Arthur Blennerhassett (1719–1799) Explained

Arthur Blennerhassett (19 February 1719 – 8 June 1799) was an Anglo-Irish politician.

Blennerhassett was the son of John Blennerhassett and Jane Denny. He was elected to serve in the Irish House of Commons as the Member of Parliament for Tralee between 1743 and 1761.^[1] In 1775 he was elected as the MP for County Kerry, sitting until 1783.

He married Jane Girardot (former wife of Gustavus Hamilton [deceased]^[2] and mother of James Hamilton who later became Dean of Cloyne and the first astronomer of Armagh Observatory^[3]); together they had two daughters.^[4]

Notes and References

1. Sir Bernard Burke, A genealogical and heraldic history of the landed gentry of Ireland (1899), p.48.
2. The Gentleman's Magazine. The Gentleman's Magazine. 1747. 27. 247.
3. Book: Leslie, Rev. James B.. Armagh Clergy and Parishes. 1911. 62. Dundalk. William Tempest.
4. ThePeerage.com (entry #279701) http://www.thepeerage.com/p27971.htm (Accessed 6 June 2015)