An Account of the TEMPLE Family

An Account of the Temple Family, with Notes and Pedigree of the Family of Bowdoin

An early version appeared in the NEHGR, Volume 10, 1856, pp. 73-77.


[Communicated by Mr. W.H. Whitmore, of Boston, M.N.E.Hist. Gen. Soc.]

Whitmore addressed his article as follows: To the Editor of the Register:- Boston, Dec 1, 1855

Dear Sir, - In handing you the accompanying record of the Temple and Bowdoin families, allow me also to acknowledge that I am indebted to Hon. R.C. Winthrop, for some of the materials from which these records are compiled, and to him and to Hon. James Savage, for correcting some errors in the Bowdoin pedigree, which have never before been rectified. I remain with much respect, yours truly, W.H. Whitmore.

The following is taken from his updated version with several corrections and additions, published in Boston by Dutton and Wentworth in 1856:

  1. LEOFRIC, Earl of Mercia, husband of the famous Countess Godiva, and founder of the great monastery at Coventry, was chiefly instrumental in raising Edward the Confessor to the throne, as also his successor king Harold II. He died 31 Aug 1027.
  2. ALGAR, Earl of the East Saxons, son and heir, took that title upon Harold's quitting it for the Earldom of the West Saxons, after Earl Godwin's death. He died, 1059.
  3. EDWIN, Earl of the East Saxons, son and heir, was deprived of his Earldom by the Conqueror, and killed in defending himself against the Normans, 1071.
  4. EDWIN or HENRY, son and heir, sometime styled Earl of Leicester & Coventry, is said to have assumed the name of TEMPLE from the manor of TEMPLE, near Wellesborough, county Leicester, and is supposed to be Henry de TEMPLE, lord of TEMPLE and Little Shepey, temp. King William I.
  5. GEOFFREY de TEMPLE, son and heir of Henry de TEMPLE.
  6. JOHN de TEMPLE, son and heir, temp. King Henry I.
  7. HENRY de TEMPLE, son and heir, m. Maud, dau. of Sir John Ribbesford.
  8. HENRY de TEMPLE, son and heir, temp. K. John.
  9. RICHARD de TEMPLE, son and heir, married Katherine dau. of Thomas Langley, Esq. Living 1295.
  10. NICHOLAS de TEMPLE, son and heir, married Margaret, dau. of Sir Robert Corbet of Sibton, co. Leicester. Living 1322.
  11. RICHARD de TEMPLE, son and heir, married Agnes, dau. of Sir Ralph Stanley. Living 1346.
  12. NICHOLAS de TEMPLE, son and heir, married Maud, dau. of John Burguillon of Newton, co. Leicester.
  13. RICHARD de TEMPLE, son and heir, married Joan, dau. of William Shepey of Great Shepey, co. Leicester.
  14. THOMAS TEMPLE, of Witney, co. Oxford, third son, married Mary, dau. of Thomas Gedney, Esq.
  15. WILLIAM TEMPLE, son and heir, married Isabel, dau. and heir of Henry Everton, Esq.
  16. THOMAS TEMPLE, son and heir, married Alice, dau. and heir of John Heritage of Burton Derset, co. Warwick.
  17. PETER TEMPLE, of Stow and of Burton Dorset, second son, m. Melicent, dau. of William Jekyl of Newington, co. Middlesex, and had issue-

    18. i. JOHN, of whom presently (number 18 below, under "To return to the elder branch").
    ii. ANTHONY (number 19 below).

    PETER TEMPLE, Esq., died 28 May, 1577.

  1. ANTHONY TEMPLE, second son, had
  2. Sir WILLIAM TEMPLE, son and heir, who married Martha, dau. of Robert Harrison, co. Derby, and died aged 73, 15 Jan 1627.
  3. Sir JOHN TEMPLE, son and heir of this last, married Mary, dau. of John Hammond of Chertsey, co. Surrey, and died 1677. Children:

    4. i. Sir WILLIAM, Bart., who married Dorothy, dau. of Sir Peter Osbourne, and had an only son JOHN, Secretary of War, married Mary de Plessis, and died 1689; who left two daus.,
    a. ELIZABETH married JOHN TEMPLE;
    b. DOROTHY married Nicholas Bacon, of Shrubland Hall, co. Suffolk.

    Sir William was Privy Councillor, and Master of the Rolls. As a statesman he is best known as the author of the Triple Alliance, and a scheme concerning the Privy Council. He was a skilful florist, and perhaps the most eminent patron of the day of that science. Macaulay gives the following character of Sir William Temple:
    "Of all the official men of that age, Temple had preserved the fairest character. The Triple Alliance had been his work.**** His private life, though not austere, was decorous; his manners were popular; and he was not to be corrupted either by titles or money. Something, however, was wanting to the character of this respectable statesman. The temperature of his patriotism was lukewarm. He prized his ease and his personal dignity too much, and shrank from responsibility with a pusillanimous fear."

