John Verney, 1st Viscount Fermanagh

John Verney, 1st Viscount Fermanagh (5 November 1640 – 23 June 1717), known as Sir John Verney, 2nd Baronet between 1696 and 1703, was an English peer, merchant and Tory politician.

He was the second and only surviving son of Sir Ralph Verney, 1st Baronet and his wife Mary Blacknall, daughter of John Blacknall. Accompanying his father into his French exile, Verney, aged eight, was educated at Blois for the following five years. After the family's return to England, he joined James Fleetwood's school at Barn Elms and in 1655 went to another school in Kensington. Thereafter Verney worked for a levant merchant, making expeditions to Mesopotamia and Cyprus. In 1696, he succeeded his father as baronet.

Verney was several years assistant to the Royal African Company and served as governor of Bethlem Royal Hospital. He contested Buckingham in the elections of 1696, 1698 and 1701; each time unsuccessfully. On 16 June 1703, Verney was created Viscount of the County of Fermanagh along with the subsidiary title Baron Verney of Belturbet, in the County of Cavan. Both titles were in the Peerage of Ireland and hence don't prevented him to enter the British House of Commons finally in 1710, sitting for Buckinghamshire until 1715. Subsequently he represented Amersham until his death in 1717.

On 27 May 1680, he married firstly Elizabeth Palmer, daughter of Ralph Palmer, at Westminster Abbey, and had by her a son and three daughters. After her death in 1686, Verney remarried Mary Lawley, daughter of Sir Francis Lawley, 2nd Baronet on 10 July 1692 in the same church. She died in childbed only two years later and their newborn son shortly thereafter. Verney married thirdly Elizabeth Baker, daughter of his neighbour Daniel Baker, on 8 April 1696 at Kensington. He died aged 76 and was buried in Middle Claydon in Buckinghamshire a week later. Verney was succeeded in his titles by his only surviving son Ralph.

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