Sir Theophilus Jones, (circa 1606–1610 to 1685) was an Irish soldier and government official of Welsh descent. One of five sons born to
Lewis Jones,
Bishop of Killaloe
The Bishop of Killaloe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Killaloe in County Clare, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bish ...
in the
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...
, he formed part of a close-knit and powerful Protestant family.
A grandson of
James Ussher
James Ussher (or Usher; 4 January 1581 – 21 March 1656) was the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625 and 1656. He was a prolific scholar and church leader, who today is most famous for his ident ...
,
head
A head is the part of an organism which usually includes the ears, brain, forehead, cheeks, chin, eyes, nose, and mouth, each of which aid in various sensory functions such as sight, hearing, smell, and taste. Some very simple animals may ...
of the
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...
from 1625 to 1656, in 1648 he married his cousin Alicia Ussher, another of his grandchildren. Of his four brothers,
Henry
Henry may refer to:
People
*Henry (given name)
* Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
and
Ambrose
Ambrose of Milan ( la, Aurelius Ambrosius; ), venerated as Saint Ambrose, ; lmo, Sant Ambroeus . was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promo ...
were also bishops in the Church of Ireland, while
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
and
Oliver were senior soldiers and politicians.
Little is known of his career prior to the
Irish Rebellion of 1641
The Irish Rebellion of 1641 ( ga, Éirí Amach 1641) was an uprising by Irish Catholics in the Kingdom of Ireland, who wanted an end to anti-Catholic discrimination, greater Irish self-governance, and to partially or fully reverse the plantatio ...
when he fought in the
Irish Confederate Wars
The Irish Confederate Wars, also called the Eleven Years' War (from ga, Cogadh na hAon-déag mBliana), took place in Ireland between 1641 and 1653. It was the Irish theatre of the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, a series of civil wars in the kin ...
, first with the
Earl of Ormonde's
Royal Irish Army
Royal may refer to:
People
* Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name
* A member of a royal family
Places United States
* Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community
* Royal, Illinois, a village
* Royal, Iowa, a cit ...
, then later under
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
. When Ireland was part of the
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth was the political structure during the period from 1649 to 1660 when England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, were governed as a republic after the end of the Second English Civil War and the trial and execut ...
from 1653 to 1660, he sat as
MP in the
Second
The second (symbol: s) is the unit of time in the International System of Units (SI), historically defined as of a day – this factor derived from the division of the day first into 24 hours, then to 60 minutes and finally to 60 seconds ...
and
Third Protectorate Parliament
The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons. It was a bicameral Parliament, with an Upper House having a powe ...
s. Prior to
The Restoration
Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to:
* Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
** Audio restoration
** Film restoration
** Image restoration
** Textile restoration
* Restoration ecology
...
in 1660, he and his brother Henry were instrumental in securing Ireland for
Charles II.
In return, he was appointed to the
Privy Council of Ireland
His or Her Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland, commonly called the Privy Council of Ireland, Irish Privy Council, or in earlier centuries the Irish Council, was the institution within the Dublin Castle administration which exercised formal executi ...
, made
Clerk of the Pells The Pell Office was a department of the Exchequer in which the receipts and payments were entered upon two rolls of parchment, the one called the ''introitta'', which was the record of monies received, and the other the ''exitus'', or the record of ...
in the
Exchequer of Ireland
The Exchequer of Ireland was a body in the Kingdom of Ireland tasked with collecting The Crown, royal revenue. Modelled on the Exchequer, English Exchequer, it was created in 1210 after King John of England applied English law and legal structure ...
, Scoutmaster of Ireland and elected for
Meath in the 1661 to 1666
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland ( ga, Parlaimint na hÉireann) was the legislature of the Lordship of Ireland, and later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1297 until 1800. It was modelled on the Parliament of England and from 1537 comprised two chamb ...
. He largely withdrew from public life after 1664 and died in Osbertstown,
County Kildare
County Kildare ( ga, Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county, ...
on 2 January 1685.
Personal life
Theophilus Jones was born sometime between 1606 to 1610, probably in
Ardagh, County Longford
Ardagh (, older version ) is a village in County Longford, Ireland. Ardagh is located towards the south of County Longford, southwest of Longford town, located off the N4 road. Originally a site of pre-Christian worship, Ardagh became a site ...
