Biography of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton 1683-1757

On 1st August 1672 [his father] Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton (age 8) and [his mother] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton (age 4) were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Henry Bennet 1st Earl Arlington (age 54) and [his grandmother] Elisabeth Nassau Beverweert Countess Arlington (age 38). He the illegitmate son of [his grandfather] King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 42) and [his grandmother] Barbara Villiers 1st Duchess of Cleveland (age 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 Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton (age 20) and Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton (age 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 (age 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.

In 1698 [his step-father] Thomas Hanmer 4th Baronet (age 20) and [his mother] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton (age 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 (age 64).

Around 1713 [his son] Charles Fitzroy-Scudamore was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 29). He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 30th April 1713 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 29) and Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton (age 22) were married. She by marriage Duchess Grafton. He the son of Henry Fitzroy 1st Duke Grafton and Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton (age 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 (age 30) and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton (age 23). He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

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

In 1715 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 31) was appointed Privy Council.

On 24th August 1715 [his son] George Fitzroy Earl Euston was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 31) and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton (age 24). He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 18th December 1715 [his son] Charles Henry Fitzroy (age 1) died.

On 16th October 1716 [his son] Augustus Fitzroy was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 32) and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton (age 26). He a great grandson of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

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

In 1719 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 35) was one of the main supporters of the Royal Academy of Music.

In 1720 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 36) was appointed Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.

In 1721 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 37) was appointed 537th Knight of the Garter by King George I of Great Britain and Ireland (age 60).

On 8th April 1722 [his daughter] Caroline Fitzroy Countess Harrington was born to Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 38) and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton (age 31). She a great granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

On 7th February 1723 [his mother] Isabella Bennet Duchess Grafton (age 55) died. Her son Charles (age 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 (age 39) and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton (age 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 (age 42) and [his wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton (age 35). He mother died on 9th August 1726. She a great granddaughter of King Charles II of England Scotland and Ireland.

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

In March 1734 [his son] Augustus Fitzroy (age 17) and [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Cosby (age 13) were married. He the son of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 50) and [his former wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton.

In August 1735 [his daughter] Harriet Fitzroy (age 12) died.

In 1739 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 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 (age 28), Vere Beauclerk, 1st Baron Vere (age 39), and Micajah Perry, a Lord Mayor of London.

On 29th July 1739 [his son] Charles Fitzroy (age 21) died.

Around 1740. William Hoare (age 33). Portrait of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 56).

On 24th May 1741 [his son] Augustus Fitzroy (age 24) died at Jamaica.

On 29th May 1741 [his son-in-law] Francis Seymour-Conway 1st Marquess Hertford (age 22) and [his daughter] Isabella Fitzroy Countess Hertford (age 14) were married. She the daughter of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 57) and [his former wife] 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 [his son] George Fitzroy Earl Euston (age 26) and [his daughter-in-law] Dorothy Boyle Countess Euston (age 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 (age 47) and Dorothy Savile Countess Burlington (age 42). He the son of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 57) and [his former wife] 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 (age 25) wrote to Horace Mann 1st Baronet (age 36):

[Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 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 (age 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 (age 25) wrote to Horace Mann 1st Baronet (age 36):

[[his son] George Fitzroy Earl Euston (age 27)] ... forced himself to the Duke of Grafton's (age 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 [his son] Charles Fitzroy-Scudamore (age 31) and [his daughter-in-law] Frances Scudamore 3rd Duchess Beaufort (age 33) were married. She brought Holme Lacy House, Herefordshire [Map] to the marriage. He the son of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 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 (age 26) and [his daughter] Caroline Fitzroy Countess Harrington (age 24) were married. She the daughter of Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 62) and [his former wife] Henrietta Somerset Duchess Grafton. He the son of William Stanhope 1st Earl of Harrington (age 63) and Anne Griffith.

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

On 6th May 1757 Charles Fitzroy 2nd Duke Grafton (age 73) died. His grandson [his grandson] Augustus (age 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. [his granddaughter-in-law] Anne Liddell Duchess Grafton (age 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.