William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire

William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire KG, PC (1672 – 4 June 1729) was a British nobleman and politician. He was the eldest son of William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire and Lady Mary Butler. A prominent Whig, he was sworn of the Privy Council in 1707, and served as Lord President of the Council from 1716 to 1717 and 1725 to 1729.

His Grace The Duke of Devonshire KG PC
Lord President of the Council
In office 6 July 1716 – 16 March 1718
Monarch	George I
Preceded by	The Earl of Nottingham
Succeeded by	The Earl of Sunderland
In office 27 March 1725 – 4 June 1729
Monarch	George I George II
Preceded by	The Lord Carleton
Succeeded by	The Lord Trevor
Personal details
Born	1672 (1672)
Died	4 June 1729
Nationality	British
Political party	Whig
Spouse(s)	Rachel Russell
Children	William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire Lady Rachel Cavendish Lady Elizabeth Cavendish Lord James Cavendish Lord Charles Cavendish
Parents	William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire Lady Mary Butler

He married The Hon. Rachel Russell (1674–1725), daughter of William Russell, Lord Russell on 21 June 1688. The Duchess served as a Lady of the Bedchamber at the court of Queen Anne. [1]

They had five children:

1. William Cavendish, 3rd Duke of Devonshire (26 September 1698 – 5 December 1755)
2. Lady Rachel Cavendish (4 October 1699 – 18 June 1780) [2] married Sir William Morgan on 14 May 1723
3. Lady Elizabeth Cavendish (27 September 1700 – 7 November 1747) married Sir Thomas Lowther, 2nd Baronet
4. Lord James Cavendish (23 November 1701 – 14 December 1741)
5. Lord Charles Cavendish (17 March 1704 – 28 April 1783) married Anne Grey on 9 January 1727, father of Henry Cavendish

References

1. "Warrant Books: April 1713, 1-15 Pages 169-184 Calendar of Treasury Books, Volume 27, 1713. Originally published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London, 1955". British History Online. Retrieved 13 July 2020.
2. Jervas, Charles. "Lady Rachel Cavendish, Lady Morgan (1697 - 1780), as a Shepherdess". National Trust.

• thePeerage.com
• Leo van de Pas genealogies
• familysearch.org Accessed 4 November 2007

Coat of arms of William Cavendish, 2nd Duke of Devonshire, KG

Parliament of England
Preceded by Sir Gilbert Clarke Henry Gilbert	Member of Parliament for Derbyshire 1695–1701 With: Sir Gilbert Clarke 1695–1698 Thomas Coke 1698–1701 Lord Manners of Haddon 1701	Succeeded by Thomas Coke Sir John Curzon, Bt
Preceded by Robert Walpole The Earl of Ranelagh	Member of Parliament for Castle Rising 1702 With: Robert Walpole	Succeeded by Sir Thomas Littleton, Bt Horatio Walpole
Preceded by The Lord Fairfax of Cameron The Viscount of Irvine	Member of Parliament for Yorkshire 1702–1707 With: Sir John Kaye, Bt 1702–1707 The Lord Fairfax of Cameron 1707	Succeeded by The Viscount Downe Conyers Darcy
Political offices
Preceded by The Earl of Manchester	Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard 1702–1707	Succeeded by The Viscount Townshend
Preceded by The Duke of Devonshire	Lord Steward 1707–1710	Succeeded by The Duke of Buckingham and Normanby
Preceded by The Earl Poulett	Lord Steward 1714–1716	Succeeded by The Duke of Kent
Preceded by The Earl of Nottingham	Lord President of the Council 1716–1717	Succeeded by The Earl of Sunderland
Preceded by The Lord Carleton	Lord President of the Council 1725–1729	Succeeded by The Lord Trevor
Honorary titles
Preceded by The Duke of Devonshire	Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire 1707–1710	Succeeded by The Earl of Scarsdale
Preceded by The Earl of Scarsdale	Lord Lieutenant of Derbyshire 1714–1729	Succeeded by The Duke of Devonshire
Legal offices
Preceded by The Duke of Devonshire	Justice in Eyre north of the Trent 1707–1711	Succeeded by The Duke of Newcastle
Peerage of England
Preceded by William Cavendish	Duke of Devonshire 1707–1729	Succeeded by William Cavendish