, third of five sons of
Lewis Jones (1560–1646), a Welsh priest who joined the
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland ( ga, Eaglais na hÉireann, ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Kirk o Airlann, ) is a Christian church in Ireland and an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. It is organised on an all-Ireland basis and is the second ...
in 1605 and became
Bishop of Killaloe
The Bishop of Killaloe ( ) is an episcopal title which takes its name after the town of Killaloe in County Clare, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but in the Church of Ireland it has been united with other bish ...
in 1633. His mother Mabel was sister to
James Ussher
James Ussher (or Usher; 4 January 1581 – 21 March 1656) was the Church of Ireland Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland between 1625 and 1656. He was a prolific scholar and church leader, who today is most famous for his ident ...
, head of the church from 1625 to 1656, while his brothers
Henry
Henry may refer to:
People
*Henry (given name)
* Henry (surname)
* Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry
Royalty
* Portuguese royalty
** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal
** Henry, Count of Portugal, ...
(1605–1681) and
Ambrose
Ambrose of Milan ( la, Aurelius Ambrosius; ), venerated as Saint Ambrose, ; lmo, Sant Ambroeus . was a theologian and statesman who served as Bishop of Milan from 374 to 397. He expressed himself prominently as a public figure, fiercely promo ...
(died 1678), also became bishops. His other brothers,
Michael
Michael may refer to:
People
* Michael (given name), a given name
* Michael (surname), including a list of people with the surname Michael
Given name "Michael"
* Michael (archangel), ''first'' of God's archangels in the Jewish, Christian an ...
(ca 1606/1610–1649) and
Oliver (ca 1612–1664), were soldiers and politicians.
In 1648, he married Alicia Ussher (1625–1690), daughter of Sir Arthur Ussher; they had at least three children who survived to adulthood, Arthur, Judith and Mabella. His daughter Judith married Francis Butler (1634–1702),
Member of Parliament
A member of parliament (MP) is the representative in parliament of the people who live in their electoral district. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, this term refers only to members of the lower house since upper house members of ...
for
Belturbet
Belturbet (; ) is a town in County Cavan, Ireland. It lies on the N3 road, around north of Cavan town and from Dublin. It is also located around south of the border with Northern Ireland, between the counties of Cavan and Fermanagh, and fr ...
from 1661 to 1666.
Career
Irish Confederate Wars; 1641 to 1653
Almost nothing is known of Jones' career prior to the outbreak of the
Irish Rebellion in October 1641; like his brothers Michael and Oliver, he joined the
Royal Army raised to suppress it, commanded by the
Earl of Ormond. His brother Henry was taken prisoner at the family home in
Ballinagh
Ballinagh, officially Bellananagh (), is a village in County Cavan, Ireland. It lies on the N55 midlands route.
Buildings of note
Ballinagh Market House is a five-bay two-storey building constructed in 1821; it is currently in use as a store ho ...
; released in December, he prepared a report of alleged Catholic atrocities, titled "A remonstrance of divers remarkable passages concerning the church and kingdom of Ireland". Later published by the
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England from the 13th century until 1707 when it was replaced by the Parliament of Great Britain. Parliament evolved from the great council of bishops and peers that advised t ...
, it played a key role in shaping English and Protestant views of the rebellion.
In December 1641, Theophilus was appointed captain in
Lord Edward Conway's regiment, an infantry unit raised in
Ulster
Ulster (; ga, Ulaidh or ''Cúige Uladh'' ; sco, label= Ulster Scots, Ulstèr or ''Ulster'') is one of the four traditional Irish provinces. It is made up of nine counties: six of these constitute Northern Ireland (a part of the United King ...
. Ormond's forces in the north were supported by Scots
Covenanter
Covenanters ( gd, Cùmhnantaich) were members of a 17th-century Scottish religious and political movement, who supported a Presbyterian Church of Scotland, and the primacy of its leaders in religious affairs. The name is derived from ''Covenan ...
s under
Alexander Leslie
Alexander Leslie, 1st Earl of Leven (15804 April 1661) was a Scottish soldier in Swedish and Scottish service. Born illegitimate and raised as a foster child, he subsequently advanced to the rank of a Swedish Field Marshal, and in Scotland b ...
