James Stopford, 1st Earl of Courtown

James Stopford, 1st Earl of Courtown (1700 – 12 January 1770) was an Irish politician.

Courtown was the son of James Stopford, of Courtown, County Wexford, who represented Wexford County in the Irish House of Commons, and his wife Frances (née Jones). He succeeded his father as Member of Parliament for Wexford County in 1721, a seat he held until 1727, and then represented Fethard (County Wexford) from 1727 to 1758. In 1756 he was appointed High Sheriff of Wexford. In 1758 he was raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Courtown, of Courtown in the County of Wexford. Four years later he was further honoured when he was made Viscount Stopford and Earl of Courtown, in the County of Wexford, also in the Peerage of Ireland.

Lord Courtown married Elizabeth, daughter of the Right Reverend Edward Smyth, Bishop of Down and Connor, in 1727. He died in January 1770 and was succeeded in the earldom by his eldest son James, who became a prominent Tory politician. His second son the Hon. Edward Stopford (1732–1794) was a Lieutenant-General in the Army. Another son. the Hon Thomas Stopford, became Bishop of Cork and Ross.

Lady Courtown survived her husband by 18 years and died in September 1788.

References

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

Parliament of Ireland
Preceded by James Stopford Nicholas Loftus	Member of Parliament for Wexford County 1721–1727 Served alongside: Nicholas Loftus	Succeeded by Caesar Colclough Nicholas Loftus
Preceded by Henry Ponsonby Thomas Palliser	Member of Parliament for Fethard (County Wexford) 1727–1758 Served alongside: George Houghton 1727–1733 Philip Doyne 1733–1755 Charles Tottenham 1755–1758	Succeeded by Nicholas Hume-Loftus Charles Tottenham
Peerage of Ireland
New creation	Earl of Courtown 1762 – 1770	Succeeded by James Stopford