# John Butler, 15th Earl of Ormonde

John Butler (died 1766), known as John Butler of Kilcash, a member of the Irish landed gentry, was de jure 15th Earl of Ormond and 8th Earl of Ossory. He did not assume these titles as he thought them forfeit by the attainder of the 2nd Duke of Ormond. He did, however, inherit the Ormond estate from the 1st Earl of Arran through Arran's sister Amelia. In 1791, the title of Earl of Ormond would be successfully claimed by his cousin, the 17th Earl.

## Birth and origins

Family tree :
| | | | | | | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | Thomas Viscount Thurles d. 1619 d.v.p.* | | | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 | Elizabeth Pointz 1587–1673 |
| James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | James 1st Duke Ormond 1610–1688 | Elizabeth Preston 1630–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1630–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1630–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1630–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1630–1684 | Elizabeth Preston 1630–1684 | | | | | | | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | Richard of Kilcash 1615–1701 | | | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet | Frances Tuchet |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 d.v.p.* | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 d.v.p.* | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 d.v.p.* | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 d.v.p.* | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 d.v.p.* | Thomas 6th Earl Ossory 1633–1680 d.v.p.* | | | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Emilia von Nassau 1635–1688 | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Walter of Garryricken d. 1700 d.v.p.* | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett | Mary Plunkett |
| James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | James 2nd Duke Ormond 1665–1745 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Charles 1st Earl Arran 1671–1758 | Amelia Butler d. 1760 | Amelia Butler d. 1760 | Amelia Butler d. 1760 | Amelia Butler d. 1760 | Amelia Butler d. 1760 | Amelia Butler d. 1760 | | | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | Thomas of Garryricken d. 1738 Colonel | | | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | Margaret Magennis 1673–1744 | | | John Butler | John Butler | John Butler | John Butler | John Butler | John Butler |
| Thomas Butler 1686–1689 | Thomas Butler 1686–1689 | Thomas Butler 1686–1689 | Thomas Butler 1686–1689 | Thomas Butler 1686–1689 | Thomas Butler 1686–1689 | | | | | | | | | | | | | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | John de jure 15th Earl Ormond d. 1766 | | | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | Bridget Stacey | | | | | Walter de jure 16th Earl Ormond 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl Ormond 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl Ormond 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl Ormond 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl Ormond 1703–1783 | Walter de jure 16th Earl Ormond 1703–1783 |
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | John 17th Earl Ormond 1740–1795 | John 17th Earl Ormond 1740–1795 | | | Anne Wandesford 1754–1830 | Anne Wandesford 1754–1830 |
| XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | Subject of the article | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | XXX | Earls and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond | Earls and dukes of Ormond |
John was born about 1720, probably at Kilcash Castle, his parents' habitual residence. He was the third but only surviving son of Thomas Butler of Garryricken and his wife Margaret Magennis. His father belonged to a cadet branch of the Butler Dynasty, being the grandson and heir of Richard Butler of Kilcash, who was the younger brother of James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond. The Butlers were Old English and descended from Theobald Walter, who had been appointed Chief Butler of Ireland by King Henry II in 1177.
John's mother was the eldest daughter of William Burke, 7th Earl of Clanricarde and widow of Bryan Magennis, 5th Viscount of Iveagh. His parents were both Catholic. They had married in 1696. John had two brothers and five sisters, which are listed in his father's article.

## Inheritances and successions

In 1738 his father died. John inherited Kilcash and other parts of the lands of Garryricken Manor, which had been created for his grandfather Richard Butler of Kilcash shortly after 1639 and had been divided between his father and his uncle John, who held Garryricken House itself. He did not inherit any title as his father held none.
In 1758, on the death of the 1st Earl of Arran, his father's second cousin, he unknowingly became de jure the 15th Earl of Ormond. It had been believed that all the titles of James Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormond became forfeit in 1715. However, in 1791, it would be found that the title of "Earl of Ormond" (and its subsidiary titles) in the peerage of Ireland had merely lain dormant and so could be successfully revived by John Butler's cousin, John Butler, 17th Earl of Ormonde.
Following the second Duke's attainder, the Ormond estate was administrated by the Forfeited Estates Commissioners. With the permission of the Parliament of Great Britain in passing the Crown Lands (Forfeited Estates) Act 1720 (7 Geo. 1. St. 1. c. 22), the estate was purchased in 1721 by the second Duke's brother, Charles, the Earl of Arran. Arran died childless in 1758. The estate passed to his unmarried sister Lady Amelia Butler, who held it for about two years. On her death in 1760, the estate was inherited by John Butler, the subject of this article.

## Marriage

John Butler married Bridget Stacey on 19 April 1763, but the marriage was childless.

## Death and succession

He died on 24 June 1766 and was buried at Kilcash. He was succeeded by his cousin Walter, the son of his uncle John, who unknowingly became de jure the 16th Earl of Ormond.
Timeline :
| As his birth date is uncertain, so are all his ages. |||
| Age | Date | Event |
| 0 | 1720, about | Born at Kilcash Castle. |
| 6–7 | 1727, 11 Jun | Accession of King George II, succeeding King George I |
| 17–18 | 1738 | Father died. |
| 23–24 | 1744 | Mother died. |
| 37–38 | 1758, 17 Dec | Unknowingly became the 15th Earl of Ormond (de jure) at Arran's death. |
| 39–40 | 1760 | Inherited the Ormond estates from Amelia, Arran's unmarried sister. |
| 39–40 | 1760, 25 Oct | Accession of King George III, succeeding King George II |
| 42–43 | 1763, 19 Apr | Married Bridget Stacey. |
| 45–46 | 1766, 24 Jun | Died childless. |