, who captured
Dungannon
Dungannon () is a town in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is the second-largest town in the county (after Omagh) and had a population of 14,340 at the 2011 Census. The Dungannon and South Tyrone Borough Council had its headquarters in the ...
in September 1642; Jones was appointed garrison commander before the
Catholic Confederacy took it back in spring 1643. The outbreak of the
First English Civil War
The First English Civil War took place in England and Wales from 1642 to 1646, and forms part of the 1639 to 1653 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. They include the Bishops' Wars, the Irish Confederate Wars, the Second English Civil War, the Anglo ...
in August 1642 meant the Irish Army could no longer receive reinforcements or money from England; by mid-1643, the Confederacy held most of Ireland, apart from Ulster,
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
and
Cork City
Cork ( , from , meaning 'marsh') is the second largest city in Ireland and third largest city by population on the island of Ireland. It is located in the south-west of Ireland, in the province of Munster. Following an extension to the city' ...
.
Charles I Charles I may refer to:
Kings and emperors
* Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings
* Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily
* Charles I of ...
wanted to use troops from Ireland to defeat his
Parliamentarian opponents in England, and in September 1643, Ormond agreed a truce or "Cessation" with the Confederacy. Factions on both sides objected to the terms, which included negotiations on freedom of worship for Catholics and constitutional reforms. In Ulster, it created a three way contest between Ormond's
Royalists
A royalist supports a particular monarch as head of state for a particular kingdom, or of a particular dynastic claim. In the abstract, this position is royalism. It is distinct from monarchism, which advocates a monarchical system of governm ...
, Confederate troops under Gaelic Catholic leader
Eoghan Ó Néill, and
Presbyterian militia, known as the
Laggan Army
The Laggan Army, sometimes referred to as Lagan Army, was a militia formed by Protestant settlers in the fertile Laggan Valley of County Donegal, Ulster, during the time of the Irish Rebellion of 1641.
Background
Following the defeat of G ...
, supported by Covenanters under
Robert Munro, who were allies of Parliament.
Michael Jones was among the Irish troops sent to England and defected to Parliament; although they shared his opposition to the truce, Henry and Theophilus remained loyal to Ormond. In return, Theophilus was knighted in early 1644, while Henry was appointed
Bishop of Clogher
The Bishop of Clogher is an episcopal title which takes its name after the village of Clogher in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. Following the Reformation, there are now parallel apostolic successions: one of the Church of Ireland and the ot ...
in 1645. Promoted to
Lieutenant-Colonel
Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, Jones was made governor of
Lisburn
Lisburn (; ) is a city in Northern Ireland. It is southwest of Belfast city centre, on the River Lagan, which forms the boundary between County Antrim and County Down. First laid out in the 17th century by English and Welsh settlers, with ...
in early 1644. In May, he refused entry to troops led by Munro, appointed Parliamentarian commander in Ulster, but despite refusing to acknowledge orders issued by Parliament the two sides generally co-operated. Jones' regiment was present when Munro was defeated at
Benburb
Benburb ()) is a village and townland in County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It lies 7.5 miles from Armagh and 8 miles from Dungannon. The River Blackwater runs alongside the village as does the Ulster Canal.
History
It is best known, in his ...
in June 1646, although it is not clear whether he was.
The First English Civil War ended a few days later when Charles surrendered, and with his approval Ormond signed an alliance with the Confederation to restore him to the throne. However, non-negotiables for Charles, Ormond and Irish Royalists like Theophilus and his brothers was the supremacy of the Protestant Church of Ireland, and acceptance of land settlements made prior to 1641. As a result, the terms were rejected by Ó Néill, whose estates in Ulster had been confiscated in
1610, and a rebel faction who insisted on Catholicism as the national religion.
Placed in command of
Kells, County Antrim
Kells () is a village near Ballymena in County Antrim, Northern Ireland, that also encompasses the neighbouring village of Connor () ( Ulster-Scots: ''Connyer''). As such it is also known as Kells and Connor in which they share a primary school ...
, Jones was taken prisoner when it was captured by Ó Néill in December 1646. In June 1647, his brother Michael was appointed Parliamentarian Governor of Dublin in place of Ormond, and the revitalised Protestant army won decisive victories at
Dungans Hill and
Knocknanauss in August and September 1647. The Confederation now re-opened talks with Ormond, once again opposed by Ó Néill, who agreed a separate truce in August 1648 with Michael Jones; negotiated by Henry Jones, its terms included the release of Theophilus.