    He died aged 71, 27 Jan 1699.

    ii. Sir JOHN (number 22 below).
    iii. HENRY, m ___ Chambers.
    iv. Martha, b. 1639, d 1722, m. 21 Apr 1666 Thomas Gifford, of Castle Jerdan, co. Kildare.
  4. Sir JOHN TEMPLE, second son, married Jane, dau. of Sir Abraham Yarner, of Dublin, and had-
    5. i. HENRY (number 23 below)
    ii. JOHN, married ELIZABETH TEMPLE, his second cousin.
    He was Attorney General and Speaker of the Irish House of Commons; died, aged 72, 10 Mar 1704.
  5. HENRY, First Viscount of Palmerston, son and heir, born 1673, married 1st, Anne, dau. of Abraham Haublon, Esq., of London, and had by her, who died 1735, issue-
    6. i. HENRY (number 24 below)

    He married 2nd, 1738, Isabella, dau. of Sir Francis Gerard of Harrow, co. Middlesex, Bart., and widow of Sir John Fryer, but had no issue. He was created Baron TEMPLE of Mount TEMPLE, and Viscount Palmerston, 1722, and died aged 84, 10 Jun 1757.

  6. HENRY, married 1st, Miss Lee; and by Jane, dau. of Sir John Barnard, Lord Mayor of London, his 2nd wife, had issue.
    7. i. Henry (number 25 below).

    He died vita patris, 1740.

  7. HENRY, second Viscount, born 1739, married 1st, in 1767, Frances, dau. of Sir Francis Poole, and she dying without issue, he married secondly in 1783, Mary daughter of B. Mee. He died in 1802, his children were,
    8. i. HENRY JOHN (number 26 below).
    ii. WILLIAM, now Sir WILLIAM.
    iii. FRANCES, married Capt. Bowles, R.N., now Rear Admiral.
    iv. ELIZABETH, married Rt. Hon. Lawrence Sullivan.
  8. HENRY JOHN TEMPLE, born 20 Aug 1784, third Viscount Palmerston, the present head of Her Majesty's administration, m. Emily, dau. of Viscount Melbourne and widow of Earl Cowper.

    9. To return to the elder branch:

    1. JOHN TEMPLE, Esq., of Stowe, married Susan, daughter and heir of Thomas Spencer of Everton, co. Northampton, and had--
    1. Sir THOMAS TEMPLE, Knight of Stowe, was created a Baronet; his will is dated 4 Feb 1632, and proved 13 Mar 1637. He married Esther, dau. of Miles Sandys of Latimers, co. Buck, who died 1656, and had thirteen children. Of these were
      2. i. Sir PETER (number 28 below).
      ii. Sir JOHN of Biddleson and Stanton Bury (number 29 below).
      iii. Thomas.
      iv. Purbeck.
    2. Sir PETER TEMPLE, M.P., second baronet, married 1st Anne, dau. of Sir Arthur Throgmorton of Paulerspury, co. Northampton, by whom he had
      3. i. ANNE married Thomas Roper, Viscount Baltinglass.
      ii. MARTHA married Weston Ridgway, Earl of Londonderry.

      He married secondly, Christian, dau. of Sir Richard Leveson, of Trentham, co. Staff., and had

      iii. RICHARD, born 1634, and two daughters
    3. Sir JOHN of Stanton Bury, married Dorothy, dau. and co-heiress of Edmund Lee, and died 3 Sep 1632. Issue:
      4. i. PETER (number 31 below).
      ii. EDWARD (number 32 below).
      iii. PURBECK (number 33 below).
      iv. THOMAS, Gov. of Nova Scotia, died s.p. 27 Mar 1674 (number 34 below).
      v. DOROTHY, married John Alston, Esq.
      vi. HESTER, married Edward Pascal, Esq.
      vii. MARY, married Robert Nelson, Esq., of Gray's Inn
    4. Sir RICHARD TEMPLE, third baronet of Stowe, who died 15 May 1697, married Mary, dau. and heiress of Thomas Knapp, Esq., co. Oxford, and had
      5. i. RICHARD (number 35 below).
      ii. HESTER, md. in 1710, Richard Grenville, Esq., of Wooton. From this marriage descends the present ducal house of Buckingham and Chandos
      [Park's Note: the line of the GRENVILLE-TEMPLEs. Her dates were about 1690-1752].
      iii. CHRISTIAN, married Sir Thomas Lyttleton, Bart.
      iv. MARIA, married 1st, Dr. West,Prebendary of Winchester, 2nd, Sir John Langham, Bart.
      v. PENELOPE, married Moses Beranger.
    5. Sir PETER TEMPLE of Stanton Bury, married Eleanor, dau. of Sir Timothy Tyrrell of Okely, co. Bucks, who remarried Richard Grenville, great-grandfather of the first Earl TEMPLE. She died 24 May 1671, aged 57. Issue--
      6. i. WILLIAM (number 36 below).
      ii. JOHN.
      iii. ELEANOR, married Richard Grenville, Esq., her step-brother.
    6. Sir EDWARD TEMPLE of Selby; his will was proved 30 Mar 1668.
    7. Sir PURBECK TEMPLE, was the father of
      8. i. THOMAS TEMPLE (number 37 below).
      ii. Sir JOHN PURBECK TEMPLE, of Edscombe, co. Surry, who died 1694.
    8. Sir THOMAS TEMPLE, Governor of Nova Scotia, died at Ealing, co. Middlesex, 1674.
    9. Sir RICHARD TEMPLE, fourth Bart., Lieutenant General under the Duke of Marlborough in Flanders, was created Baron Cobham and Viscount and Baron Cobham. He married Anne dau. of Edmund Halsey, and dying without issue 1749, the Viscounty devolved upon his sister HESTER, and her heirs male. She married Richard Grenville, son of Richard Grenville and ELEANOR TEMPLE (daughter of Sir PETER, No. 31, vide ante) and her descendant, the Duke of Buckingham, now enjoys the dignity.
    10. WILLIAM TEMPLE of Livingstone Dayrell, had issue
      11. i. WILLIAM (number 38 below)
      ii. PETER
    11. THOMAS TEMPLE, had issue
      12. i. ROBERT TEMPLE of Ten Hills, Massachusetts, oldest son (number 40 below).
      ii. REBECCA, m. Dr. Christopher Emmett, in Dublin, 1727.
    12. Sir WILLIAM TEMPLE, fifth baronet, married Elizabeth, dau. and heiress of Peter Paxton,Esq., and had by her
      13. i. HENRIETTA, married William Dicken, Esq., and had issue John, who assumed the name of TEMPLE, 1796.

