Barnewall, of Turvey, co. Dublin, by his wife Marion Challis, dau. of Patrick Challis, of Shallon, co. Meath

children

1. Hon Robert Dillon, later 2nd Earl of Roscommon

2. Hon Lucas Dillon, of Tuaghmore, co. Roscommon, imprisoned in the Marshalsea, Dublin, for almost 30 years (d. 1640), mar. Mary Thorpe, dau. of Sir John Thorpe, and had issue:

1a. James Dillon, of Rathwyre, co. Westmeath, mar. Jane Mulledy, dau. of Sir Anthony Mulledy, of Robertstown, co. Meath, and had issue:

1b. Lucas Dillon (dsp.)

2b. Patrick Dillon, of Tuaghmore, co. Roscommon, mar. Dymphna Talbot, dau. of Col Arthur Talbot, nephew of Richard [Talbot], Earl of Tyrconnell, and had issue:

1c. James Dillon (dsp.)

2c. Robert Dillon, later 9th Earl of Roscommon

3c. John Dillon, later 10th Earl of Roscommon

4c. Arthur Dillon (d. unm.)

5c. John Dillon (d. unm.)

1b. Mary Dillon

2b. Jane Dillon

3b. Ellinor Dillon

3. Hon Thomas Dillon (dsp.)

4. Hon Christopher Dillon (dsp.)

5. Hon George Dillon (dsp.)

6. Hon John Dillon (dsp.)

7. Hon Patrick Dillon, of Rath, King's Co., mar. Jane Malone, dau. of Edmund Malone, of Ballynahoune and Clanmullen, and had issue:

1a. James Dillon, of Rath, King's Co., mar. (1) Elizabeth Veale, dau. of John Veale, of Lancaster, co. Lancaster, and had issue:

1b. Edward Dillon, of Dublin (d. 1734), mar. Penelope Sharples (mar. (2) Col Robert Dillon), and had issue:

1c. Robert Dillon, self styled 11th Earl of Roscommon, he proved his pedigree to the satisfaction of the House of Lords but his claim was barred when the de jure 11th Earl of Roscommon proved his claim to the title in 1799 (d. Sep 1802)

2b. Veale Dillon, mar. Margaret Walsh, and had issue:

1c. Jane Dillon, mar. Anthony Fox, of Clotanny, King's Co., and had issue

Mr James Dillon mar. (2) Penelope Horan, sister of James Horan, and had further issue:

3b. Michael Dillon, mar. Mary Jennet, dau. and hrss. of John Jennet, of Recluse and Skeden, co. Dublin, and had issue:

1c. John Dillon (d. young)

2c. James Dillon, of Dublin, surgeon, mar. (1) ..... Butler, of Waterford, (2) Elizabeth Plunket, dau. of Joseph Plunket, and had issue:

1d. Capt Michael Dillon, killed before the Battle of Ross (d. 1798), mar. Mary Griffith, dau. of Rev Richard Griffith, of Kilbritain, co. Cork, and had issue:

1e. Michael James Robert Dillon, later 12th Earl of Roscommon

1e. Elizabeth Dillon (d. young)

2d. Anthony Dillon (dsp.)

Dr James Dillon mar. (3) Anne Burne, dau. of Mark Burne, of Johnstown, co. Wicklow, and had issue:

3d. James Dillon (d. young)

4d. Henry Dillon (d. young)

1d. Mary Dillon

Dr James Dillon mar. (4) Mary Quinlan, dau. of Capt Patrick Quinlan, of Limerick, and had issue:

5d. Patrick Dillon

6d. John Dillon

7d. Thomas Dillon (d. unm.)

8d. Peter Quinlan Dillon, of Alharuin, Spain (dsp.), mar. Margaret Power, dau. of John Power, of London

2d. Elizabeth Dillon

3d. Margaret Dillon

4d. Catharine Dillon, mar. Bernard Colyer, of Dublin

5d. Maria Dillon (d. young)

3c. Francis Dillon, mar., and had issue:

1d. Francis Dillon, mar. Elizabeth Shervington, and had issue:

1e. Veale Dillon (d. young)

2e. Robert Dillon, mar. Catherine Sheringham, dau. of Luke Sheringham

1. Lady Jane Dillon, mar. Nov 1604 Hon Sir Christopher Dillon (dvp. 28 Feb 1623/4), 1st son and heir ap. of Theobald [Dillon], 1st Viscount Dillon, by his wife Eleanore Tuite, dau. of Sir Edward Tuite, of Tuitestown, co. Westmeath, and had issue

died

Mar 1641/2

created

24 Jan 1619/20 Lord Dillon, Baron of Kilkenny-West

5 Aug 1622 Earl of Roscommon

suc. by

son

note

raised a troop of 25 horse at his own expense 1599;  knighted 1600;  a signatory of the response to King Charles I from the Lords of the Pale 1625;  a Commissioner for raising money for the Army in Meath, Westmeath and Longford 1627

Robert [Dillon], 2nd Earl of Roscommon, PC

born

mar. (1)