Now firmly on the side of Parliament, Theophilus was sent to London in October to raise fresh troops and money and was present at the
Execution of Charles I
The execution of Charles I by beheading occurred on Tuesday, 30 January 1649 outside the Banqueting House on Whitehall. The execution was the culmination of political and military conflicts between the royalists and the parliamentarians in Eng ...
on 30 January. This action led to an alliance between Ormond, the Confederation, the Laggan Army and Munro's Covenanters, with the objective of restoring his son
Charles II. In early summer, Theophilus returned to Dublin and took part in the
Battle of Rathmines
The Battle of Rathmines was fought on 2 August 1649, near the modern Dublin suburb of Rathmines, during the Irish Confederate Wars, an associated conflict of 1638 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms. It has been described as the 'decisive battle ...
, a decisive victory won by his brother Michael over the Ormond-Confederate alliance. After
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (25 April 15993 September 1658) was an English politician and military officer who is widely regarded as one of the most important statesmen in English history. He came to prominence during the 1639 to 1651 Wars of the Three Ki ...
landed with the main expeditionary force in August, Theophilus was left in Dublin; Michael accompanied Cromwell on his autumn campaign and died of disease in December.
For the next three years, Jones served with
Robert Venables
Robert Venables (ca. 1613–1687), was an English soldier from Cheshire, who fought for Parliament in the 1638 to 1651 Wars of the Three Kingdoms, and captured Jamaica in 1655.
When the Anglo-Spanish War began in 1654, he was made joint comm ...
in the campaign to subdue
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
and Ulster, including the battles of
Scarrifholis and
Lisnagarvey
Lisnagarvey or Lisnagarvy () is a townland in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Lisnagarvey is also an Anglicisation of the original name of Lisburn.
The townland was named after an earthen ringfort (''lios''), which was in the area of present-day ...
. In April 1653, the last of the rebel leaders in Ulster surrendered to him at
Cloughoughter Castle
Cloughoughter Castle () is a ruined circular castle on a small island in Lough Oughter
Lough Oughter () is a lake, or complex of lakes, in County Cavan covering more than . The complex of lakes lies on the River Erne, and forms the southern ...
.
Post 1653
With hostilities at an end, Jones and his brothers remained active in politics, although both Henry and Ambrose refused to accept the removal of bishops from the Church of Ireland. Scotland and Ireland were made part of the
Commonwealth of England
The Commonwealth was the political structure during the period from 1649 to 1660 when England and Wales, later along with Ireland and Scotland, were governed as a republic after the end of the Second English Civil War and the trial and execut ...
, with one unified Parliament and in 1656 he was elected to the
Second Protectorate Parliament
The Second Protectorate Parliament in England sat for two sessions from 17 September 1656 until 4 February 1658, with Thomas Widdrington as the Speaker of the House of Commons. In its first session, the House of Commons was its only chamber; in t ...
, representing a combined seat for
Westmeath
"Noble above nobility"
, image_map = Island of Ireland location map Westmeath.svg
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Ireland
, subdivision_type1 = Province
, subdivision_name1 =
, subdivis ...
,
Longford
Longford () is the county town of County Longford in Ireland. It has a population of 10,008 according to the 2016 census. It is the biggest town in the county and about one third of the county's population lives there. Longford lies at the meet ...
, and
King's counties. He also sat in the short-lived
Third Protectorate Parliament
The Third Protectorate Parliament sat for one session, from 27 January 1659 until 22 April 1659, with Chaloner Chute and Thomas Bampfylde as the Speakers of the House of Commons. It was a bicameral Parliament, with an Upper House having a powe ...
in 1659, before falling from favour and joining with Henry,
Charles Coote and others in overthrowing the Commonwealth government in Ireland.
