Peerage Record – 13361

     Rt. Hon. Arthur Hill was born circa 1601.² He was the son of Sir Moyses Hill and Alice MacDonnel.^3,2 He married, secondly, Mary Parsons, daughter of Sir William Parsons, 1st Bt. and Elizabeth Lany.⁴ He married, firstly, Anne Bolton, daughter of Sir Richard Bolton.⁴ He died in April 1663.⁴
     He gained the rank of Colonel in the Royalist Regiment.⁴ He fought in the English Civil War.⁴ He held the office of Member of Parliament (M.P.)⁴ He held the office of Constable of Hillsborough Fort in 1660.⁴ He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.)⁴ He lived at Hillsborough, County Down, Ireland^G.¹ He has an extensive biographical entry in the Dictionary of National Biography.²
      He had two other sons by his first wife.⁴

     Martha Matthews was born circa 1683.¹ She was the daughter of Samuel Matthews and Anne Cuffe.¹ She married Charles Boyle, 2nd Viscount Blesington, son of Murrough Boyle, 1st Viscount Blesington and Lady Anne Coote, on 11 July 1709.¹ She died on 15 June 1767.¹ She was buried at Drumcondra, County Dublin, Ireland^G.¹ Her will (dated 4 May 1762) was proven (by probate) in 1767.¹
     From 11 July 1709, her married name became Boyle.¹ After her marriage, Martha Matthews was styled as Viscountess Blesington on 26 April 1718.

     Samuel Matthews lived at Bonetstown, County Kilkenny, Ireland^G.¹

     Anne Cuffe is the daughter of Joseph Cuffe.¹

     Joseph Cuffe lived at Castle Inch, County Kilkenny, Ireland^G.¹

     Murrough Boyle was born circa July 1710.¹ He was the son of Charles Boyle, 2nd Viscount Blesington and Martha Matthews.¹ He was baptised on 18 December 1710.¹ He died circa 19 December 1710.¹ He was buried on 20 December 1710 at St. Patrick’s Church, Dublin, County Dublin, Ireland^G.¹

     William Stewart, 1st and last Earl of Blesington was born on 7 April 1709.¹ He was the son of William Stewart, 2nd Viscount Mountjoy and Anne Boyle.¹ He married Eleanor FitzGerald, daughter of Robert FitzGerald and Eleanor Kelly, on 10 January 1733/34.¹ He died on 14 August 1769 at age 60 at Charles Street, Berkeley Square, London, England^G.¹ He was buried on 31 August 1769 at Silchester, Hampshire, England^G.¹
     He succeeded as the 5th Baronet Stewart, of Ramelton, co. Donegal [I., 1623] on 10 January 1727/28.¹ He succeeded as the 3rd Baron Stewart of Ramalton, co. Donegal [I., 1683] on 10 January 1727/28.¹ He succeeded as the 3rd Viscount Mountjoy, of co. Tyrone [I., 1683] on 10 January 1727/28.¹ He held the office of Grand Master of the Freemasons [Ireland] between 1738 and 1740.¹ He was created 1st Earl of Blesington, co. Wicklow [Ireland] on 7 December 1745.¹ He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Ireland] on 26 August 1748.¹ He held the office of Governor of County Tyrone.¹
     On his death, his three peerages became extinct, and his baronetcy has inherited by a distant cousin, Sir Annesley Stewart.¹

     Anne Boyle was the daughter of Murrough Boyle, 1st Viscount Blesington and Lady Anne Coote.^1,2 She married, secondly, John Farquharson.² She married, firstly, William Stewart, 2nd Viscount Mountjoy, son of William Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy and Hon. Mary Coote, on 23 November 1696.³ She died on 27 October 1741.³
     Her married name became Farquharson.² After her marriage, Anne Boyle was styled as Viscountess Mountjoy on 23 November 1696. From 23 November 1696, her married name became Stewart.¹

     William Stewart, 2nd Viscount Mountjoy was the son of William Stewart, 1st Viscount Mountjoy and Hon. Mary Coote.^2,3 He married Anne Boyle, daughter of Murrough Boyle, 1st Viscount Blesington and Lady Anne Coote, on 23 November 1696.⁴ He died on 10 January 1727/28.¹
     He succeeded as the 4th Baronet Stewart, of Ramelton, co. Donegal [I., 1623] on 3 August 1692.¹ He succeeded as the 2nd Baron Stewart of Ramalton, co. Donegal [I., 1683] on 3 August 1692.² He succeeded as the 2nd Viscount Mountjoy, of co. Tyrone [I., 1683] on 3 August 1692.² He was commander of the a Foot Regiment between 1694 and 1698.⁴ He gained the rank of commander between 1702 and 1713 in the a Foot Regiment.⁴ He gained the rank of Brigadier-General in 1703.⁴ He gained the rank of Major-General in 1707.⁴ He gained the rank of Lieutenant-General in 1709.⁴ He was appointed Privy Counsellor (P.C.) [Ireland] in 1710.⁴ He held the office of Master General of Ordnance between January 1714 and 1727/28.⁴ He held the office of Keeper of the Great Seal [Ireland] in 1715.⁴ He gained the rank of Colonel of Dragoons in 1715.⁴

     Eleanor FitzGerald was born circa 1712.² She was the daughter of Robert FitzGerald and Eleanor Kelly.¹ She married William Stewart, 1st and last Earl of Blesington, son of William Stewart, 2nd Viscount Mountjoy and Anne Boyle, on 10 January 1733/34.¹ She died on 1 October 1774 at Berkeley Square, London, England^G.² She was buried at Silchester, Hampshire, England^G.² Her will was proven (by probate) on 11 October 1774.²
     After her marriage, Eleanor FitzGerald was styled as Viscountess Mountjoy on 10 January 1733/34. From 10 January 1733/34, her married name became Stewart.¹ After her marriage, Eleanor FitzGerald was styled as Countess of Blesington on 7 December 1745.