Hon Margaret Barry, 5th dau. of David [Barry], 18th Baron Barry and de facto 5th Viscount Buttevant, by his first wife Hon Ellen Roche, dau. of David [Roche], Viscount Roche

children by first wife

1. Hon James Dillon, later 3rd Earl of Roscommon

2. Hon Lucas Dillon (dsp.)

3. Hon Daniel Dillon (dsp.)

mar. (2)

Lady Dorothy Stewart (b. 15 Jan 1579; widow of Hon Sir James Stewart, Master of Blantyre; d. bef. 1622), 2nd dau. of George [Hastings], 4th Earl of Huntingdon, by his wife Dorothy Port, 2nd dau. and cohrss. of Sir John Port, of Etwall, co. Derby

only child by second wife

4. Hon Henry Dillon (d. unm. 21 Apr 1640)

mar. (3)

betw. 10 Nov 1622 and 1627 Anne Folliott (widow of Henry [Folliott], 1st Baron Folliott; d. bef. 1652), dau. of Sir William Strode, of Stoke-under-Hampden, co. Somerset

only child by third wife

5. Hon Cary Dillon, later 5th Earl of Roscommon

died

27 Aug 1642 (bur. in St Patrick's, Dublin)

suc. by

son by first wife

note

conformed to the Established Church during the lifetime of his father; knighted 1614/5 ; Privy Councillor [I] 1627; a Commissioner to enquire of fees and exactions 1628 and 1634/5; Member of Parliament for Trim 1634-35 and 1640-41/2; member of the Irish Council of War 1635; Commissioner for remedy of defective titles 1637/8; Deputy Keeper of the Great Seal of Ireland 1638; a delegate to hear appeals from ecclesiastical courts 1638; one of the Lords Justices of Ireland 1639 and 1640; Capt of Foot 1640 and of a Troop of Horse 1641

James [Dillon], 3rd Earl of Roscommon

born

c. 1605

mar.

Oct 1636 Elizabeth Wentworth (bapt. 30 Jun 1603; d. aft. Apr 1661), sister of Thomas [Wentworth], 1st Earl of Strafford, and yst. dau. of Sir William Wentworth, 1st Bt., of Wentworth Woodhouse, co. York, by his wife Anne Atkinson, dau. of Robert Atkinson, of Stowell, co. Gloucester

only child

1. Hon Wentworth Dillon, later 4th Earl of Roscommon

died

8 Nov 1649

suc. by

son

note

knighted v.p. 1639/40; Member of Parliament for Co. Longford 1639/40-42; present at the Council of Trim with the other Irish rebels 1642/3; a Commissioner to enquire into Army conditions 1643; Capt of a Troop of Horse 1643; signatory of the Articles of Peace 1646; one of the four hostages sent by Ormonde to the Parliament in England 1647; Treasurer and Keeper of the Great Seal of Ireland 1649

Wentworth [Dillon], 4th Earl of Roscommon, PC

born

c. 1637

mar. (1)

Apr 1662 Lady Frances Courtenay (widow of Sir Frances Courtenay, 3rd Bt., of Newcastle, co. Limerick; d. aft. Dec 1672), 1st dau. of Richard [Boyle], 2nd Earl of Cork, by his wife Lady Elizabeth Clifford, suo jure Baroness Clifford, only child and hrss. of Henry [Clifford], 5th Earl of Cumberland

only child by first wife

1. Hon James Dillon, styled Lord Kilkenny-West (dvp. 25 Sep 1675; bur. in St Martin's-in-the-Fields, Westminster)

mar. (2)

9 Nov 1674 Isabella Boynton, Maid of Honour to the Duchess of York and Lady of the Bedchamber to the Queen 1688 (b. c. 1654; mar. (2) 2 Aug 1702 Thomas Carter, of Robertstown, co. Meath; d. Sep 1721), yst dau. and cohrss. of Lt Col Matthew Boynton, of Burton Agnes, co. York (by his wife Isabel Stapleton, dau. of Robert Stapleton, of Wighill, co. York, by his wife Hon Katherine Fairfax, 3rd dau. by his first wife of Thomas [Fairfax], 1st Viscount Fairfax), 2nd son by his first wife of Sir Matthew Boynton, 1st Bt., of Barmston, co. York

died

s.p.s. 17 Jan 1684/5 (bur. in Westminster Abbey)

suc. by

half-uncle

note

Privy Councillor [I] 1665; Capt of a Troop of the Regiment of Guards in Ireland 1666; Capt of the Band of Gentlemen Pensioners 1674; Master of the Horse to the Duchess of York; Capt in Arran's Regiment of Horse

Cary [Dillon], 5th Earl of Roscommon

bapt.

1 Jul 1627

mar.