Following the
Restoration
Restoration is the act of restoring something to its original state and may refer to:
* Conservation and restoration of cultural heritage
** Audio restoration
** Film restoration
** Image restoration
** Textile restoration
* Restoration ecology
...
of Charles II in 1660, Jones was appointed to the new
Privy Council of Ireland
His or Her Majesty's Privy Council in Ireland, commonly called the Privy Council of Ireland, Irish Privy Council, or in earlier centuries the Irish Council, was the institution within the Dublin Castle administration which exercised formal executi ...
and made
Clerk of the Pells The Pell Office was a department of the Exchequer in which the receipts and payments were entered upon two rolls of parchment, the one called the ''introitta'', which was the record of monies received, and the other the ''exitus'', or the record of ...
in the
Exchequer of Ireland
The Exchequer of Ireland was a body in the Kingdom of Ireland tasked with collecting The Crown, royal revenue. Modelled on the Exchequer, English Exchequer, it was created in 1210 after King John of England applied English law and legal structure ...
. He succeeded his brother Henry as Scoutmaster-General of Ireland in 1661 and represented
Meath in the restored
Parliament of Ireland
The Parliament of Ireland ( ga, Parlaimint na hÉireann) was the legislature of the Lordship of Ireland, and later the Kingdom of Ireland, from 1297 until 1800. It was modelled on the Parliament of England and from 1537 comprised two chamb ...
from 1661 to 1666; his brother Oliver was MP for
Knocktopher
Knocktopher (historically ''Knocktofer'' and ''Knocktover''; ) is a village in County Kilkenny, Ireland. It is situated on the R713 road between the villages of Stoneyford to the north, and Ballyhale to the south. It was formerly situated on ...
. The diarist
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys (; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English diarist and naval administrator. He served as administrator of the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament and is most famous for the diary he kept for a decade. Pepys had no mariti ...
records having dinner with him in London in September 1661, along with Sir
George Ayscue
Admiral Sir George Ayscue (c. 1616 – 5 April 1672) was an English naval officer who served in the English Civil War and the Anglo-Dutch Wars who rose to the rank of Admiral of the White. He also served as Governor of Scilly Isles (1647) and G ...
and
Sir William Penn
Sir William Penn (23 April 1621 – 16 September 1670) was an English admiral and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1660 to 1670. He was the father of William Penn, founder of the Province of Pennsylvania (today, Commonwealth of Pe ...
, senior officers in the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...
who served in Ireland with Cromwell.
He helped suppress a Presbyterian-backed plot to seize
Dublin Castle
Dublin Castle ( ga, Caisleán Bhaile Átha Cliath) is a former Motte-and-bailey castle and current Irish government complex and conference centre. It was chosen for its position at the highest point of central Dublin.
Until 1922 it was the se ...
in 1662, and effectively retired from public life in 1664; thereafter, much of his time was spent on legal battles over
Lucan Manor
Lucan Manor is a Georgian-Palladian house and estate in Lucan, County Dublin. A manor house, it is remembered particularly for its association with the Sarsfield family. A castle or house has been recorded on the site since at least the 12th ce ...
, an estate awarded to him in 1654. This had been confiscated from
Patrick Sarsfield
Patrick Sarsfield, 1st Earl of Lucan, ga, Pádraig Sáirseál, circa 1655 to 21 August 1693, was an Irish soldier, and leading figure in the Jacobite army during the 1689 to 1691 Williamite War in Ireland.
Born into a wealthy Catholic famil ...
, a senior commander in the Confederacy, whose eldest son
Wllliam married Mary Croft, sister of
Duke of Monmouth
Duke is a male title either of a monarch ruling over a duchy, or of a member of royalty, or nobility. As rulers, dukes are ranked below emperors, kings, grand princes, grand dukes, and sovereign princes. As royalty or nobility, they are ranked ...
, an illegitimate son of Charles II. William used this connection to have the family lands returned in 1674 and Jones was compensated with lands elsewhere.
He died in Osbertstown,
County Kildare
County Kildare ( ga, Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county, ...
on 2 January 1685, leaving his property to his son Arthur.
References
Sources
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Commonwealth Parliament
{{DEFAULTSORT:Jones, Sir Theophilus
Year of birth missing
1685 deaths
English MPs 1654–1655
English MPs 1656–1658
English MPs 1659
Irish MPs 1661–1666
Members of the Privy Council of Ireland
Members of the Parliament of Ireland (pre-1801) for County Meath constituencies
People of the Irish Confederate Wars
Irish soldiers
Irish Protestants
Irish people of Welsh descent