Sir John Fowell, 2nd Baronet (14 August 1623 - 8 January 1677) of Fowelscombe in the parish of Ugborough[1] in Devon, was thrice elected a Member of Parliament for Ashburton in Devon, between 1659 and 1677. He fought in the Parliamentary army during the Civil War and following the Restoration of the Monarchy was appointed in 1666 by King Charles II Vice-Admiral of Devon.
Fowell was the eldest son and heir of Sir Edmund Fowell, 1st Baronet (1593-1674), of Fowelscombe, by his wife Margaret Poulett, a daughter of Sir Anthony Poulett (1562–1600) (alias Pawlett, etc.), of Hinton St George in Somerset, Governor of Jersey and Captain of the Guard to Queen Elizabeth I and a sister of John Poulett, 1st Baron Poulett (1585–1649).[2]
He was a colonel in the Regiment of Foot in the Parliamentary army during the Civil War and was governor of Totnes.[3] In 1659 he was elected Member of Parliament for Ashburton, Devon, in the Third Protectorate Parliament.[4] He was re-elected MP for Ashburton in 1660 for the Convention Parliament and was re-elected MP for Ashburton in 1661 for the Cavalier Parliament. He held the seat until his death in 1677 at the age of 53.[4] In 1666 he became Vice-Admiral of Devon and in 1674 on the death of his father he inherited the baronetcy.[3]
Fowell married Elizabeth Chichester (d.1678), a daughter of Sir John Chichester (1598-1669) of Hall[5] in the parish of Bishop's Tawton in Devon, Member of Parliament for Lostwithiel in Cornwall in 1624. By his wife he had children including: