Parsons, Lord, Richard, 1st Viscount Rosse

• Parsons, Sir, Richard, 3rd Baronet of Bellamont

Sir Richard Parsons, 1st Viscount Rosse, Baron of Oxmantown, and 3rd Baronet of Bellamont, was the son of Sir William Parsons, 2nd Baronet of Bellamont, and his wife Catherine. He succeeded his father as the 3rd Baronet of Bellamont in 1658. On 2 of July 1681 he was elevated to the peerage as Baron of Oxmantown and Viscount Rosse. He married his first wife Anne Walsingham and had no children. After her death he married a second time to Catharine Brydges, the daughter of George Lord Chandos, and they also had no children before she died. In 1685 he married a third time to Elizabeth Hamilton, the niece of Sarah Duchess of Marlborough, and they had two sons and three daughters. Sir Richard Parsons died in 1702, and was succeeded by his eldest son, Sir Richard Parsons.

Sir William Parsons (d.1650) married Lady Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Mr. Alderman John Lany, of Dublin, and niece of Sir Geoffrey Fenton. He received the honour of knighthood, and was created Baronet of Bellamont, co. Dublin in 1611. He was succeeded by his grandson, Sir William Parsons (d.1658), who married Lady Catherine, daughter of Lord Arthur, Viscount of Ranelagh. He was succeeded by his son Lord Richard Parsons (d.1702, created Baron of Oxmantown and Viscount Rosse 1681), who married firstly Lady Anne Walsingham, secondly Lady Catharine Brydges, daughter of George, Lord Chandos, and thirdly in 1685 Lady Elizabeth, eldest daughter of Sir George Hamilton, and niece of Sarah, Duchess of Marlborough. His eldest son Lord Richard Parsons (d.1741, created Earl of Rosse 1718) succeeded to his father’s viscountcy, and was created the first Earl of Rosse in 1718. He married Lady Mary, eldest daughter of Lord William Paulet. His eldest son, Lord Richard Parsons (d.1764) succeeded his father as the 2nd Earl of Rosse, and died without issue, causing all honours to expire, and the Sir William Parsons, 4th Baronet of Birr Castle, became head of the Parsons family.

ISAAR (CPF): International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families, 2nd edition (2011).

Jennifer Lee, May 2018.

Burke, John Bernard. A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage of the British Empire. London: Henry Colburn, 1851.