David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield
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David Murray, by Bacciarelli

David Murray, 2nd Earl of Mansfield PC KT (9 October 1727-1 September 1796), known from 1748 to 1793 as the Viscount Stormont, was a British politician. He succeeded to both the Mansfield and Stormont lines of the Murray family, inheriting two titles and two fortunes.

Life

Mansfield was the son of David Murray, 6th Viscount of Stormont, and his wife Anne Stewart. Lord Chief Justice William Murray, 1st Earl of Mansfield was his uncle. He was ambassador to Vienna and then to France in the early years of the American Revolutionary War, and played a role in sending news of American actions back to England. Mansfield had been elected a Scottish Representative Peer in 1754 and served as the last Secretary of State for the Northern Department from 1779 to 1782 and as Lord President of the Council in 1783 and again from 1794 to 1796 and was also Lord Justice General between 1778 and 1795. He was appointed a Privy Counsellor in 1763 and made a Knight of the Thistle in 1768.

Lord Mansfield married firstly Henrietta Frederica, daughter of Henry Graf Bunau, in 1759, whilst he was British ambassador to Saxony. They had one child, Lady Elizabeth Murray. After Henrietta's death in 1766 he married secondly the Hon. Louisa, daughter of Charles Schaw Cathcart, 9th Lord Cathcart, in 1776. Louisa was his junior by over thirty years, and they had 5 children - Caroline, David, George, Charles, and Henry.

In 1793 he succeeded his uncle Lord Mansfield as second Earl of Mansfield of the 1792 creation while his wife succeeded as second Countess of Mansfield of the 1776 creation according to special remainders in the letters patent. Lord Mansfield died in September 1796, aged 68, and was succeeded in his titles by his eldest son David. His second son the Hon. George Murray became a Lieutenant-General in the Army while his fourth son the Hon. Sir Henry Murray rose to the rank of General. The Countess of Mansfield survived her husband by 47 years, marrying the Hon. Robert Fulke Greville in 1797, and died in July 1843, aged 85.

Mansfield family tree

External links

• Peerage of England

References

• Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990.
• Leigh Rayment's Peerage Page
• www.thepeerage.com

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