Clement-Jones family - Person Sheet
Clement-Jones family - Person Sheet
NameJohn TREVOR V, 1572
Death1743
FatherJohn Morley TREVOR , 456 (1681-1719)
MotherLucy MONTAGU , 457 (1679-1720)
Notes for John TREVOR V
From National Archives:
While the younger branch of the Trevors, Thomas, Lord Trevor, and his sons, showed all the family characteristics of thrust and ambition, it seems as though all the ability had gone out of the elder branch of the family. John Trevor V is a melancholy illustration of this point. He was related to the all-powerful Pelhams and sat as M.P. for Lewes in 1741 in the Duke of Newcastle's interest. The Pelhams gave him a good start in life by procuring for him a Commissionership in Admiralty in 1743 which Horace Walpole noted 'is much disliked for he is of no consequence for estate, and less for parts, but is a relation of the Pelhams.'
John married Betty Frankland, daughter of Sir Thomas Frankland of Thirkleby, Yorkshire, but she died in 1742 when only 25 and his tragic loss seems to have driven the young man mad. His brother-in-law, George Boscawen, then unaware of Trevor's derangement, considered 'he would never be the man he was till he had got him a wife again.' All the previous historians of the Trevor family have believed that John Trevor V died in a duel but the letters of Colonel Charles Russell in the MSS. of Mrs. Frankland Astley tell the true story. On 31 May 1743 Fanny Russell wrote to her brother Lieut.-Col. Charles Russell about Trevor that 'instead of his growing better he seems to grow worse' and she reported on 17 June that Trevor had challenged Lord Talbot to a duel on a pretended slight to Diana Frankland and two of Trevor's sisters.
Lord Talbot behaved with restraint and apologised but later 'Trevor went with Dick to Headly where he did nothing but dance and sing and write challenges all day long, and frightened Dick so much that they sent for his cousin Dr. Trevor to come and take care of him.' In July the rumour spread that he had cut his throat; others thought he had been wounded in a duel. Fanny Russell wrote on 22 July 'I had a letter from Peggy Trevor the other day (who is with Mrs. Boscawen at Windsor) saying that she was very miserable about her brother who was ill of a fever.' The true story seems to be that when they got beyond Northampton he sent his sisters on in the coach, and he would follow them alone in a chaise, 'so like two great fools they left him and by and by the driver stopping to ask about the roads, found poor Trevor making wounds on himself with a pair of scissors. He prayed the coachman to kill him as he was the most miserable man on earth; however the man got help, and Dr. Trevor and Hawkins the surgeon were sent for.' Later he was reported to be much improved but on 14 August Fanny Russell wrote 'The report of poor Mr. Trevor cutting his throat was not true, but he attempted to fling himself out of the window. He is so much worse that he has been taken to Chelsea.' On 21st September Colonel Russell wrote to his wife 'Fanny has sent me a long and dismal account of poor Trevor, that he is at last happily released from his misery.' He was only 27.
John Trevor V bequeathed Glynde and his Sussex estates to his kinsman Dr. Richard Trevor Bishop of Durham and his heirs while his lands in Wales were to be shared by seven of his eight sisters. The Trevor sisters contested the will, alleging that 'the testator did not make the will of sound mind' but without success.
While the younger branch of the Trevors, Thomas, Lord Trevor, and his sons, showed all the family characteristics of thrust and ambition, it seems as though all the ability had gone out of the elder branch of the family. John Trevor V is a melancholy illustration of this point. He was related to the all-powerful Pelhams and sat as M.P. for Lewes in 1741 in the Duke of Newcastle's interest. The Pelhams gave him a good start in life by procuring for him a Commissionership in Admiralty in 1743 which Horace Walpole noted 'is much disliked for he is of no consequence for estate, and less for parts, but is a relation of the Pelhams.'
John married Betty Frankland, daughter of Sir Thomas Frankland of Thirkleby, Yorkshire, but she died in 1742 when only 25 and his tragic loss seems to have driven the young man mad. His brother-in-law, George Boscawen, then unaware of Trevor's derangement, considered 'he would never be the man he was till he had got him a wife again.' All the previous historians of the Trevor family have believed that John Trevor V died in a duel but the letters of Colonel Charles Russell in the MSS. of Mrs. Frankland Astley tell the true story. On 31 May 1743 Fanny Russell wrote to her brother Lieut.-Col. Charles Russell about Trevor that 'instead of his growing better he seems to grow worse' and she reported on 17 June that Trevor had challenged Lord Talbot to a duel on a pretended slight to Diana Frankland and two of Trevor's sisters.
Lord Talbot behaved with restraint and apologised but later 'Trevor went with Dick to Headly where he did nothing but dance and sing and write challenges all day long, and frightened Dick so much that they sent for his cousin Dr. Trevor to come and take care of him.' In July the rumour spread that he had cut his throat; others thought he had been wounded in a duel. Fanny Russell wrote on 22 July 'I had a letter from Peggy Trevor the other day (who is with Mrs. Boscawen at Windsor) saying that she was very miserable about her brother who was ill of a fever.' The true story seems to be that when they got beyond Northampton he sent his sisters on in the coach, and he would follow them alone in a chaise, 'so like two great fools they left him and by and by the driver stopping to ask about the roads, found poor Trevor making wounds on himself with a pair of scissors. He prayed the coachman to kill him as he was the most miserable man on earth; however the man got help, and Dr. Trevor and Hawkins the surgeon were sent for.' Later he was reported to be much improved but on 14 August Fanny Russell wrote 'The report of poor Mr. Trevor cutting his throat was not true, but he attempted to fling himself out of the window. He is so much worse that he has been taken to Chelsea.' On 21st September Colonel Russell wrote to his wife 'Fanny has sent me a long and dismal account of poor Trevor, that he is at last happily released from his misery.' He was only 27.
John Trevor V bequeathed Glynde and his Sussex estates to his kinsman Dr. Richard Trevor Bishop of Durham and his heirs while his lands in Wales were to be shared by seven of his eight sisters. The Trevor sisters contested the will, alleging that 'the testator did not make the will of sound mind' but without success.