Sir Thomas Southwell, 1st Baronet

Sir Thomas Southwell, 1st Baronet, of Castle Mattress (died 7 December 1680) was a high sheriff of County Kerry under the Protectorate.

Thomas Southwell
Baronet Southwell of Castle Mattress
Tenure	1662–1681
Successor	Thomas Southwell, 1st Baron Southwell
Died	May 1681
Spouse(s)	Elizabeth Starkey
Issue Detail	Richard Southwell
Father	Edmund Southwell
Mother	Catherine Herbert

Birth and origins

Thomas was probably born at Castle Matrix, near Rathkeale, the fifth but only surviving son of Edmund Southwell and his wife Catherine Herbert.^[1] His father is called "Southwell of Castle Matrix".^[2] His grandfather, John Southwell of Barham, had come to Ireland from Suffolk during the reign of James I.^[3] His mother was a rich heiress, the only child of Garrett Herbert of Rathkeale.

Family tree

Thomas Southwell with his wife, parents, and other selected relatives.[a] John Southwell of Barham Garret Herbert of Rathkeale Edmund Southwell Catherine Herbert heiress John Southwell d. 1642 Ann Dowdall Thomas Southwell 1st Baronet d. 1681 Elizabeth Starkey d. 1705 Richard Southwell d.v.p.* MP Elizabeth O'Brien d. 1688 Thomas Southwell 1st Baron 1665–1720 Meliora Coningsby William Southwell 1669–1720 soldier Legend XXX Subject of the article XXX Baronets & Barons Southwell *d.v.p. = predeceased his father (decessit vita patris)

Thomas listed among his brothers
He was the youngest of five brothers: John (died 1642), married Anne Dowdall, daughter of Elizabeth Dowdall[4] William (died 1627), was killed at the Siege of Saint-Martin-de-Ré.[5] Ralph (died 1627), was killed on the same occasion as William[5] Edward, murdered in Holland[6] Thomas (died 1680)

Nothing seems to be known of the sisters he probably had.

Marriage and children

Sir Thomas Southwell married Elizabeth Starkey, daughter of William Starkey. She would survive him and die in September 1688.^[7]

Thomas and Elizabeth had one son:

1. Richard Southwell, who married Elizabeth daughter of Murrough O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchiquin^[8]

—and three daughters:

1. Garthruid, married John Piggot of Kilfinny as his first wife^[9]
2. Margaret, married ___ Piggott^[10]
3. Joan, married Sir William Oughtred Courtenay of Powderham in Devonshire, Baronet^[11]

Later life and death

Southwell served as High Sheriff of Kerry, High Sheriff of Clare, and High Sheriff of County Limerick in 1654 under the Protectorate. On 4 August 1662 he was created 1st Baronet Southwell, of Castle Mattress in the Baronetage of Ireland, by Charles II.^[12] The castle mentioned in the territorial designation stands on the left bank of the River Deel, west of Rathkeale, and is also called Matrix or Matras.

Sir Thomas Southwell died in December 1680^[13] or in May 1681^[14] and was buried in Rathkeale. His eldest son, the member of parliament Richard Southwell, predeceased him^[8] and he was succeeded by his grandson Thomas, later 1st Baron, as the 2nd Baronet Southwell.

Notes and references

Notes

1. Also see the lists of children in the text.

Citations

1. Cokayne 1903, p. 318, line 13: "... 5th but last surv. [surviving] s. [son] of Edmond Southwell "
2. Burke & Burke 1915, p. 1863, right column, line 55. "Edmund Southwell, of Castle Matrix, co. Limerick ..."
3. Debrett 1828, pp. 780–781: "John Southwell, of Barham, co. Suffolk, esq., removed to Ireland, temp. [in the time of] James I. His grandson, Sir Thomas, was created a bart. of Ireland 1662 ..."
4. Lodge 1789, p. 16, line 1: "John Southwell of Rathkeale, Esq. who married Anne, eldest daughter and coheir to Sir John Dowdall of Kilfinny in the county of Limerick, by his wife Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Thomas Southwell of Polylong, and being slain by the rebels in 1642, left no issue."
5. Lodge 1789, p. 16, line 6: "William and Ralph, both killed in the Isle of Rhee, under George Villiers, Duke of Buckingham, in his retreat from Rochelle."
6. Lodge 1789, p. 17, line 4: "Edward, murdered in Holland by his own servant."
7. Lodge 1789, p. 18, line 7: "... who re-married with John Mcnamara of Cratellow in the county of Clare, Esq., and died in September 1688 ..."
8. Burke & Burke 1915, p. 1863, right column, line 64: "1. Richard of Callow, M.P. for Askeaton, 1661–6, m. [married] Elizabeth, dau. [daughter] of Murrogh O'Brien, 1st Earl of Inchequin and d.v.p. [died before his father] ..."
9. Lodge 1789, p. 17, line 26: "Garthruid, the first wife to John Piggott of Kilfinny, Esq.;"
10. Lodge 1789, p. 17, line 27: "Margaret, married to ____ Piggot, Esq.;"
11. Lodge 1789, p. 18, line 1: "Joan to Sir William Oughtred Courtenay of Powderham in Devonshire, Baronet."
12. Burke & Burke 1915, p. 1863, right column, line 61: "... was created a baronet of Ireland, 4 August 1662 ..."
13. Cokayne 1903, p. 318, line 21. "He d. [died] 1680, and was bur. at Rathkeale. M.I. [Monumental Inscription]. Will dat. 7 Dec. 1680, pr. 1681 [I.]."
14. Kilburn 2004, p. 721, left column, line: "On his [the 1st baron's] grandfather's death in May 1681 ..."

Sources

• Burke, Bernard; Burke, Ashworth Peter (1915). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Peerage and Baronetage, the Privy Council, Knightage and Companionage (77th ed.). London: Harrison. OCLC 1155471554.
• Cokayne, George Edward (1903). Complete Baronetage, 1611 to 1800. Vol. III (1st ed.). Exeter: William Pollard & Co. OCLC 866278985. – 1649 to 1664
• Debrett, John (1828). Peerage of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. Vol. II (17th ed.). London: F. C. and J. Rivington. OCLC 54499602. – Scotland and Ireland
• Kilburn, Matthew (2004). "Southwell, Thomas, first Baron Southwell". In Matthew, Colin; Harrison, Brian (eds.). Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. Vol. 51. New York: Oxford University Press. pp. 721–722. ISBN 0-19-861401-2.
• Lodge, John (1789). Archdall, Mervyn (ed.). The Peerage of Ireland or, A Genealogical History of the Present Nobility of that Kingdom. Vol. VI. Dublin: James Moore. OCLC 264906028. – Viscounts, barons
• MacCarthy-Morrogh, Michael (1983). The Munster Plantation 1583–1641 (PDF) (Ph.D.). Royal Holloway, University of London.

Baronetage of Ireland
New creation	Baronet (of Castle Mattress) 1662–1680	Succeeded by Thomas Southwell