James Stopford, 1st Earl of Courtown

Who was James Stopford, 1st Earl of Courtown?

James Stopford, 1st Earl of Courtown was an Irish politician.

Courtown was the son of James Stopford, of Courtown, County Wexford, who represented Wexford County in the Irish House of Commons, and his wife Frances. He succeeded his father as Member of Parliament for Wexford County in 1721, a seat he held until 1727, and then represented Fethard from 1727 to 1758. In 1756 he was appointed High Sheriff of Wexford. In 1758 he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Courtown, of Courtown in the County of Wexford. Four years later he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Stopford and Earl of Courtown, in the County of Wexford, also in the Peerage of Ireland.

Lord Courtown married Elizabeth, daughter of the Right Reverend Edward Smyth, Bishop of Down and Connor, in 1727. He died in January 1770 and was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son James, who became a prominent Tory politician. His second son the Hon. Edward Stopford was a Lieutenant-General in the Army. Another son. the Hon Thomas Stopford, became Bishop of Cork and Ross.

Lady Courtown survived her husband by 18 years and died in September 1788.