Robert Dillon, 2nd Earl Roscommon

Robert Dillon, 2nd Earl of Roscommon PC (Ire) (died 1642) became earl of Roscommon only a bit more than a year before his death. He was one of the keepers of the King's seal and, for a short time, a Lord Justice of Ireland.

Robert Dillon
Earl of Roscommon
Reign	1641–1642
Predecessor	James, 1st Earl of Roscommon
Successor	James, 3rd Earl of Roscommon
Born	unknown, estimated 1585
Died	27 August 1642 Dublin
Spouse(s)	Margaret Barry
Detail Issue James, Lucas, David; Henry; Carey
Father	James, 1st Earl of Roscommon
Mother	Helen Barnewall
Religion	Catholic

Birth and origins

Robert was born in Ireland, the eldest son of James Dillon and his wife Eleanor Barnewall.[1] His father was the 1st Earl of Roscommon. His family was Old English and descended from Sir Henry Dillon who came to Ireland with Prince John in 1185.[2] His family held substantial lands in Meath, Westmeath, Longford and Roscommon. Robert's mother, who was also called Helen[3], was a daughter of Christopher Barnewall of Turvey House, Dublin. Her family also was Old English.

Family tree

Robert Dillon with two of his three wives, his parents, and other selected relatives. Lucas Dillon 1530–1592 Chief Baron Jane Bathe James 1st Earl d. 1641 Eleanor Barnewall d. 1628 Margaret Barry Robert 2nd Earl d. 1642 Ann Strode; James 3rd Earl c. 1605 – 1649 Elizabeth Wentworth Carey 5th Earl 1627–1689 Katherine Werden Wentworth 4th Earl 1637–1685 Robert 6th Earl d. 1715 Margaret Putt; Legend XXX Robert Dillon XXX Earls of Roscommon This family tree is partly derived from the Roscommon pedigree in Cokayne.[4] Also see the lists of siblings and children in the text.

Robert was one of seven brothers[5] and had six sisters.[6]

Robert listed among his brothers

He heads the list of his brothers below as the eldest: Robert (died 1642); Lucas of Twomere, or of Trinity Island, County Cavan, from whom the 9th, 10th and 11th earls descended,[7] married Mary, daughter of Sir John Thorpe;[8] Thomas, died unmarried;[9] Christopher, died unmarried;[9] George, died unmarried;[9] John, died unmarried;[9] and Patrick, from whom the 12th and last Earl descended,[10] married Jame Malone, daughter of Baron Malone.[11]

Robert's six sisters[6]

Jane, married in 1604 her distant cousin Sir Christopher Dillon, son of Theobald Dillon, 1st Viscount Dillon,[12][13] Elizabeth, married Hussey, Baron Galtrim;[14] Frances, married the playwright and politician Henry Burnell and had many children, including the poet Eleanor Burnell.[15] Margaret, married Nugent of Drumcree;[16] Mary, married sir John Bellew;[17] and Alison, married Roger O'Farrell of Morrin, chief of his name.[18]

Marriages and children

Dillon married three times and had five sons from his three wives. Nothing seems to be known about his daughters.

First marriage

In about 1600 Dillon married Margaret Barry. She was a daughter of David FitzDavid de Barry (died 1605), grand-daughter of David de Barry, 5th Viscount Buttevant[19] and sister of David Barry, 1st Earl of Barrymore.[20] His wife's family, the de Barrys, was Old English like his own.

With Margaret he had:

1. James (c. 1605 – 1649), became the 3rd Earl Roscommon;[21]
2. Lucas, died childless;[22]
3. David, died an infant.

Second marriage

He married secondly Dorothy, fourth daughter of George Hastings, 4th Earl of Huntingdon, widow of Sir James Steuart.[23]

With Dorothy he had:

1. Henry (died 1640), died unmarried.[24]

Third marriage

He married thirdly Anne, dowager Baroness Folliott, daughter of Sir William Strode (or Stroud).[25]

With Anne he had:

1. Carey (1627–1689), became the 5th Earl Roscommon.[26]

Career

On 24 January 1620 his father was raised to the peerage with the title of Baron Dillon of Kilkenny-West, in the Peerage of Ireland.[27] in a ceremony performed by the Lord Deputy Oliver St. John in the Presence Chamber of Dublin Castle on 25 January.[28]

On 5 August 1622 Robert's father was furthered honoured by being made Earl of Roscommon.[29] In consequence of his fathers advancement, Robert, the heir apparent, was styled Lord Kilkenny-West, as a courtesy title from 1622 to 1641.

His mother died on 11 October 1628.[30]

On 14 July 1634, his father took his seat in the Irish House of Lords.[31]

On 26 May 1638 a "Robert Lord Dillon" was appointed as one of the keepers of the King's seal.[32] It seems that people found that Lord Kilkenny-West was a bit cumbersome as a title and called him Lord Dillon instead.

