Robert Colville (Irish MP)

Colville represented Hillsborough in the House of Commons from 1661 to 1666; then he represented County Antrim from 1695 until his death in 1697.^[4] He was appointed a member of the Privy Council of Ireland in 1678. During the crisis year 1688/9, although he had quarrelled with James II of England, he initially urged a policy of conciliation, rather than actively seeking to overthrow James. His advice is said to have been unwelcome to his neighbours, many of whom disliked him. Later he declared unequivocally for William III of Orange, raising a troop to fight for him from among his own tenants, and allowing William's generals to use Galgorm Castle as their military headquarters. As a result, he was proscribed by the Patriot Parliament, and moved briefly to England, where he was one of the gentlemen chosen to address the House of Lords on the state of Ireland.

After William's triumph Colville resumed his leading role in the political life of Ulster until his death in 1697, and in his last years was a useful Government supporter in the Irish House of Commons.

He married four times and had issue by at least two of his wives.^[3] His first wife (whom he married in December 1651) was Penelope Rawdon, daughter of Major Rawdon, who was probably a relative of the Earl of Moira. The Major noted in a letter to Lord Conway, the Marshal of the Irish Army, dated 26 November 1651: "my daughter Pen will make a wedding with Captain Colville in ten to twelve days".^[3]

His second wife was Honora O'Hara, daughter of Thady O'Hara of Ballymena. His third wife (whom he married in 1676) was Rose Leslie, daughter of William Leslie and granddaughter of Henry Leslie, Bishop of Meath. She died in 1693. His fourth wife, whom he married before 1697, was Olivia St George, daughter of Sir Oliver St George, 1st Baronet of Carrickdrumrusk and Olivia Beresford. She outlived him and made two further marriages. She died either in 1722 or 1724.^[5]

His children were probably all born to Penelope or Rose. At least seven reached adulthood, including:

• William;
• Francis, who died prematurely in about 1683; he had married Dorothy Temple, daughter of Sir John Temple, Attorney General for Ireland, and Jane Yarner;
• Penelope, the first wife of Sir Robert Adair of Ballymena Castle (her husband, like her father, married four times);
• Elizabeth, who was the first wife of Sir Ralph Gore, 4th Baronet;^[6]
• Anne, who was the first wife of Sir Maurice Eustace MP of Harristown, County Kildare;
• Rose, who married John Hawkins-Magill of Gill Hall, Dromore, County Down: she was the grandmother of the great heiress Theodosia Meade, Countess of Clanwilliam;
• Hugh, who like his father before him was MP for Antrim County. He married Sarah Margetson (died 1733), later Countess of Bessborough, granddaughter of James Margetson, Archbishop of Armagh. Hugh was the maternal grandfather of Stephen Moore, 1st Earl Mount Cashell, who inherited Galgorm Castle from his mother Alicia Colville.^[7]