James Hewitt Massy-Dawson

13th Sep 1779 - 2nd Oct 1834

Claimant or beneficiary

Biography

Irish Tory MP and landowner, inherited a half-share in Prospect Pen and Pembroke Hall estates in St Mary, Jamaica, through his marriage to Eliza Jane Dennis. He was also the co-legatee in trust of his mother-in-law Mary Bourke Dennis (q.v.). He died in 1834; the compensation was claimed by his sister-in-law Maria Frances Pallmer (q.v.), his children Nicholas Pallmer Massy-Dawson (q.v.), Isabella Pallmer Massy-Dawson (q.v.), Capt. James Massy-Dawson (q.v.), Rev. John Massy-Dawson (q.v.) and his son-in-law Robert Montagu Poore (q.v.) and his grandson Robert Bolton Massy (q.v.).

  1. From a landowning Tipperary family. His father was the second son of Hugh Massy, 1st Baron Massy. His mother was Mary Dawson, the daughter and heiress of James Dawson of Ballynacourte.

  2. Massy, who became Massy Dawson in 1827, applied unsuccessfully for a baronetcy 1823-1825. His application was interesting because of his rebuttal of the charge that he was an Irish absentee landlord in Ireland: "I have been told I am considered an absentee which is a bar to my prospects ... in reply to which I wish briefly to inform you that being in Parliament I am obliged to have a house in London, but I assure you I spend nearly six months of every year in Ireland and I have ... never missed attending both assizes in my county town ... besides which I keep in my own hands a considerable part of my own property consisting of large woods, and employ many hands of the labouring classes."

  3. According to Fisher, there were 7 daughters, each of whom was left an annuity of £1,000 in a trust controlled by Eyre Coote, his son-in-law. He was succeeded in the family estates by his eldest son James (1802-37), an army officer.


Sources

T71/856 St Mary claim nos. 336 (Prospect Pen) and 387 (Pembroke Hall Estate).

  1. For family tree of Massy-Dawson see: Massy-Dawson family tree in FamilySearch

  2. http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1820-1832/member/massy-james-1779-1834 [accessed 06/08/2012].

  3. Ibid.


Further Information

Absentee?
British/Irish
Spouse
Eliza Jane Dennis
Children
James(1802-1847), Francis Dennis (1803-1870), John (1806-), Anna Maria (1807-1865), Elizabeth R. (1808-1858), Isabella P. (1812-1860), Robert Bolton (1814-), Louisa S. (1815-1908), George Staunton King(1816-1897), Adelaide (1818-), Helena Frances (1819-)
University
Oxford (Exeter) [1796 ]
Occupation
Politician and landowner

Associated Claims (2)

£3,601 8s 1d
Deceased awardee
£4,922 5s 6d
Deceased awardee

Associated Estates (2)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
11/03/1800 [SD] - 02/10/1834 [ED] → Joint owner
11/03/1800 [SD] - 02/10/1834 [ED] → Joint owner

Legacies Summary

Commercial (1)

Director
Rock Reversionary and Loan Society
Financial services - credit  
 

Political (1)

MP
 
election →
Clonmel Tipperary
1820 - 1830
election →
Limerick Limerick
1830

Relationships (13)

Son-in-law → Father-in-law
Son-in-law → Mother-in-law
Husband → Wife
Brother-in-law → Sister-in-law
Brother-in-laws
Notes →
Their wives were...
Father → Son
Father → Son
Father → Daughter
Father → Daughter
Father → Son
Father → Daughter
Father-in-law → Son-in-law
Brother-in-laws
Notes →
In his will Hugh Ingoldsby Massy described James Hewitt Massy-Dawson as his brother-in-law. The two men had married the Dennis sisters: Massy's widow remarried, to Charles Nicholas...

Addresses (1)

Gloucester Place, London, Middlesex, London, England