Background
He was the son of William Ponsonby, 1st Viscount Duncannon and Mary Moore. He inherited his father"s viscountcy in 1724 and was made Earl Bessborough in the Peerage of Ireland in 1739.
He was the son of William Ponsonby, 1st Viscount Duncannon and Mary Moore. He inherited his father"s viscountcy in 1724 and was made Earl Bessborough in the Peerage of Ireland in 1739.
He was an active politician from 1705 to 1757 in Great Britain and Ireland. He represented Newtownards and County Kildare in the Irish House of Commons. He is buried in Fiddown, County Kilkenny, Ireland.
Ponsonby married Sarah Margetson, an heiress whose family owned Bishopscourt, County Kildare, and his family remained there until the 1830s.
Captain, 27th Regiment. Enniskillen – 1707
Sheriff and Governor of County Kilkenny – 1713
Sheriff and Governor of County Kildare – 1714
Privy Counsellor (invested) – 10 May 1727
Commissioner of the Revenue – 1739 to 1744
Marshal of the Admiralty in Ireland – 1751 to 1752
Lord Justice in Ireland – 1754 to 1755
Vice-Admiral of Munster – 1755
Lord Justice in Ireland – 1756 to 1757
2nd Viscount Duncannon, of the Fort of Duncannon, county of Wexford (succeeded) – 17 November 1724
2nd Baron Bessborough, of Bessborough, county of Kilkenny (succeeded) – 17 November 1724
1st Earl of Bessborough, Ireland (created) – 6 October 1739
1st Baron Ponsonby of Sysonby, county of Leicester, Great Britain (created) – 12 June 1749
Marriages
Sarah Margetson (d 21 May 1773), daughter of John Margetson and Alice Caulfeild, in 1704.
Sarah was married before to Hugh Colvill. Sarah"s children by Brabazon Ponsonby:
Elizabeth Sankey: (circa 1680 – 17 July 1738), daughter of John Sankey and Eleanor Morgan, on 28 November 1733.
Member of Parliament for Newtownards, County Down, between 1705 to 1714
Member of Parliament: Kildare – 1715 to 1724.