George Horner (1646 – 11 March 1707) of

Mells Manor Mells Manor at Mells, Somerset, England, was built in the 16th century for Edward Horner, altered in the 17th century, partially demolished around 1780, and restored by Sir Edwin Lutyens in the 20th century. The house, along with the garden walls ...

in Somerset, was an English politician who sat in the

House of Commons The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...

between 1685 and 1689.

Origins

He was the eldest surviving son of Sir George Horner of

Mells, Somerset Mells is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, near the town of Frome. Vobster The parish includes the village of Vobster, which had a coal mine of the same name on the Somerset coalfield and a quarry, both of which are now disused. ...

by his wife Anne Poole, a daughter of Sir Neville Poole.

Career

He entered

Lincoln's Inn The Honourable Society of Lincoln's Inn, commonly known as Lincoln's Inn, is one of the four Inns of Court (professional associations for Barrister, barristers and judges) in London. To be called to the bar in order to practise as a barrister ...

in 1663. He was commissioner for assessment for Somerset from 1673 to 1680 and a Justice of the Peace from 1675 until his death, with a brief interruption in 1688. In 1677 he inherited the family estate from his father, and by 1679 was a lieutenant-colonel of the militia. He was

High Sheriff of Somerset The office of High Sheriff of Somerset is an ancient shrievalty which has been in existence since the 11th century. Originally known as the "Sheriff of Somerset", the role was retitled on 1 April 1974, under the provisions of the Local Government ...

from 1680 to 1681 and Deputy Lieutenant from 1680 to 1687. He was a colonel of the militia by 1681. History of Parliament Online - George Horner
/ref> In 1685, Horner was elected Member of Parliament for

Somerset Somerset ( , ), Archaism, archaically Somersetshire ( , , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel, Gloucestershire, and Bristol to the north, Wiltshire to the east ...

but made no entry in the records. In 1688 he was deprived of many of his offices for refusing to consent to the repeal of the Test Act. He was re-elected MP for Somerset in 1689. He was commissioner for assessment for Somerset from 1689 to 1690 and restored as Deputy Lieutenant as well JP from 1689 to his death.

Marriage and children

He married Elizabeth Fortescue (1658-5 September 1693), a daughter and co-heiress of Col. Robert Fortescue (1617-1676/7) by his second wife Susanna Northcote, a daughter of

Sir John Northcote, 1st Baronet Sir John Northcote, 1st Baronet (1599 – 24 June 1676) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons at various times between 1640 and 1676. He supported the Parliamentarian cause in the English Civil War. Origins Northcote was t ...

(1599-1676). He was the second son of Hugh Fortescue (1592/3-1663) of

Filleigh Filleigh is a small village, civil parish and former manor in North Devon, on the southern edge of Exmoor, west of South Molton. The village centre's street was, until the 1980s opening of the North Devon Link Road, the main highway between ...

in Devon (ancestor of

Earl Fortescue Earl Fortescue is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain that was created in 1789 for Hugh Fortescue, 3rd Baron Fortescue (1753–1841), a member of parliament for Beaumaris and Lord-Lieutenant of Devon. History The Earls Fortescue descen ...

and Earl Clinton), by his wife Mary Rolle, a daughter of Robert Rolle (died 1633) of

Heanton Satchville, Petrockstowe Heanton Satchville was a historic Manorialism, manor in the parish of Petrockstowe, North Devon, England. With origins in the Domesday manor of Hantone, it was first recorded as belonging to the Yeo family in the mid-14th century and was then ...

, Devon.Vivian, p.654 By Elizabeth Fortescue he had three sons and four daughters, including: * Thomas Horner (1688-1741), a Tory Member of Parliament for Somerset in 1713 and 1727, who following his marriage to the heiress Susanna Strangways and in accordance with the terms of the inheritance, in 1726 adopted the surname and arms of Strangways in lieu of his patronymic. Their only child and sole heiress Elizabeth Strangways (born 1722) married

Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st Earl of Ilchester Stephen Fox-Strangways, 1st Earl of Ilchester Privy Council of Great Britain, PC (''né'' Fox; 12 September 1704 – 26 September 1776) was a British peer and Member of Parliament. Origins Fox was the eldest surviving son of Sir Stephen Fox (16 ...

(1704-1776), who also adopted the surname and arms of Strangways.

Death

Horner died at the age of 60 and was buried at Mells.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Horner, George 1646 births 1707 deaths Politicians from Somerset Burials in Somerset English MPs 1685–1687 English MPs 1689–1690 High sheriffs of Somerset