Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham
# Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham

Barry Maxwell, 1st Earl of Farnham PC (Ire) (1723 – 7 October 1800), styled The Honourable Barry Maxwell from 1756 to 1779, was an Irish peer and politician.

## Background

He was the son of John Maxwell, 1st Baron Farnham and Judith Barry.

## Political career

He was Prothonotary of the Court of Common Pleas between 1741 and 1800, was called to the Irish Bar in 1748 and was appointed a Bencher in 1757. On his brother's death in November 1779, he succeeded as 3rd Baron Farnham, inheriting the Farnham estate. He commissioned James Wyatt, one of the most fashionable architects of the time, to design a new house. These plans are now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

He was created Viscount Farnham on 10 January 1781, Earl of Farnham on 22 June 1785, and became a Privy Councillor in Ireland on 6 June 1796. From 1756 to 1760 and again from 1768 to 1779, he sat in the Irish House of Commons for Cavan Borough. Between 1761 and 1768, he represented Armagh Borough.

## Family

He married twice, firstly in January 1757 to Margaret King, daughter of Robert King of Drewstown. They had the following children:

* John James Maxwell, 2nd Earl of Farnham (5 February 1760 – 23 July 1823).
* Anne Maxwell; she married Richard Fox of Fox Hall in 1787.
* Judith Maxwell, died unmarried in 1818.

He then married secondly on 5 August 1771 to Grace Burdett, daughter of Arthur Burdett of Ballymaney. They had the following issue:

* Grace Maxwell (died 19 June 1866); she married Sir Ralph St George, 7th Baronet (1758–1842)
* Elizabeth Maxwell, died unmarried in January 1782.

On his death, he was succeeded by his son John James.

