Lord Baron Knapton
John Denny Vesey married Elizabeth Brownlow
born circa 1709 6 May 1732 ML circa 1713
died 26 Jun 1761 died circa 1786
Booterstown
John Denny Vesey born circa 1709 was the son of Rev Sir Thomas Vesey, 1st Baronet and his
wife (and cousin) Mary Muschamp. He was the grandson of John Vessey who was the
Archbishop of Tuam from 1678 to 1716 and his father became Bishop of Ossory in 1714. He
married Elizabeth Brownlow on 6 May 1732 ML. Elizabeth was the daughter of William
Brownlow of Shankill, Armagh. On the death of his father on 6 Aug 1730 at his house on
Grafton Street, he succeeded to the baronetcy. On the death of his mother in 1749 a
joynture of 800L per year devolved to him. On 10 Apr 1750 he was elevated to the peerage
as Baron Knapton, in the Queen's County, and assumed his seat in the Irish House of Lords.
He took a lease on Seamount in Seafield in 1757. He died at Seafield on 26 Jun 1761 and
was succeeded in his titles by his only son. Shortly after his death the Booterstown house
on 25 acres was put up for let by Mrs Cooley (wife of William Cooley).
1 Elizabeth Denny Vesey eldest daughter born circa 1734 married Robert Handcock on
28 Jun 1751(ML). Robert died in Westmeath in 1755.
She secondly married widower Edmund Sexten Pery on 27 Oct 1762. Edmund was MP
for the city of Limerick and Speaker of the house of Commons in Ireland in 1771, 1776
and 1783. He resigned in 1785 and was created Viscount Pery. He died on 24 Feb 1806
aged 86 in Mayfair, London with no male heir. The title became extinct on his death and
his estates went to his nephew Edmund, Earl of Limerick. Elizabeth died on 4 Apr 1821
in Park Street, London.
1 Diana Jane Pery born 27 Oct 1764 married Thomas Knox and became the Countess
of Ranfurly. She died 24 Nov 1839 in Paris and is buried in Hertfordshire.
2 Frances Pery born circa 1768 married Nicholson Calvert on 3 Jan 1789. Nicholson
was MP for Herford and died 13 Apr 1841 at Wimpole Street aged 76. Frances
died 22 Feb 1859 in London.
2 Anne Vesey second daughter married Thomas Knox in August 1753 in Lurgan. Thomas
was created Viscount Northland in 1791. Anne died on 14 Oct 1803 at Gay Street, Bath.
Thomas died 5 Dec 1818 at Dungannon Park aged 89.
3 Thomas Vesey only son born circa 1736 was a lieutenant in the Earl of Drogheda’s Light
Horse. He succeeded to the titles in 1761 on the death of his father. He married Selina
Elizabeth Brooke on 21 Sep 1769 (ML) and commissioned James Wyatt to build them a
new house in Abbeyleix. He relocated the dwellings of his estate workers and tenants to
a new site farther east on higher ground alongside the coach road, as a planned estate
town. Thomas Vesey was made Viscount de Vesci in 1776. Selina died in 1783 aged 31.
Thomas died 13 Oct 1804 at Abbeyleix House.
1 John Vesey eldest son born circa 1771. He married Frances Letitia Brownlow in
September 1800 in Dublin. Frances was the fourth daughter of the Rt Hon
William Brownlow. He became the 2nd Viscount De Vesci in 1804 on the death of
his father.
1 Thomas Vesey born circa 1803 became the 3rd Viscount de Vesci.
2 William John Vesey second son born 12 Aug 1806. He married Isabella
Elizabeth Brownlow on 27 Jul 1837 at St Peters, Dublin. Isabella was the
third daughter of Rev Francis Brownlow. They lived in Abbeyleix and later
at Glandore House, Dublin. He died 3 Aug 1863 and left 4k in personal
estate. Isabella died 8 Mar 1900 aged 93 at Glandore House, Mountown,
Co Dublin.
3 Catherine Vesey only daughter born circa 1803. She married her cousin, Lt
Col Patrick John Nugent of Portaferry on 30 Apr 1833 at the old church
adjoining the estate at Abbeyleix. John died on 23 Nov 1857 age 51 and
Catherine died in March 1882.
2 Arthur Vesey born circa 1773 took Holy orders. He was the incumbent of Abbeyleix
and Ballymakay. He married Sydney Louisa Johnston in 1811. Rev Vesey died in
December 1832 at his residence Knapton near Abbeyleix.
3 Selina Florence Vesey born circa 1775 married Andrew Savage of Portaferry in 1800.
In 1812 Andrew succeeded to the Dysart estates and assumed the name Nugent.
Andrew died 4 Feb 1846 at Portaferry and Selina died on 7 Oct 1857 at Moygannon,
near Warrenpoint.
