Sir John Eden, 4th Baronet

Sir John Eden, 4th Baronet (1740–1812), was a British politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1774 and 1790.

John Eden
Member of the British Parliament for Durham County
In office 1774–1790
4th Baronet
In office 1755–1812
Preceded by	Robert Eden
Succeeded by	Robert Johnson-Eden
Personal details
Born	16 September 1740
Died	23 August 1812
Spouses	Catherine Johnson ​ ​ (m. 1764; died 1766)​ Dorothea Johnson ​ (m. 1767)​
Children	10
Relatives	William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland
Alma mater	Trinity College, Cambridge

Eden was the eldest son of Sir Robert Eden, 3rd Baronet and his wife Mary Davison of Beamish, county Durham, and was born on 16 September 1740. He succeeded his father in the baronetcy on 25 June 1755.^[1] He was educated at Eton College from 1755 to 1758 and at Trinity College, Cambridge in 1759. He married firstly Catherine Thompson daughter of John Thompson of Kirby Hall, Yorkshire on 26 June 1764.^[2] She died in March 1766.^[3] Secondly he married Dorothea Johnson, of York on 9 April 1767.^[2] They had 10 children.^[3]

In 1774 he was returned unopposed as Member of Parliament for Durham County and was a supporter of Lord North's administration. He was returned again in 1780 although it was said of him shortly after that 'He holds the business of the House in great contempt, generally comes down after dinner, and is always the first to call for the question.' He was re-elected in 1784 and at the time of the Regency crisis in 1788 complained of being recalled to parliament. There is no record of his ever having spoken in the House and appeared to prefer hunting to spending time at parliament. In 1789 he became anxious about his seat citing the threat of "an alien banker".^[2] His younger brother William Eden, 1st Baron Auckland, also reportedly opposed his run in 1790, and John was defeated in the general election.^[4][2]

Eden died on 23 August 1812.^[2]

References

1. Cokayne, George E. Complete baronetage 1900, p. 54
2. "EDEN, Sir John, 4th Bt. (1740-1812), of Windleston and West Auckland, co. Dur". History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
3. The Annual Peerage of the British Empire, p. 54
4. Whig Organization in the General Election of 1790, p. 200

Sources

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's list of baronets

Parliament of Great Britain
Preceded by Sir Thomas Clavering, 7th Baronet Frederick Vane	Member of Parliament for Durham County 1774–1790 With: Sir Thomas Clavering, 7th Baronet 1774-1790	Succeeded by Rowland Burdon Captain Ralph Milbanke
Baronetage of England
Preceded by Robert Eden	Baronet (of West Auckland) 1755–1812	Succeeded by Robert Johnson-Eden