Soon after Lord Deputy Christopher Wandesford's death on 3 December 1640 Charles I appointed Lord Dillon (i.e. Lord Kilkenny-West) together with Sir William Parsons Lords Justices for Ireland, but Dillon was considered to have been too closely associated with Strafford and was soon replaced.[33][34] John Borlase was chosen as his successor.

His father died in March 1641[35] and he succeeded as the 2nd Earl of Roscommon.[36]

Death and timeline

Lord Roscommon, as he was finally now, died on 27 August 1642 in Oxmantown, a quarter in Dublin's Northside.[37][38]

Timeline
Age	Date	Event
0	1585, estimate	Born.[lower-alpha 1]
18	1603, 24 Mar	Accession of King James I, replacing Queen Elizabeth I.[39]
19	1604, Nov	Sister Jane married Christopher Dillon of Ballylaghan, the heir apparent of Theobald Dillon, 1st Viscount Dillon.[13]
20	1605, about	Birth of his eldest son, James.[21]
35	1620, 24 Jan	Father created Baron of Kilkenny-West.[27]
37	1622, 5 Aug	Father elevated to Earl of Roscommon.[29]
40	1625, 27 Mar	Accession of King Charles I, replacing King James I.[40]
43	1628, 11 Oct	His mother died.[30]
43	1634, 14 Jul	His father took his seat in the Irish House of Lords.[31]
55	1638, 26 May	Appointed one of the Lord Keeper of the seal.[32]
55	1640, Dec	Appointed one of the Lord Justices of Ireland.
56	1641, Mar	Succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Roscommon.[35]
56	1641, 12 May	Strafford beheaded.[41]
56	1642, 27 Aug	Died in Oxmantown, Dublin.[37]

Notes and references

1. The estimate of 1685 for his birth is based on his eldest son's birth 'about 1605'[21] assuming that he was 20 at the time.

1. Burke 1832b, p. 366, right column, line 42: "His lordship [James, 1st earl] m. Elinor, daughter of Sir Christopher Barnewall, knt, of Turvey .."
2. Webb 1878, p. 149, line 7: "... [Sir Henry Dillon] came to Ireland in 1185 as secretary to Prince John ..."
3. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 1: "He [James D. 1st Earl] m. Helen, 2d da. of Sir Christopher BARNEWALL of Turvey, co. Dublin, by Marion da. of Patrick CHALLIS, otherwise Serle, of Shallon, co. Meath."
4. Cokayne 1895, p. 414.
5. Debrett 1828, p. 647, line 23: "... d. 1641, leaving issue 7 sons;"
6. Burke 1832b, p. 366, right column, line 43: "... and had (with 6 daughters) .."
7. Debrett 1828, p. 647, line 24: "2. Lucas, of Twomere, ancestor of the 9th, 10th, and 11th earls;"
8. Burke 1832b, p. 366, right column, line 38: "Lucas, of Trinity Island, Co Cavan m. Mary, daughter of Sir John Thorpe and was s. by his son ..."
9. Burke 1832b, p. 366, right column, line 47: "Thomas, Christopher, George, John, all died unmarried."
10. Debrett 1828, p. 647, line 27: "7. Patrick, said to be the ancestor of the present claimant, Michael-James-Robert Dillon, esq."
11. Burke 1832b, p. 366, right column, line 51: "Patrick, of Rath in the King's county m. Jane, daughter of Baron Malone of Ballinshewne and Clanmullen ... "
12. Lodge 1789, p. 160, line 11: "Jane, married to Sir Christopher Dillon, heir apparent to Theobald, the first Viscount Dillon."
13. Burke 1832a, p. 367, left column, line 9: "CHRISTOPHER (Sir), of Bealalahin, in the county of Mayo, who m. in 1604, Lady Jane Dillon, eldest daughter of James, first Earl of Roscommon, and dying before his father, left seven sons and five daughters."
14. Lodge 1789, p. 160, line 12: "Elizabeth, to ___ Hussey, Baron of Galtrim;"
15. Lodge 1789, p. 160, line 13: "Frances to Henry, son and heir to Christopher Burnell of Castlenock, Esq.;"
16. Lodge 1789, p. 160, line 14: "Margaret to ___ Nugent of Drumcree, Esq.;"
17. Lodge 1789, p. 160, line 15: "Mary, to Sir John Bellew, of Bali-Robinstown, Knt.;"
18. Lodge 1789, p. 160, line 16: "Allison, to Roger O'Farrell, of Morrin, chief of his name."
19. McGurk 2004, p. 121: "Barry mariied forst Ellen, daughter of David roche, fifth Viscount Roche of Fermoy. Their son David died 1604-5, and his posthumously born son David fitz David Barry (1605–1642) became first earl of Barrymore in 1628 ..."
20. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 11: "He m. firstly Margaret, sister of David, 1st Earl OF BARRYMORE [I.] ..."
21. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 19: "[James] s. and h. by his 1st wife, b. about 1605;"
22. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line 30: "His Lordship [the 2nd Earl] m. first Margaret, daughter of David Earl of Barrymore, by whom he had JAMES, Lord Dillon, and another son Lucas who d. s.p."
23. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 13: "He m. secondly, soon after 1609 Dorothy widow of James STUART, K.B., Master of Blantyre, da. of George (HASTINGS), 4th EARL OF HUNTINGDON, by Dorothy, da. of Sir John FORT."
24. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line 33: "The Earl m. secondly Lady Dorothy Hastings, youngest daughter of George, fourth Earl of Huntingdon and widow of Sir James Steuart, by whom he had Henry, who d. unmarried;"
25. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 15: "He m. thirdly Anne, Dow. BARONESS FOLLIETT [I.], da. of sir William STRODE, of Stoke under Hampdon, co. Somerset."
26. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line 37: "... and, thirdly, Anne, daughter of Sir William Stroud, and widow of Lord Folliet, by whom he had a son, CAREY, who succeeded as fifth earl."
27. Cokayne 1895, p. 410, line 21: "... was cr. 24 Jan. 1619/20 LORD DILLON, BARON OF KILKENNY-WEST [I]."
28. Lodge 1789, p. 158, line 5: "... the ceremony thereof was performed by the L. D. St John in the Presence-Chamber on the 25 ..."
29. Cokayne 1895, p. 410, line 22: "... being subsequently cr. 5 Aug. 1622 EARL OF ROSCOMMON [I.]."
30. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 3a: "She [Helen] d. 11 Oct. 1628."
31. Cokayne 1895, p. 410, line 23: "He took his seat 14 July 1634."
32. Smyth 1839, p. 221: "14 Car. I.—1638 May 26 Robert Lord Dillon, Sir Adam Loftus, Christopher Wandesforde, and Sir Philip Mainwaring, Lord Keepers"
33. Warner 1768a, p. 4: "... [Charles I] appointed Lord DILLON and Sir W. PARSONS Lord Justices of that kingdom, but finding the former not agreeable to the committee and the English Parliament because of his intimacy and alliance with the Earl of STRAFFORD, his Majesty imprudently cancelled the commission ..."
34. Bagwell 1909, p. 312: "As soon as Wandesford's death was known Robert Lord Dillon and Sir William Parsons were appointed Lords Justices."
35. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 3b: "He d. March 1641."
36. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line : "James, first Earl of Roscommon, was s. by his eldest son, ROBERT, second earl ..."
37. Cokayne 1895, p. 411, line 17: "He d. at Oxmantown, 27 Aug. 1642, and was bur. 7 Sep. in St Patricks, Dublin."
38. Burke 1832b, p. 367, left column, line 40: "His lordship d. 7th September 1642 and was succeeded by his eldest son, JAMES, third earl"
39. Smyth 1839, p. xiii, line 17: "James I. . [Accession] 24 March 1603"
40. Smyth 1839, p. xiii, line 18: "Charles I. . [Accession] 27 March, 1625"
41. Burke 1866, p. 577, left column, line 3: "He [Strafford] suffered death with characteristic firmness on Tower Hill, 12 May, 1641."