3 Jane Vesey born circa 1739 married Sir Robert Staples in 1776. She died at Merrion Square
in August 1822.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - February 2026
Return to Seafield page
John Denny Vesey married Elizabeth Brownlow
born circa 1709 6 May 1732 ML circa 1713
died 26 Jun 1761 died circa 1786
Booterstown
John Denny Vesey born circa 1709 was the son of Rev Sir Thomas Vesey, 1st Baronet and his
wife (and cousin) Mary Muschamp. He was the grandson of John Vessey who was the
Archbishop of Tuam from 1678 to 1716 and his father became Bishop of Ossory in 1714. He
married Elizabeth Brownlow on 6 May 1732 ML. Elizabeth was the daughter of William
Brownlow of Shankill, Armagh. On the death of his father on 6 Aug 1730 at his house on
Grafton Street, he succeeded to the baronetcy. On the death of his mother in 1749 a
joynture of 800L per year devolved to him. On 10 Apr 1750 he was elevated to the peerage
as Baron Knapton, in the Queen's County, and assumed his seat in the Irish House of Lords.
He took a lease on Seamount in Seafield in 1757. He died at Seafield on 26 Jun 1761 and
was succeeded in his titles by his only son. Shortly after his death the Booterstown house
on 25 acres was put up for let by Mrs Cooley (wife of William Cooley).
1 Elizabeth Denny Vesey eldest daughter born circa 1734 married Robert Handcock on
28 Jun 1751(ML). Robert died in Westmeath in 1755.
She secondly married widower Edmund Sexten Pery on 27 Oct 1762. Edmund was MP
for the city of Limerick and Speaker of the house of Commons in Ireland in 1771, 1776
and 1783. He resigned in 1785 and was created Viscount Pery. He died on 24 Feb 1806
aged 86 in Mayfair, London with no male heir. The title became extinct on his death and
his estates went to his nephew Edmund, Earl of Limerick. Elizabeth died on 4 Apr 1821
in Park Street, London.
1 Diana Jane Pery born 27 Oct 1764 married Thomas Knox and became the Countess
of Ranfurly. She died 24 Nov 1839 in Paris and is buried in Hertfordshire.
2 Frances Pery born circa 1768 married Nicholson Calvert on 3 Jan 1789. Nicholson
was MP for Herford and died 13 Apr 1841 at Wimpole Street aged 76. Frances
died 22 Feb 1859 in London.
2 Anne Vesey second daughter married Thomas Knox in August 1753 in Lurgan. Thomas
was created Viscount Northland in 1791. Anne died on 14 Oct 1803 at Gay Street, Bath.
Thomas died 5 Dec 1818 at Dungannon Park aged 89.
3 Thomas Vesey only son born circa 1736 was a lieutenant in the Earl of Drogheda’s Light
Horse. He succeeded to the titles in 1761 on the death of his father. He married Selina
Elizabeth Brooke on 21 Sep 1769 (ML) and commissioned James Wyatt to build them a
new house in Abbeyleix. He relocated the dwellings of his estate workers and tenants to
a new site farther east on higher ground alongside the coach road, as a planned estate
town. Thomas Vesey was made Viscount de Vesci in 1776. Selina died in 1783 aged 31.
Thomas died 13 Oct 1804 at Abbeyleix House.
1 John Vesey eldest son born circa 1771. He married Frances Letitia Brownlow in
September 1800 in Dublin. Frances was the fourth daughter of the Rt Hon
William Brownlow. He became the 2nd Viscount De Vesci in 1804 on the death of
his father.
1 Thomas Vesey born circa 1803 became the 3rd Viscount de Vesci.
2 William John Vesey second son born 12 Aug 1806. He married Isabella
Elizabeth Brownlow on 27 Jul 1837 at St Peters, Dublin. Isabella was the
third daughter of Rev Francis Brownlow. They lived in Abbeyleix and later
at Glandore House, Dublin. He died 3 Aug 1863 and left 4k in personal
estate. Isabella died 8 Mar 1900 aged 93 at Glandore House, Mountown,
Co Dublin.
3 Catherine Vesey only daughter born circa 1803. She married her cousin, Lt
Col Patrick John Nugent of Portaferry on 30 Apr 1833 at the old church
adjoining the estate at Abbeyleix. John died on 23 Nov 1857 age 51 and
Catherine died in March 1882.
2 Arthur Vesey born circa 1773 took Holy orders. He was the incumbent of Abbeyleix
and Ballymakay. He married Sydney Louisa Johnston in 1811. Rev Vesey died in
December 1832 at his residence Knapton near Abbeyleix.
3 Selina Florence Vesey born circa 1775 married Andrew Savage of Portaferry in 1800.
In 1812 Andrew succeeded to the Dysart estates and assumed the name Nugent.
Andrew died 4 Feb 1846 at Portaferry and Selina died on 7 Oct 1857 at Moygannon,
near Warrenpoint.
3 Jane Vesey born circa 1739 married Sir Robert Staples in 1776. She died at Merrion Square
in August 1822.
© June Bow & Karen Poff - February 2026
Return to Seafield page