Family/Spouse: Solomon Richards. Solomon was born about 1619; was christened on 14 Nov 1619 in St. Andrew's, Holborn, Camden, London; died in 1691; was buried on 06 Oct 1691 in Westminster Abbey (North Cloister), London. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Wrote his will 04 Nov 1675. Mentions wife Anne, brother Godfrey and children Jacob and Elizabeth (both not yet 21). Probated 12 Dec 1675.

Family/Spouse: Anne. died on 25 Dec 1709; was buried in St. Luke's, Charleton, Kent. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Will written 15 Oct 1700.

Notes:

He was Third Engineer of Great Britain between 1686 and 1701.

Notes:

--- "The European Magazine" Vol. 30, 1796, page 130:
In Memory
Of the Virtuous and Pious Elizabeth
Craggs,
Wife of James Craggs, Esq.
Who departed this Life the twentieth day
of Jan. 1711, in the 49th year of her age.
Morum suavitate et tacili
Suis defideratissima vixit
Pietate
Caelo matura
Leni Suspirio Animam esslavit
et firma
Qid enim non possit Fides?
Refurgendi spe munita
Quietcit.

Family/Spouse: James Craggs. James was christened on 10 Jun 1657 in Wolsingham; died on 16 Mar 1720/21; was buried on 28 Mar 1721 in St. Luke's, Charleton, Kent. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Governor of Alicante between 1707 and 1709.

Notes:

Chief Engineer of Great Britain - 11 Sep 1711. Surveyor-General of Ordnance - 19 Nov 1714.
Will written 04 Feb 1721/2

Other Events:

• Cause of Death: Small Pox
• Occupation: 13 Apr 1717, Appointed Secretary at War

Notes:

--- "Caledonian Mercury" 20 Dec 1720, page 5:
We hear that . . . a Marriage being forward between Mr. Secretary Craggs and the Widow of the late Edmund Dunch Esquire, Daughter to Colonel Godfrey.

[This lady's name is Elizabeth, and the parents are Charles and Arabella (Churchill) Godfrey.]

--- "Caledonian Mercury" 14 Feb 1721, page 3:
From the Evening Post
London, February 9.
These two or 3 Days Past, Mr. Secretary Craggs has been indisposed, and yesterday Morning about Eleven the small Pox came out upon him.

--- "Caledonian Mercury" 20 Feb 1721, page 6:
From Wye's Letter, February 14.
'Tis fear'd Mr. Secretary Craggs will hardly recover of his Indisposition of the small Pox.

--- "Caledonian Mercury" 21 Feb 1721, page 4:
Wye's Letter February 16, verbatim.
This Afternoon the Right Honourable Mr. Secretary Craggs departed this Life.

--- "Caledonian Mercury" 20 Dec 1726, page 3:
The Earl of Oxford has set up, at his own Expence, a Marble Monument in Westminster Abbey, to the Memory of the learned Dr. Grab, who was in the highest Esteem for his great Skill in all Parts of Learning and Antiquity. We shall not omit to mention, that another Monument is going to be set up in the same Abbey to the Memory of the late Mr. Secretary Craggs. We hear nothing concerning Mr. Kinght; but the Year 1720 will be a standing Monument to future Generations.

Family/Spouse: Hester Santlow. Hester (daughter of John Santlow and Joan "Joana" Kingswell) was born about 1690; died on 15 Jan 1773 in Great Russell St., St. George, Bloomsbury; was buried on 21 Jan 1773 in St. Laurence Church, Cowley, Middlesex. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: Elizabeth Waters. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

--- "Derby Mercury" 5 May 1737, page 1:
Tuesday Richard Nugent, Esq, of the Kingdom of Ireland, and his new married Lady Mrs. Knight, a Widow, Sister to the late Right Hon. James Craggs, Esq, some Time Principal Secretary of State, for Great Britatin, a Fortune of 150,000 l. were introduced to their Majesties, and met with a gracious Reception.

