WILLIAMS, John (c.1651-1704), of Llangibby, Mon.

Published in The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1660-1690, ed. B.D. Henning, 1983
Available from Boydell and Brewer

Constituency

Dates

4 Feb. 1689
Feb. 1701
Dec. 1701
1702 - Nov. 1704

Family and Education

b. c.1651, 2nd but 1st surv. s. of Sir Trevor Williams. educ. Jesus, Oxf. matric. 28 May 1666, aged 15; G. Inn 1668, called 1680. m. (1) Anne, da. and coh. of Humphrey Baskerville of Pontrilas, Kentchurch, Herefs., s.p.; (2) Lady Catharine Herbert, da. of Philip Herbert, 5th Earl of Pembroke, s.p.; 1da. illegit. suc. fa. as 2nd Bt. Nov. 1692.1

Offices Held

Commr. for assessment, Mon. 1677-80, 1689-90, j.p. by 1689-d., dep. lt. 1689-d., col. of militia ft. by 1697-?d.2

Biography

Though Williams had been considered well qualified in 1688 for the office of sheriff, little is known of him before he was returned to the Convention at a by-election caused by the decision of John Arnold to sit for Southwark. He was presumably already a j.p. as his younger brother was added to the commission in July, and the Earl of Macclesfield made him a deputy lieutenant. With the support of his father-in-law, the Earl of Pembroke, he applied unsuccessfully for a seat on the excise board. As a committeeman in the Convention he cannot always be distinguished from Richard Williams, but may have been moderately active. He was definitely appointed to four committees and probably to 13 more, of which the most important were for the attainder bill, the Lords’ proviso on the succession, the inquiry into scandalous reports about William Harbord and the security bill. On 4 July he acted as teller for adjourning the debate on the Wye and Lugg navigation bill. He was probably absent from the division on the disabling clause in the bill to restore corporations, as on 9 Jan. 1690 he was said to be very ill in the country. He lost his seat at the general election, but when he returned to Parliament as knight of the shire in 1698 he voted with the court Whigs. He died in November 1704 and was succeeded by his brother, Sir Hopton Williams, who sat for the county from 1705 to 1708.3

Ref Volumes: 1660-1690

Author: John. P. Ferris

Notes

  • 1. Bradney, Mon. ii. 101.
  • 2. Eg. 1626, f. 59.
  • 3. Bradney, ii. 101; HMC 7th Rep. 409; CSP Dom. 1689-90, p. 184; CJ, x. 328.