      He married secondly, Elizabeth, dau. of Hugh Ethersey, Esq., and had

      ii. ANNA-SOPHIA, married Sir RICHARD TEMPLE, seventh baronet.

      He died 10 Apr 1760.

    13. Sir PETER TEMPLE, sixth baronet, succeeded his brother, and died 1761, leaving
      14. i. RICHARD (number 41 below).
    14. ROBERT TEMPLE, Esq., of Ten Hills, married Mehitabel, dau. of John Nelson, whose mother was Mary, dau. of Sir JOHN TEMPLE (No. 29, ante). Children:
      15. i. ROBERT, died 1781 (number 42 below).
      ii. JOHN, born 1731 (number 43 below).
      iii. WILLIAM, married dau. of Gov. Whipple (number 44 below).
      iv. MARY (number 45 below).
      v. MARGARET (number 46 below), m. Mr. Dowse and had an only dau., Mary, who m. Com. Nicholson, U.S.N., and had three daughters.
      vi. ELIZABETH (number 47 below).
    15. Sir RICHARD TEMPLE, seventh baronet, m. his cousin ANNA SOPHIA, but dying s.p. in 1786, he was succeeded by his relative, JOHN (number 43 below).
    16. ROBERT TEMPLE, m. Harriett, second dau. of Gov. Shirley, and had
      17. i. ANNE WESTON, married Temple Emmett, a near relative of the Irish patriot.
      ii. MEHETABEL, married Hans Blackwood, Lord Dufferin.
      iii. HARRIET.
    17. Sir JOHN TEMPLE, eighth baronet, married Elizabeth, dau. of Gov. Bowdoin, 20 Jan 1767, and died 17 Nov 1798. Children:
      18. i. GRENVILLE, born 16 Oct 1768 (number 44 below).
      ii. JAMES B. born 7 Jun 1776, married Mary, dau. of Thomas Dickson of Fulwell Lodge, co. Middlesex, and died 1842.
      iii. ELIZABETH B., b 23 Oct 1769, m. Hon. Thomas L. Winthrop.
      iv. AUGUSTA, born about 1780, married Wm. L. Palmer, Esq., and died 18 Aug 1852.
    18. Sir GRENVILLE TEMPLE, ninth baronet, married 1st, Elizabeth, dau. Of George Watson, Esq., widow of Hon. Thomas Russell; she died 4 Nov 1809, and had issue:
      19. i. GRENVILLE, born 20 Jul 1799 (number 45 below).
      ii. JOHN, b 1801, m. in 1828, Jane, dau. Of J. Marshall, Esq., M.P.
      iii. ELIZABETH AUGUSTA, married in 1829, Maj. Gen. Byam.

      He married, 2nd, in Jun 1812, Maria Augusta, widow of Sir Thomas Rumbold, and died in 1829.

    19. Sir GRENVILLE-TEMPLE TEMPLE, tenth baronet of Stowe, married 5 May 1829, Mary, dau. Of George Baring, Esq., brother of Lord Ashburton, died Jun 1847, and had,
      20. i. GRENVILLE LEOFRIC, born 5 Feb 1830 (number 46 below).
      ii. GEORGE ERNEST A., born 4 Jun 1832. And six other children.
    20. Sir GRENVILLE LEOFRIC.

    Notes on the Preceding.

    Burke's Peerage, 1854, gives EDWARD TEMPLE (No. 33) as the father of THOMAS (No. 39), but a copy of the TEMPLE pedigree from Johnson and Kimber's Baronetage, now in the possession of Hon. R.C. Winthrop, formerly belonging to Sir JOHN TEMPLE (No. 46), and containing his own interlineations, says as follows:---

    "Sir JOHN, the present baronet, is the son of ROBERT, eldest son of THOMAS, the son of PURBECK, who was the second son of the aforementioned Sir PETER TEMPLE Bart, of Stowe,----."


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