--- "Newcastle Courant" 2 Nov 1734, page 2:
A Marriage Treaty is concluded between the Duke of Grafton and Mrs. Knight, Relict of John Knight, Esq; and Sister to the late Secretary Craggs, a Fortune of 100,000 l.

--- "Derby Mercury" 26 Nov 1756, page 2:
On Monday died at Gosfield Hall in Essex, the Lady of the Hon. Robert Nugent, Esq; Member of Parliament for the City of Bristol, and one of the Lords of the Treasury; by whose Death a large Estate comes to her Son James Newsham, Esq; Member for St. Maw's in Cornwall, who lies dangerously ill at Oxford, in the Road to Town.

--- "Memoir of Earl Nugent" by Claud Nugent,1898 , page 9-14:
On March 23, 1736, Nugent married Anne, the daughter of James Craggs, the Postmaster-General, and sister of Secretary Craggs, Pop's and Addison's intimate friend, who were both so deeply involved in the South Sea scheme; the Postmaster-General having been proved by the Committee of Secrecy appointed to inquire into the management of the Company, to have received from the directors a bribe of 40,000 l. stock. He died in a lethargic fit on the night before the Secret Committee was to report to the House of Commons on his case, and as it was discovered that he had realized no less a sum that 69,000 l. by his transactions in the South Sea, the rumour was not unnaturally spread abroad that he had taken poison to avert public disgrace.

Secretary Craggs was not convicted of actual fraud, and Pope, one of his staunchest friends, ardently maintained his innocence. "There never lived," he wrote, "a more worthy nature, a more disinterested mind, a more open and friendly temper, than Mr. Craggs. A little time, I doubt not, will clear up a character which the world will learn to value and admire when it has none such remaining in it."

Two year later, however, he died of smallpox, being then in the thirty-sixth year of his age.

Anne Craggs had first married, in 1712, John Newsham of Chadshunt in Warwickshire, by whom she had one son only. Her second husband was John Knight, M.P. successively for St. Germains and Sudbury, by whom also she had one son only, who died in 1727. John Knight, her second husband, died in 1733, bequeathing to her all his estates, including the beautiful seat of Gosfield Hall in Essex, and a very considerable sum of money. She also shared with her two sisters, Mrs. Trefusis and Mrs. Eliot, her father's fortune, which was in itself ample enough, although the executors were compelled by Act of Parliament to refund the 69,000 l. which he had realized by his transactions with the South Sea Company. She also shared with her sisters the fortune of her brother, the Secretary. Nugent is said to have recieved with her 100,000 l. in money and estates, in additions to the seat for St. Mawe's; Nugent's own fortune, in is stated amounting to 1,500 l. a year.

To his marriage with "fat and ugly dame" (whose name he took in addition to his own, and who was five years his senior) Nugent owed his first real advancement in life, for her great wealth placed him in an influential posiition at as early an age as thirty-four, and obtained for him a seat in Parliament for St. Mawe's in Cornwall. He took the name of Craggs as a prefix to that of Nugent.

The marriage seems to have excited some amusement in social circles. The bride was something of an oddity, and was the subject of a good deal of not entirely good-natured laughter. For instance, we find Mrs. Anne Granville, afterwards Mrs. Delany, writing on May 6, 1737, to Mrs. Catheirne Collingwood at Bath--- "There have been weddings without number this spring, but none so much talked of as Mrs. Knight's, who is most ridiculous. She says that 'she and Mr. Nugent have been in the country attended only by the boy Cupid.' I could tell you many more of her bon mots, but fancy you have enough of them.

. . . Nugent's second marriage was certainly an unfortunate one. His wife was five years older than himself, and, though she brought him great wealth, she bore him no children, nor did she contribute greatly to his personal happiness. They were both possessed of hasty tempers, and were continually quarrelling in private, though in public they appeared to be the best of friends. Mrs. Nugent seems to have been quite a character, and many amusing incidents relating to her lie scattered over the pages of Walpole. She was worse than plain; she is described as "very ugly," and she was enormously fat. Horace Walpole narrates how that the chairmen who were drive two pigs to Park Place (of such proportions that he likens them Ziechi Miechi, the Chinese God of good eating and drinking), got drunk on the way, and in excuse for the delay declared that the creatures got unruly, ran away, and would not be managed. "Do but think of their running!" says Walpole; "it puts me in mind of Mrs. Nugent's talking of just jumping out of a coach!"

