Page:The Complete Peerage Ed 2 Vol 4.djvu/510

492 DUFFERIN DUFFERIN, DUFFERIN AND CLANEBOYE OF BALLYLEIDY AND KILLYLEAGH, and DUFFERIN AND AVA BARONY [I.] I. Dorcas Stevenson, ist da. and coh. of James , ^ Stevenson,(^) of Killyleagh, co. Down, by Anne, da. of Gen. Nicholas Price, of HoUymount, was l>. 1726. She m., (lie. 22) May 1751, Sir John Blackwood, 2nd Bart. [I. 1763], who was M. P. for Killyleagh 1761-68, 1776-90 and 1797-99, and for Bangor 1768-76, and 1790-97. He d. 27 Feb. 1799, aged 77. C") On 3 1 July 1 8oo,('=) she was cr. BARONESS DUFFERIN AND CLANE- BOYE OF BALLYLEIDY AND KILLYLEAGH, co. Down [I.], with rem. of that Barony to the heirs male of her body by her deceased husband. She d. in Hinde Str., Manchester Sq., 8, and was i>ur. 18 Feb. 1807, in St. Marylebone, Midx., aged 80. Will pr. Feb. 1807. II. 1807. 2. James Stevenson (Blackwood), Baron Dufferin AND Claneeoye, &'c. [I.], 2nd(^) but ist surv. s. and h., i. 8 July 1755; sue. to the Baronetcy [I.] 27 Feb. 1799, on the death of his father; M.P. for Killyleagh 178 8-1 800 [I.],(^) for Helston (Tory) 1807-12, and for Aldeburgh 18 12-18; Sheriff of co. Down 1804; a Gov. (*) He was s. of Hans Stevenson, by Anne, da. and eventually sole h. of James Hamilton, of Neilsbrook, co. Antrim, who was nephew of (his issue becoming h. to) James Hamilton, cr. Viscount Claneboye [I.] in 1622, hence the title of Clane- boye was added to that of Dufferin; though why this double-barrelled title was redoubled by the addition "of Ballyleidy and Killyleagh" is not so clear. The length of a title, however, whatever it may add to the dignity, adds nothing to the expense thereof. C") He was strongly opposed to the Union, and " was proof against the overtures made by the Government for the purchase of his support by a peerage. 'Your crest,' said an emissary from the Castle, who was examining the plate on his dinner-table, ' is a very pretty one, but would be improved by a coronet.' ' The motto,' replied Sir John, ^ Per vias rectas, has escaped your notice.'" (Sir Alfred Lyall's Life of the Marquess of Dufferin and Ava). V.G. ('^) This was one of 16 Baronies [I.] cr. that day. See vol. iii, Appendix H. It was conferred in consideration of the support given to the Union by her son, the and Baron, and at his request. Lady Louisa Stuart gives an amusing account of her presentation at Court on being raised to the peerage. The lady-in-waiting took the lengthy title " for one tremendous word, which she had no power of decyphering. So she stood astounded, the poor Queen looking at her, waiting to hear the lady's name, and the new Peeress colouring, bridling, and growing angry that she and her consequence were not perfectly well known at Court already." (Letter 1821). V.G. (^) His elder br., Robert Blackwood, was killed by a fall from his horse, 31 Jan. 1785. V.G. (*) He received _^i 5,000 as compensation for the disfranchisement of Killyleagh at the Union. V.G.