William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper

Wikipedia Biographical Summary

"William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper PC KC FRS (c. 1665 – 10 October 1723) was an English politician who became the first Lord Chancellor of Great Britain. Cowper was the son of Sir William Cowper, 2nd Baronet, of Ratling Court, Kent, a Whig member of parliament of some mark in the two last Stuart reigns. Educated at St Albans School, he was called to the bar in 1688...

...William Cowper was twice married: first, in about 1686, to Judith, daughter and heiress of Sir Robert Booth, a London merchant; and secondly, in 1706, to Mary, daughter of John Clavering, of Chopwell, Durham. Swift (Examiner, xvii., xxii.) alludes to an allegation that Cowper had been guilty of bigamy, a slander for which there appears to have been no solid foundation. The 1st Earl left two sons and two daughters by his second wife, the elder of whom inherited his titles.

Elizabeth Culling was the mistress of William Cowper, later 1st Earl Cowper, and brought him two children. She was the daughter of John Culling of Hertingfordbury Park, who died in 1687/8, and was buried in St Helen's, Bishopsgate. Her brother John died in January 1702/3 without issue, and Elizabeth inherited the estate. She died on 27 November 1703, and was buried at Hertingfordbury. Of her children, William, born on 14 November 1697, died in Paris on 31 October 1719. Mary, born on 10 September 1700, lived to maturity, and married one Robert Isaacson...

...In his last years he was accused, but probably without reason, of active sympathy with the Jacobites. He died at his residence, Colne Green near Panshanger on 10 October 1723."

SOURCE: Wikipedia contributors, 'William Cowper, 1st Earl Cowper', Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 23 December 2012, 05:01 UTC, <http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=William_Cowper,_1st_Earl_...> [accessed 3 January 2013]

Other References

• Complete baronetage; Cokayne, George E. (George Edward); 1900; Vol. II; page 160-161

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In her will Elizabeth Culling states William Cowper was her husband.