Some account of this individual has already been given in the note respecting his father Stephen. Burke, in his Commoners, says
"John Coppinger married first, Mary, elder daughter and co-heir of Nicholas Blundell, of Crosbie, in Lancashire, with whom he acquired a large fortune and would have succeeded to considerable estates in Lancashire if his son by that lady, had lived. His son died at York in 1745 (he was buried in York Minster) and was soon followed by his mother.[1]
This match appears to have been negotiated by James, Earl of Barrymore, then in high influence with the Catholics and Jacobites in the North of England, and suspected of being an active partizan of the Stuarts. Mary Coppinger died before her father, and in Sefton Church, on a fine marble tomb in the Blundell Chapel, is the following inscription:
"Here lieth the body of Mrs. Mary Coppinger, who died 6th August, 1734, aged 30 years. Mr. Coppinger wedded, secondly, the daughter and heir of Michael Moore, Esq., of Drogheda, and had an only daughter, his successor."
Among the Rossmore papers is a copy of a memorial of agreement made on this second marriage. The copy was first written in pencil and then inked over, the word evidently bond is illegible. It is as follows:-
A memorial of an Indre bearing date the 15th day of Jany, 1736, made between Stephen Coppinger, Esq., of Ballyvolane, in the North Liberties of the City of Cork, and Johanna his wife of the first pt, John Coppinger, eldest son of William Coppinger, second son of sd Stephen Coppinger and Johanna Coppinger of the 2nd pt, Michael Moore of Drogheda, Merchant, and Elizabeth Moore, his daughter of the 3rd pt, Sir Ed. Bellew of Barmeath, in the Coy of Louth, Bart., and Henry Dillon, Esq., of the 4th pt, and John Elwood, Senior Fellow of Trinity College in Dublin, Doctor of the Civil Laws of the 5th pt, reciting that a marriage was soon after to be solemnized between sd John Coppinger, son of the sd Stephen Coppinger and the sd Elizabeth Moore, by which Deed the sd Stephen Coppinger in conson of the second marriage portion of £3,500 does consent to pay unto his Son, John Coppinger, an annuity of £600 a year, and the sd Stephen, John, and William Coppinger did Covenant that they would acknowledge a stable Bond of the Staple for the payment of £8,000 to the sd Sir Ed. Bellew and Henry Dillon for raising and securing a jointure of £480 per year for the sd Elizabeth Moore in case she shd survive the sd John Coppinger, her intended husband.
John Coppinger and his second wife seem to have lived very happily together. The boy Stephen, to whom the broad lands of Crosbie and the small but ancient patrimony of the Coppingers were to descend, died some 8 or 9 years after the marriage, and then the splendid prospect of the English inheritance passed away, and the little daughter of John and Elizabeth became the heiress of the Coppingers.
Michael Moore, Drogheda, had four daughters by his wife Jane Alcock of Clough. They were respectively Lady Caher (Christian), Lady Bellew, Mrs. Dillon of Belgarde, and Mrs. Coppinger of Ballyvolane.
John Coppinger died in 1747, and the following is a copy of his will:-
Will of John Coppinger of Ballyvolane, 1746.
In the name of God, Amen. I, John Coppinger, of Ballyvolane, in the Co. of the City of Corke, Esqre, being of sound mind and memory, do appoint this to be my last Will and testament. Imprimis, I recommend my soul to the mercy of God and hope thro the merits and bitter death and passion of my Redeemer and Saviour Jesus Christ to obtain eternall pardon and remission of all my sins. I leave and bequeath unto my dearest most beloved wife Elizabeth Coppinger alias Moore, what ever Plate and Linen I am now possessed of, with her jewels of what ever nature and kind so ever, the Charriott and pair of Horses, and after her decease to my dearest little daughter Mary Anne Coppinger, and in case she should die I leave them all to my dearest wife, knowing full well she will dispose of them to those of my family that deserve by their carriage and behaviour to her after my death her attention and regard most. I leave unto my dear little daughter Mary Anne as a marriage portion or fortune the sum of £4,000, to be paid her the day of her marriage or age of 21 years whichever shall first happen, and the sum of £50 per ann to be paid her mother for her maintenance, and that in consideration of all interest whatsoever for said sum of £4,000 stg, in case that it should happen that my said beloved wife should be with child and bring forth another Daughter I leave and bequeath amongst said Daughters the sum of £5,000 to be distributed amongst them in such manner as their beloved mother shall appoint or direct, and for want of such direction to the survr of them in case they should not be married I leave and bequeath the sum of £4,000 pounds only, and I appoint my beloved kinsman John Galway, of Lota, to be her, his, or their guardian, and recommend them to his care to see them properly educated. I leave and bequeath unto my beloved brother, J. Coppinger, the sum of £800 stg, to be paid him within two years after my death over and above what I already gave him. I leave and bequeath unto my beloved sister Teresa Coppinger the sum of £800 stg, to be paid her on the day of her marriage, that is in case she shall marry with the consent and approbation of her brother William and Joseph Coppinger otherwise I leave her but £100, and it is my desire that she is paid £30 per year for her maintenance till that happens as I suppose she will live with her brother William Coppinger, and in case she should not I leave her £40 p. a. in consideration of the interest of her said portion till she marrys with the above consent.
I leave unto my Uncle John's children £20, to be paid to each of them that are unmarried, and recommend them with my poor Uncle and Aunt to my brother William's kindnesse.
I leave to my Dr Brother William Coppinger all my household Furniture of Ballinvolane as it now stands, and my two saddle horses to my cousin John Coppinger of Granacloyne, I leave and bequeath unto my beloved wife £200 to put herself and her servants in mourning, to each of my servants now in my service one year's wage over and above what will be due to them which I desire may be paid, as also all my debts now due of me of what ever nature or kind whatsoever and with all convenient speed, I recommend to both my Brothers and Sisters to behave properly to my dearest Wife, and that they may live together in good harmony knowing full well it will be owing to their behaviour if she does not make a good and kind sister to them. I do appoint my dearly beloved Wife Elizabeth Coppinger and my dearest brother William Coppinger Executors to this my last Will and testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto put my hand and seal this 5th day of May, 1746.
JOHN COPPINGER .
Signed, sealed, and delivered in the presence of us
Sheffield Grace.
W. Grace.
Richard Byrne.
This will was proved 6th October, 1747.
John Coppinger's daughter and heiress, Mary Ann, married the Hon. Charles Howard, heir apparent to the dukedom of Norfolk, and afterwards 12th Duke.
Mrs. Elizabeth Coppinger, widow of John, made her Will on 24th June, 1768, and it was proved on the 18th December, 1770. In it she bequeathed to her nephew, William Coppinger of Barryscourt, her "Inamel Watch, a silver Coffee Pot, three Tasters, a Silver Tankard, a dozen of Silver Knives and Forks, three grained," and all the residue of her plate to her dear sister, Theresa Sarsfield. She also gave to her nephew, Sir Patrick Bellew, Lord and Lady Caher's pictures. She bequeathed to her son-in-law, Charles Howard of Greystoke, pictures of himself and wife, and bequeathed several valuables and works of art to various persons. A miniature of her daughter, Mrs. Howard, was stolen from the late Mrs. O'Connell of Greenagh, née Elizabeth Coppinger. A portrait, said to be of this Mrs. Howard, was destroyed in a fire at Greystoke in 1868. Tradition avers she was a tall, stately, and beautiful woman.
[1] This was not the case; Mary, his mother, died many years before, and her husband married again as early as 1736.- W.A.C.
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