Theophilus Jones (1729–1811)

For other people named Theophilus Jones, see Theophilus Jones (disambiguation).

Theophilus Jones
Member of the Irish Parliament
for County Leitrim
In office
  • 1761–1768
  • 1776–1783
  • 1790–1800
Member of the Irish Parliament
for Coleraine
In office
1769–1776
Member of the Irish Parliament
for Monaghan Borough
In office
1783–1790
Member of the British Parliament
for Leitrim
In office
1801–1802
Personal details
Died8 December 1811
Spouses
  • Catherine Beresford
  • Anne Murray
Children6, including Walter and Theophilus Jones
Parent(s)Walter Jones and Olivia Coote

Theophilus Jones (1729? – 8 December 1811) was an Irish MP and administrator.

He was born the eldest son of Walter Jones of Headfort and Olivia, the daughter and coheiress of the Hon. Chidley Coote of Coote Hall, County Roscommon.

He served three periods as MP for County Leitrim in the Parliament of Ireland, sitting from 1761 to 1768, 1776 to 1783 and 1790 to 1800. He also sat for Coleraine (1769 to 1776) and Monaghan Borough (1783 to 1790).[1]

He was appointed secretary to Augustus Hervey, 3rd Earl of Bristol when the latter was Chief Secretary of Ireland in 1766, holding the post until 1799. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1767 and Collector of Excise at the Port of Dublin from 1767 to 1799. After the Union with Great Britain in 1800 he was MP for Leitrim in the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1802.[2]

Catherine Beresford

Jones married three times, firstly in 1754 to the Hon. Catherine Beresford, daughter of 1st Earl of Tyrone, and widow of Thomas Christmas MP of Whitefield, County Waterford.[2] They had 3 sons:[3]

After Catherine 's death in 1763, he remarried in 1768 to Anne Murray, daughter of Colonel John Murray MP from Monaghan, with whom he had one son and two daughters:[2][3]

  • Henry, who died young
  • Maria, died unmarried
  • Anne, died in infancy

He served as collector of customs at Dublin Port for a period ending in 1799 however for much of this period he farmed out the position.[4]

References

  1. ^ "Biographies of Members of the Irish Parliament 1692-1800". Ulster Historical Foundation. Retrieved 25 June 2014.
  2. ^ a b c Aspinall, Arthur (1986). R. Thorne (ed.). "JONES, Theophilus (?1729-1811), of Headfort, co. Leitrim". The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1790-1820. Boydell and Brewer. Retrieved 5 July 2014.
  3. ^ a b Burke, John (1836). A Genealogical and Heraldic History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland, Enjoying Territorial Possessions Or High Official Rank: But Uninvested with Heritable Honours. Vol. 3. H. Colburn. pp. 268–9. Retrieved 4 July 2014.
  4. ^ "Jones, Theophilus | Dictionary of Irish Biography". www.dib.ie. Retrieved 16 November 2022.
Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by Member of Parliament for County Leitrim
1761–1768
With: John Wynne 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Coleraine
1768–1776
With: Richard Jackson 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for County Leitrim
1776–1783
With: Henry Theophilus Clements 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for Monaghan Borough
1783–1790
With: Robert Cuninghame 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of Parliament for County Leitrim
1790–1800
With: Henry Theophilus Clements 1790–96
Peter La Touche 1796–98
Viscount Clements 1798–1800 		Act of Union
Parliament of the United Kingdom
New constituency
Act of Union
 Member of Parliament for Leitrim
1801–1802
With: Viscount Clements 		Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Chief Secretary for Ireland
1767 		Succeeded by