Biography of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton 1683-1757

On 1st August 1672 [his father] Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton [aged 8] and [his mother] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton [aged 4] were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Henry Bennet 1st Earl Arlington [aged 54] and [his grandmother] Elisabeth Nassau Beverweert Countess Arlington [aged 38]. He the illegitmate son of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland [aged 42] and Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland [aged 31]. They were half sixth cousins.

He was created 1st Earl Euston, 1st Viscount Ipswich, 1st Baron Sudbury. Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton by marriage Countess Euston.

On 25th October 1683 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton was born to [his father] Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton [aged 20] and [his mother] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton [aged 15]. He a grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

John Evelyn's Diary. 26th November 1683. I went to compliment the [his mother] Duchess of Grafton [aged 15], now lying-in of her first child, a son, which she called for, that I might see it. She was become more beautiful, if it were possible, than before, and full of virtue and sweetness. She discoursed with me of many particulars, with great prudence and gravity beyond her years.

On 28th July 1685 [his grandfather] Henry Bennet 1st Earl Arlington [aged 67] died. His daughter [his mother] Isabella [aged 17] succeeded 2nd Countess Arlington, 2nd Viscountess Thetford, 2nd Baroness Arlington of Arlington in Middlesex and 2nd Baroness Arlington of Arlington in Middlesex.

In 1686 John Talbot [aged 21] was killed in a duel by [his father] Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton [aged 22].

In March 1686 [his uncle] George Fitzroy 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 20] and Catherine Wheatley were married. Soon after the marriage Northumberland and his brother, [his father] Henry FitzRoy, 1st Duke of Grafton [aged 22], allegedly attempted to privately convey her abroad to an English convent in Ghent [Map], Belgium. He the illegitmate son of [his grandfather] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland and [his grandmother] Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland [aged 45].

In 1698 [his step-father] Thomas Hanmer 4th Baronet [aged 20] and [his mother] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton [aged 30] were married. She by marriage Lady Hamner of Hamner in Flintshire. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Henry Bennet 1st Earl Arlington and [his grandmother] Elisabeth Nassau Beverweert Countess Arlington [aged 64].

In August 1701 John Hamner 3rd Baronet [aged 69] was killed in a duel (probably). His nephew [his step-father] Thomas [aged 23] succeeded 4th Baronet Hamner of Hamner in Flintshire. [his mother] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton [aged 33] by marriage Lady Hamner of Hamner in Flintshire.

Around 1713 [his son] Charles Fitzroy-Scudamore was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 29]. He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. He married 1744 his fifth cousin once removed Frances Scudamore 3rd Duchess Beaufort, daughter of James Scudamore 3rd Viscount Scudamore and Frances Digby Viscountess Scudamore, and had issue.

On 30th April 1713 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 29] and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 22] were married. She by marriage Duchess Grafton. He the son of Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton and Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton [aged 45]. They were half fifth cousin once removed. He a grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 13th April 1714 [his son] Charles Henry Fitzroy was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 30] and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 23]. He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. He died aged one in 1715.

On 24th April 1714 [his brother-in-law] Henry Somerset 2nd Duke Beaufort [aged 30] died. He was buried at St Michael and all Angels Church, Badminton. His son Henry [aged 7] succeeded 3rd Duke Beaufort, 5th Marquess Worcester, 9th Earl Worcester, 11th Baron Herbert of Raglan.

In 1715 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 31] was appointed Privy Council.

On 24th August 1715 [his son] George Fitzroy Earl Euston was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 31] and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 24]. He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. He married 10th October 1741 his fifth cousin Dorothy Boyle Countess Euston, daughter of Richard Boyle 3rd Earl Burlington and Dorothy Savile Countess Burlington.

On 18th December 1715 [his son] Charles Henry Fitzroy [aged 1] died.

On 16th October 1716 [his son] Augustus Fitzroy was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 32] and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 26]. He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. He married March 1734 Elizabeth Cosby and had issue.

On 23rd April 1718 [his son] Charles Fitzroy was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 34] and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 27]. He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

In 1719 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 35] was one of the main supporters of the Royal Academy of Music.

In 1720 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 36] was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

In 1721 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 37] was appointed 537th Knight of the Garter by King George I [aged 60].

On 8th April 1722 [his daughter] Caroline Fitzroy Countess Harrington was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 38] and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 31]. She a great granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She married 11th August 1746 William Stanhope 2nd Earl of Harrington, son of William Stanhope 1st Earl of Harrington and Anne Griffith, and had issue.

