Sir Thomas Vesey, 1st Baronet (1668?–1730), was an

Anglo-Irish Anglo-Irish people () denotes an ethnic, social and religious grouping who are mostly the descendants and successors of the English Protestant Ascendancy in Ireland. They mostly belong to the Anglican Church of Ireland, which was the State rel ...

clergyman. He was

Bishop of Ossory . The Bishop of Ossory () is an Episcopal polity, episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Provinces of Ireland, Province of Leinster, Ireland. In the Catholic Church it remains a separate title, but i ...

from 1714 to 1730. He was born at

Cork "Cork" or "CORK" may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Stopper (plug), or "cork", a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container *** Wine cork an item to seal or reseal wine Places Ireland * ...

, Ireland, when his father,

John Vesey John Vesey or Veysey ( – 23 October 1554) was Bishop of Exeter from 1519 until his death in 1554, having been briefly deposed 1551–3 by King Edward VI for his opposition to the Reformation. Origins He was born (as "John Harman"), probab ...

, later

Archbishop of Tuam The Archbishop of Tuam ( ; ) is an Episcopal polity, archbishop which takes its name after the town of Tuam in County Galway, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The title was used by the Church of Ireland until 1839, and is still in use by the Cathol ...

, was

Dean of Cork Saint Fin Barre's Cathedral () is a Gothic Revival three-spire Church of Ireland cathedral in Cork (city), Cork city, Ireland. It is located on the south bank of the River Lee and dedicated to Finbarr of Cork, patron saint of the city. Formerl ...

. He was educated at Eton and

Christ Church, Oxford Christ Church (, the temple or house, ''wikt:aedes, ædes'', of Christ, and thus sometimes known as "The House") is a Colleges of the University of Oxford, constituent college of the University of Oxford in England. Founded in 1546 by Henry V ...

, and became a fellow of

Oriel College Oriel College () is a constituent college of the University of Oxford in Oxford, England. Located in Oriel Square, the college has the distinction of being the oldest royal foundation in Oxford (a title formerly claimed by University College, ...

. His mother was John's second wife Anne Muschamp. He married Mary, only surviving daughter and heiress of Denny Muschamp, Esq., of Horsley, Surrey, and his wife Elizabeth Boyle, and, through her, came into a considerable estate. Mary was a cousin on his mother's side. On 13 July (patent 28 Sept.) 1698, he was created a baronet of Abbeyleix in the

Baronetage of Ireland Baronets are hereditary titles awarded by the Crown. The current baronetage of the United Kingdom has replaced the earlier, existing baronetages of England, Nova Scotia, Ireland and Great Britain. To be recognised as a baronet, it is necessary ...

. Taking holy orders, he was ordained as a priest on 24 June 1700, and, becoming chaplain to

James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde James FitzJames Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde, (1665–1745) was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the third of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the Earl of Ormond (Ireland), earldom of Ormond. Like his grandfather, the 1st Duke, ...

, and Archdeacon of Tuam, was by his influence advanced to the bishopric of Killaloe on 12 June 1713. The following year he became Bishop of Ossory. He died on 6 August 1730,Toby Barnard, ‘Vesey, Sir Thomas, first baronet (1672/3–1730)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 200
accessed 16 August 2015
/ref> and was buried in St. Anne's Church, Dublin. His only son and heir,

, was created

Baron Knapton Knapton is a village and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. Knapton is located south-east of Cromer and north-east of Norwich, along the B1145. History Knapton's name is of Anglo-Saxon origin and derives from the Old English for ...

in 1750 and was the ancestor to the Viscounts de Vesci and William Vesey-FitzGerald, 2nd Baron FitzGerald and Vesey.

Elizabeth Vesey Elizabeth Vesey (1715 in Ossory, Ireland – 1791 in Chelsea, London) was a wealthy Irish intellectual who is credited with fostering the Bluestockings, a society which hosted informal literary and political discussions of which she was an ...

was his daughter. He also had another daughter, Letitia (1708-1747), who married Ven. Charles Meredyth.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Vesey, Thomas 1660s births Year of birth uncertain 1730 deaths People educated at Eton College Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford Fellows of Oriel College, Oxford Archdeacons of Tuam 18th-century Anglican bishops in Ireland Anglican bishops of Ossory Anglican bishops of Killaloe Baronets in the Baronetage of Ireland Christian clergy from Cork (city)