Biography of Elizabeth Butler Countess Derby 1660-1717

On 14th November 1659 [her father] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory [aged 25] and [her mother] Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory [aged 24] were married at Den Bosch. He the son of [her grandfather] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde [aged 49] and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Preston Duchess Ormonde [aged 44].

In 1660 Elizabeth Butler Countess Derby was born to [her father] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory [aged 25] and [her mother] Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory [aged 24].

In 1662 [her father] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory [aged 27] by writ of acceleration6th Earl Ossory. [her mother] Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory [aged 26] by marriage Countess Ossory.

In June 1671 William St Lawrence 12th Baron Howth [aged 43] died. His son Thomas [aged 12] succeeded 13th Baron Howth. He was placed nuder the guardianship of his father's friend Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory [aged 36].

On 21st December 1672 Charles Stanley 8th Earl of Derby [aged 44] died. His son [her future husband] William [aged 17] succeeded 9th Earl Derby, 3rd Baron Strange Knockin.

In 1673 William Stanley 9th Earl of Derby [aged 18] and Elizabeth Butler Countess Derby [aged 13] were married. She by marriage Countess Derby. She the daughter of Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory [aged 38] and Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory [aged 37]. He the son of Charles Stanley 8th Earl of Derby and Dorothea Helena Kirkoven Countess Derby [aged 43]. They were half third cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

John Evelyn's Diary. 6th September 1676. Supped at the Lord Chamberlain's [aged 58], where also supped the famous beauty and errant lady, the Duchess of Mazarine [aged 30] (all the world knows her story), the Duke of Monmouth [aged 27], Countess of Sussex [aged 15] (both natural children of the King [aged 46] by the Duchess of Cleveland [aged 35]) [Note. A mistake by Evelyn. Jame's Scott's mother was Lucy Walter, Anne Fitzroy's mother was Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland], and the Countess of Derby [aged 16], a virtuous lady, daughter to my best friend, the [her father] Earl of Ossory [aged 42].

John Evelyn's Diary. 26th July 1680. His Majesty [aged 50] never lost a worthier subject, nor father a better or more dutiful son; a loving, generous, good-natured, and perfectly obliging friend; one who had done innumerable kindnesses to several before they knew it; nor did he ever advance any that were not worthy; no one more brave, more modest; none more humble, sober, and every way virtuous. Unhappy England in this illustrious person's loss! Universal was the mourning for him, and the eulogies on him; I stayed night and day by his bedside to his last gasp, to close his dear eyes! O sad father, mother, wife, and children! What shall I add? He deserved all that a sincere friend, a brave soldier, a virtuous courtier, a loyal subject, an honest man, a bountiful master, and good Christian, could deserve of his prince and country. One thing more let me note, that he often expressed to me the abhorrence he had of that base and unworthy action which he was put upon, of engaging the Smyrna fleet in time of peace, in which though he behaved himself like a great captain, yet he told me it was the only blot in his life, and troubled him exceedingly. Though he was commanded, and never examined further when he was so, yet he always spoke of it with regret and detestation. The Countess [aged 45] was at the seat of her daughter, the Countess of Derby [aged 20], about 200 miles off.

On 30th July 1680 [her father] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory [aged 46] died. He was buried in the Duke of Ormonde Vault, King Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey the next day.

In 1682 [her brother] James Butler 2nd Duke Ormonde [aged 16] and [her sister-in-law] Anne Hyde were married. She the daughter of Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester [aged 39] and Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester [aged 36]. He the son of [her father] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory and [her mother] Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory [aged 46]. They were sixth cousins.

In 1685 [her brother] James Butler 2nd Duke Ormonde [aged 19] and [her sister-in-law] Mary Somerset Duchess Ormonde [aged 21] were married. She the daughter of Henry Somerset 1st Duke Beaufort [aged 56] and Mary Capell Duchess Beaufort [aged 54]. He the son of [her father] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory and [her mother] Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory [aged 49].

In 1687 [her daughter] Henrietta Stanley Countess Anglesey was born to [her husband] William Stanley 9th Earl of Derby [aged 32] and Elizabeth Butler Countess Derby [aged 27]. She married (1) 21st May 1706 John Annesley 4th Earl Anglesey, son of James Annesley 2nd Earl Anglesey and Elizabeth Manners Countess Anglesey (2) 24th July 1714 her half sixth cousin John Ashburnham 1st Earl Ashburnham, son of John Ashburnham 1st Baron Ashburnham and Bridget Vaughan Baroness Ashburnham, and had issue.

On 21st July 1688 [her grandfather] James Butler 1st Duke Ormonde [aged 77] died. His grandson [her brother] James [aged 23] de jure 2nd Duke Ormonde, 2nd Marquess Ormonde, 13th Earl Ormonde, 6th Earl Ossory. [her sister-in-law] Mary Somerset Duchess Ormonde [aged 24] by marriage Duchess Ormonde.

Before 12th December 1688 [her mother] Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory [aged 53] died. She was buried 12th December 1688 in the Duke of Ormonde Vault, King Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey.

On 12th January 1697 [her brother-in-law] Henry Nassau 1st Earl Grantham [aged 24] and [her sister] Henrietta Butler Countess Grantham were married. She the daughter of [her father] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory and [her mother] Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory. They were first cousins.

In 1698 [her brother-in-law] Henry Nassau 1st Earl Grantham [aged 25] was created 1st Earl Grantham. [her sister] Henrietta Butler Countess Grantham by marriage Countess Grantham.

Before 5th November 1702 [her son] James Stanley died.

On 5th November 1702 [her husband] William Stanley 9th Earl of Derby [aged 47] died. On His brother [her brother-in-law] James [aged 38] succeeded 10th Earl Derby. Baron Strange Knockin abeyant between his two daughters Henrietta Stanley Countess Anglesey [aged 15] and Elizabeth Stanley. On the death of Elizabeth Stanley in 1714 the abeyance was terminated in favour of Henrietta Stanley Countess Anglesey.

On 3rd June 1705 or 18th September 1721 [her brother] Charles Butler 3rd Duke Ormond [aged 33] and [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Crew Countess Arran [aged 26] were married. She by marriage Countess Arran. He the son of [her father] Thomas Butler 6th Earl Ossory and [her mother] Emilia Nassau Beverweert Countess Ossory.

On 21st May 1706 [her son-in-law] John Annesley 4th Earl Anglesey [aged 30] and Henrietta Stanley Countess Anglesey [aged 19] were married. She by marriage Countess Anglesey. She the daughter of William Stanley 9th Earl of Derby and Elizabeth Butler Countess Derby [aged 46]. He the son of James Annesley 2nd Earl Anglesey and Elizabeth Manners Countess Anglesey.

In 1714 [her daughter] Elizabeth Stanley died. In 1714 Her sister Henrietta [aged 27] abeyance terminated 4th Baroness Strange Knockin.

On 24th July 1714 [her son-in-law] John Ashburnham 1st Earl Ashburnham [aged 27] and Henrietta Stanley Countess Anglesey [aged 27] were married. She by marriage Baroness Ashburnham of Ashburnham in Sussex. She the daughter of William Stanley 9th Earl of Derby and Elizabeth Butler Countess Derby [aged 54]. They were half sixth cousins.

In 1717 Elizabeth Butler Countess Derby [aged 57] died. She was buried in the Duke of Ormonde Vault, King Henry VII Chapel, Westminster Abbey.

[her son] James Stanley was born to William Stanley 9th Earl of Derby and Elizabeth Butler Countess Derby.

[her daughter] Elizabeth Stanley was born to William Stanley 9th Earl of Derby and Elizabeth Butler Countess Derby.