Protestant Exiles from France/Book First - Chapter 11 - Section IV
IV. Baron Ashtown.
Frederic Trench, Esq. of Moate, county Galway (son of Very Rev. John Trench, Dean of Raphoe, by Anne, daughter of Richard Warburton, Esq.), succeeded his father as head of his branch of the Huguenot refugee family in 1725, and died in 1758. He was succeeded by his son, Frederic of Moate and Woodlawn, born in 1720. This gentleman showed his zeal for religion by munificently supporting the Dublin Society for promoting English Protestant Working Schools in Ireland. The report of this society for 1773 states, under the heading, Woodlawn, county of Galway: “Frederick Trench, Esq., in order to have a school erected in this place, hath proposedto the society to grant two acres of land in perpetuity, rent free during his life, and after his death at such rent as the society shall think advisable; he hath also proposed to build the school-house and offices for a sum of £300, on which he will engage to spend the sum of £500, but believes they will cost him nearer £600.” The society accepted these proposals. This society had subscribers in England, for instance, Peter Du Cane, Esq., 1771-2, £5, 5s.; Mr Abraham Ogier, do., £1, 1s.; Sir Timothy Waldo, knight, do., £5, 5s. Among the members in Ireland, in 1773, William Despard, Esq., is named. Mr. Trench married Catherine, daughter of Francis Sadleir, Esq. of Sopwell Hall, and died in 1797, having had seven sons and five daughters. The eldest son was Frederic Trench, Esq. of Woodlawn, born in 1757; the second son was Francis Trench, Esq. of Sopwell Hall, born in 1758, who married Mary Mason; the fourth son was William Trench, Esq. of Cangort Park, King’s County (born 1769, died 1849), father of Rev. Frederick Fitzwilliam Trench (born 1799, and of Henry, of Cangort Park (born 1807, died 1881), who married in 1836 Georgiana Amelia Mary, daughter of the first Lord Bloomfield.
Frederic Trench, of Woodlawn, Esq., was member for Portarlington in the Parliament of Ireland, and, on 29th December 1801, was created Baron Ashtown in the peerage of Ireland, the patent being in favour of himself and his late father’s heirs-male. Lord Ashtown died, without issue, on 1st May 1840, aged eighty-three, and the representation of his noble house devolved upon the family of his brother, Francis, who had died in 1829. The eldest son of the latter, namely, Frederic Mason Trench (born in 1804), thus became the second Lord Ashtown. He had married in 1831 Henrietta, daughter of Thomas Phillips Cosby, Esq., and was the father of the (1) Hon. Frederick Sidney Charles Trench (born in 1839), who married in 1867 Lady Anne Le Poer Trench, daughter of the third Earl of Clancarty; (2) of Hon. Cosby Godolphin Trench of Sopwell Hall (born in 1844), who married Maria, eldest daughter of Sir Richard Musgrave, Baronet; and (3) of the Hon. Harriette Mary Trench, who married in 1883 the Hon. Frederick Le Poer Trench, second son of the third Earl of Clancarty, but died in 1844. The second Lord Ashtown died on 12th September 1810, but had been predeceased by his eldest son, who had died on 2d March 1879, leaving heirs. Frederick Oliver Trench, third Lord Ashtown (born 2d February 1868), is thus a grandson of the second Lord.