On 7th February 1723 [his mother] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton [aged 55] died. Her son Charles [aged 39] succeeded 3rd Earl Arlington, 3rd Viscount Thetford, 3rd Baron Arlington of Arlington in Middlesex and 3rd Baron Arlington of Arlington in Middlesex.

On 8th June 1723 [his daughter] Harriet Fitzroy was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 39] and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 32]. She a great granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On or before 9th August 1726 [his daughter] Isabella Fitzroy Countess Hertford was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 42] and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 35]. He mother died on 9th August 1726. She a great granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland. She married 29th May 1741 her fifth cousin once removed Francis Seymour-Conway 1st Marquess Hertford, son of Francis Seymour-Conway 1st Baron Conway and Charlotte Shorter, and had issue.

On 9th August 1726 [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton [aged 35] died.

In March 1734 Augustus Fitzroy [aged 17] and Elizabeth Cosby [aged 13] were married. He the son of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 50] and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton.

In August 1735 [his daughter] Harriet Fitzroy [aged 12] died.

In 1739 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 55] supported the creation of the Foundling Hospital. He sat on that charity's original Court of Governors with such fellow Governors as John Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford [aged 28], Vere Beauclerk, 1st Baron Vere [aged 39], and Micajah Perry, a Lord Mayor of London.

On 29th July 1739 [his son] Charles Fitzroy [aged 21] died.

Around 1740. William Hoare [aged 33]. Portrait of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 56].

On 24th May 1741 [his son] Augustus Fitzroy [aged 24] died at Jamaica.

On 29th May 1741 [his son-in-law] Francis Seymour-Conway 1st Marquess Hertford [aged 22] and Isabella Fitzroy Countess Hertford [aged 14] were married. She the daughter of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 57] and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton. They were fifth cousin once removed. She a great granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 10th October 1741 George Fitzroy Earl Euston [aged 26] and Dorothy Boyle Countess Euston [aged 17] were married. She died seven months later. He was accused of treating her with the "utmost brutality". She the daughter of Richard Boyle 3rd Earl Burlington [aged 47] and Dorothy Savile Countess Burlington [aged 42]. He the son of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 57] and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton. They were fifth cousins. He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 29th June 1743 Horace Walpole 4th Earl Orford [aged 25] wrote to Horace Mann 1st Baronet [aged 36]:

[Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 59]]... is so unhappy in his heir apparent, that he checks his hand in almost everything he undertakes. Last week he heard a new exploit of his barbarity. A tenant of [his son] Lord Euston [aged 27] in Northamptonshire brought him his rent, and the Lord said it wanted three and sixpence: the tenant begged he would examine the account, that it would prove exact - however, to content him, he would willingly pay him the three and sixpence. Lord E. flew into a rage and vowed he would write to the Duke to have him turned out of a little place he has in the post office of thirty pounds a year. The poor man, who has six children, and knew nothing of my Lord's being on no terms of power with his father, went home and shot himself.

In August 1743 Horace Walpole 4th Earl Orford [aged 25] wrote to Horace Mann 1st Baronet [aged 36]:

[George Fitzroy Earl Euston [aged 27]]... forced himself to the Duke of Grafton's [aged 59] house... threw himself at his feet, professed great remorse for his past conduct, and promised an entire reformation for the time to come. But the Duke told him he had tried him too often to be deceived any more and that God was his witness that no man ever loved his son more tenderly, and seen him lost with greater pain, but that was over now; that he attempted in vain to move the bowels of a father who had long since looked upon himself to have no son.

In 1744 Charles Fitzroy-Scudamore [aged 31] and Frances Scudamore 3rd Duchess Beaufort [aged 33] were married. She brought Holme Lacy House, Herefordshire [Map] to the marriage. He the son of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 60]. They were fifth cousin once removed. He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 11th August 1746 [his son-in-law] William Stanhope 2nd Earl of Harrington [aged 26] and Caroline Fitzroy Countess Harrington [aged 24] were married. She the daughter of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 62] and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton. He the son of William Stanhope 1st Earl of Harrington [aged 63] and Anne Griffith.

On 7th July 1747 [his son] George Fitzroy Earl Euston [aged 31] died without issue.

On 6th May 1757 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton [aged 73] died. His grandson Augustus [aged 21] succeeded 3rd Duke Grafton, 3rd Earl Euston, 3rd Viscount Ipswich, 3rd Baron Sudbury, 4th Earl Arlington, 4th Viscount Thetford, 4th Baron Arlington of Arlington in Middlesex and 4th Baron Arlington of Arlington in Middlesex. Anne Liddell Duchess Grafton [aged 20] by marriage Duchess Grafton.

[his son] Charles Fitzroy was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton. He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.