Mrs. Nugent was very fond of entertaining, both in the country and in London; and her husband's wit, together with her own amiability, rendered her dinner-parties and assemblies most popular. . . .

Walpole gives an amusing account of a visit he paid to Gosfield . . . [follows a rather mean account] . . . Mrs. Eliot [Elizabeth, widow of Edward] . . . has built herself a very pretty small house in the Park, and is only a dialy visitor. . . .

Mrs. Bugent died in 1756, aged 59, and was buried at Gosfield. It is difficult to believe that she was much regretted by her husband, when we find that he married another wife in teh following year; but she was lamented by a large circle of friends by whom she had been greatly liked. . . .

Anne married John Newsham on 15 Jul 1712 in St. Luke's, Old Charlton, Kent. John was born on 15 Apr 1673; died on 21 Nov 1724; was buried on 04 Dec 1724 in Chadshunt, Warwickshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Anne married John Knight on 13 Mar 1724/25 in St. Katherine by the Tower, London. John was born about 1683; died on 02 Oct 1733; was buried on 08 Oct 1733 in St. Katherine's, Gosfield, Essex. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Anne married Robert Nugent on 23 Mar 1736/37. Robert was born in 1709 in Carlanstown, Co. Westmeath, Ireland; died on 14 Oct 1788 in Dublin, Ireland; was buried on 26 Oct 1788 in St. Katherine's, Gosfield, Essex. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

--- "London Daily Advertiser" 16 aug 1734:
The Lady of Sir John Hind Cotton, Bart., lay last Night dangerously ill, at his House in Dover-street.

--- "The Political State of Great Britain" Vol. 48, 1734, page 207:
23d. Died the Lady of Sir John Hynd Cotton Bart. Member of Parliament for Cambridge.

--- "Gentleman's Magazine" Vol. 4, 1734, page 452:
[Aug.] 25. The Lady of Sir John Hynd Cotton Bart, Member of Parliament for Cambridge, by whom she had several Children, who all dy'd before her. She was Sister to the late Mr. Secretary Craggs, and Daughter to James Craggs, Esq; sometime Postmaster General. By her Death a fortune of 500 l. per Ann. falls to Robert Trefusis of Trefusis in Cornwall and of Hatley St. George in Cambridgeshire Esq; Member Parliament for Truro, Son to her first Husband Samuel Trefusis Esq; by his first Wife Daughter of Sir Robert Cotton, Bt. formerly Post Mr. General. Noat as the News Papers say, by the first named Lady.

Margaret married Samuel Trefusis on 09 Jul 1719. Samuel was born before 06 Oct 1676; was christened on 06 Oct 1676; died in 1724; was buried on 04 Apr 1724 in Mylor, Cornwall. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Margaret married John Hinde Cotton on 08 Sep 1724. John was born in 1685; was christened on 07 Apr 1686 in Camridgeshire; died on 04 Feb 1751/52 in London; was buried in St. Nicholas, Landwade Forest Heath District, Suffolk. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

--- "London St. James Chronicle" 25 Apr 1765, page 3
Died. Thursday, at her House at Hammersmith, Mrs. Elliot, Daughter and one of the Co-heiresses of the Right Hon. James Craggs, Esq; Secretary of State to Queen Ann and King George the First.

Elizabeth married Edward Eliot on 24 Apr 1718 in St. Paul's Cathedral, London. Edward (son of William Eliot and Ann Williams) was born about 1683 in Cuddenbeak Manor, St. Germans, Cornwall; died on 18 Sep 1722; was buried on 29 Sep 1722 in St. German's Church, St. Germans, Cornwall,. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]