Katharine Werden (d. 24 Feb 1683; bur. in St Michan's Church, Dublin), dau. of John Werden, of Cholmeston, co. Chester, by his wife Katharine Dutton, dau. of Edward Dutton

children

1. Hon Robert Dillon, later 6th Earl of Roscommon

1. Lady Catharine Dillon (dsp. 26 Jun 1674; bur. in St Michan's Church, Dublin), mar. 1672 as his first wife Hugh [Montgomery], 2nd Earl of Mount Alexander

2. Lady Anne Dillon, mar. Sir Thomas Nugent

died

24/25 Nov 1689

suc. by

son

note

Capt of Foot before 1644 and Sergeant-Major before 1646/7; Member of Parliament for Bangher 1661-66; Lieut of Horse 1622; Privy Councillor [I] 1673/4 and 1684/5; Master of the Irish Mint 1675/6; Surveyor-General of Excise and Customs 1676; Commissary-General of the Horse in Ireland 1682; Governor of King Charles II's Hospital, Dublin 1683; Major 1684/5 (Lt Col 1685/6) of Ormond's Regiment of Horse; deprived of his command by Lord Tyrconnell 1686/7 but appointed Col of a Regiment of Foot 1688/9; present at the taking of Carrickfergus 1689; attainted in his absence by the Act for the Attainder of Divers Rebels passed by the Dublin Parliament of King James II 1689

Robert [Dillon], 6th Earl of Roscommon

born

mar.

bef. 1696 Margaret Putt, sister and cohrss. of Sir Thomas Putt, 2nd Bt., of Combe in Gittisham, co. Devon, and 1st dau. of Sir Thomas Putt, 1st Bt., of Combe in Gittisham, co. Devon, by his wife Ursula Cholmeley, dau. and cohrss. of Sir Richard Cholmeley, of Grosmont, co. York, by his wife Hon Margaret Poulett, dau. of John [Poulett], 1st Baron Poulett

children

1. Hon Robert Dillon, later 7th Earl of Roscommon

2. Hon James Dillon, later 8th Earl of Roscommon

died

14 May 1715 (bur. in St Bride's Church, Dublin)

suc. by

son

note

Capt-Lieut in Ormonde's Regiment of Horse 1683; deprived of his position by Lord Tyrconnell at the same time as his father 1686/7; Lt Col of his father's Regiment of Foot bef. 1689

Robert [Dillon], 7th Earl of Roscommon

born

mar.

Aug 1719 Angel Ingoldsby, only dau. of Charles Ingoldsby, of Clondirralaghe, co. Clare (by his wife Frances Gore, dau. of Sir Robert Gore, of Newtown, co. Leitrim), 2nd son of Sir Henry Ingoldsby, 1st Bt. MP, of Lethenborow, co. Buckingham, and Ballybeg, co. Meath, by his wife Anne Waller, dau. of Sir Hardress Waller, the Regicide

died

s.p. 9 Jan 1721/2 (bur. in St Bride's Church, Dublin)

suc. by

brother

note

Cornet, Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Horse (4th Dragoon Guards) 1715

James [Dillon], 8th Earl of Roscommon

born

1702

died

20 Aug 1746

note

had a pension of £300 a year from the Crown

After the death of the 8th Earl of Roscommon the title became dormant for many years. The right to the earldom passed to his third cousin and heir male,

Robert [Dillon], 9th Earl of Roscommon

born

died

25 Mar 1770 (bur. in Paris)

suc. by

brother

note

Col of Foot, commanding the "Roscommon Regiment"; Marshal in the French Army; he never assumed the title

John [Dillon], 10th Earl of Roscommon

born

mar. (1)

Eleanor O'Fallon (dspm. 17...), dau. of Edward O'Fallon, of Kye, co. Roscommon

children by first wife

1. Lady Margaret Dillon, mar. Lawrence Manning

2. Lady Dymphna Dillon, mar. Edward Hanly

3. Lady Helen Dillon, mar. Mathew Manning

mar. (2)

Bridget Mullaly

only child by second wife

1. Hon Patrick Dillon, later 11th Earl of Roscommon

died

27 Aug 1782

suc. by

son by second wife

note

he assumed the title on his brother's death but as a Roman Catholic did not apply for a summons to the Irish House of Lords

Patrick [Dillon], 11th Earl of Roscommon

born

15 Mar 1769

mar.

10 Jul 1797 Barbara Begg (d. after 1850), yst. dau. of Ignatius Begg, of Belrea, co. Roscommon

only child

1. Lady Maria Dillon

died

s.p.m. 17 Nov 1816

suc. by

fourth cousin once removed

note

he conformed to the Established Church; his claim to the Earldom of Roscommon was established by the Irish House of Lords 1799

On the death of the 11th Earl of Roscommon the title again became dormant. In some quarters it was considered as an extinction and was used as such (under the Irish Act of Union) in the creation of the Barony of Bloomfield in 1825. Eventually in 1828 the claim of the male heir was allowed:

Michael John Robert [Dillon], 12th Earl of Roscommon

born

2 Oct 1798

mar.

19 Aug 1830 Lady Charlotte Talbot (b. c. 1805; d. 21 Nov 1843), half-sister of John [Talbot], 16th Earl of Shrewsbury, and 2nd dau. of Hon John Joseph Talbot, by his second wife Harriet Anne Bedingfield, dau. of Rev Bacon Bedingfield, of Ditchingham Hall, co. Norfolk

only child

1. James Dillon (b. and dvp. 1831)

died

s.p.s. 15 May 1850

note

On the death of the 12th Earl of Roscommon the Earldom of Roscommon became extinct

 First written 17 Nov 2009

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