• Bagwell, Richard (1909), Ireland under the Stuarts and under the Interregnum, 1, London: Longmans, Green, and Co. – 1603 to 1642
• Burke, John (1832a), A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire, 1 (4th ed.), London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley – Abdy to Hutchinson (for Dillon)
• Burke, John (1832b), A General and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire, 2 (4th ed.), London: Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley – Ibbetson to Zouche (for Roscommon)
• Burke, Bernard (1866), A Genealogical History of the Dormant, Abeyant, Forfeited and Extinct Peerages of the British Empire (New ed.), London: Harrison (for Strafford)
• Cokayne, George Edward (1895), The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant, 6 (1st ed.), London: George Bell and Sons – N to R (for Roscommon)
• Debrett, John (1828), Peerage of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, 2 (17th ed.), London: F. C. and J. Rivington - Scotland and Ireland
• Lodge, John (1789), The Peerage of Ireland, 4, Dublin: James Moore – Viscounts (for Dillon)
• McGurk, J. N. N. (2004), "Barry, David fitz James, de facto third Viscount Buttevant (1550–1617)", in Matthew, Henry Colin Gray.; Harrison, Brian (eds.), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 4, New York: Oxford University Press, p. 121, ISBN 0-19-861354-7 (for his wife, Margaret Barry)
• Smyth, Constantine (1839), Chronicle of the Law Officers of Ireland, London: Henry Butterworth (for Table of reigns)
• Warner, Ferdinand (1768a), History of the Rebellion and Civil-War in Ireland, 1, Dublin: James William – From the Rebellion to the Cessation
• Webb, Alfred (1878), "Dillon, Theobald, Viscount", Compendium of Irish Biography, Dublin: M. H. Gill & Son, p. 149

External links

• Genealogy of Robert Dillon 2nd Earl of Roscommon on The Peerage website

Peerage of Ireland
Preceded by James Dillon	Earl of Roscommon 1641–1642	Succeeded by James Dillon
Preceded by James Dillon	Baron Dillon of Kilkenny West 1641–1642	Succeeded by James Dillon