John Clevland (1734–1817)


John II Clevland of Tapeley in the parish of Westleigh, Devon, was seven times Member of Parliament for Barnstaple from 1766 to 1802.

Origins

He was the eldest son of John I Clevland, Secretary to the Admiralty from 1751 to 1763, and a Member of Parliament from 1741 to 1761. His mother was Elizabeth Child, daughter of Sir Caesar Child, 2nd Baronet.

Career

For most his career, Clevland worked in the Admiralty. He was seven times elected a Member of Parliament for Barnstaple from 1766 to 1802.

Marriage

In 1782 he married Elizabeth Stevens, widow of Robert Awse of Horwood House, Frithelstock, and only surviving child of
Richard Stevens of Winscott in the parish of Peters Marland, Devon, Member of Parliament for Callington in Cornwall. The marriage was without progeny.

Succession

His heir to Tapeley and his other estates was his great nephew Col. Augustus II Saltren-Willett, JP and DL for Devon, who following his inheritance assumed in 1847 by royal licence the surname and arms of Clevland in lieu of Willett. He was the son of Augustus I Saltren-Willett , builder of Port Hill House in Northam the son of William Saltren by his wife Hester Clevland, the eldest full-blood sister of John II Clevland.

Monument

A mural monument to his wife survives in Peters Marland Church inscribed as follows:

"To the memory of Mrs Elizabeth Clevland wife of John Clevland Esq., Member of Parliament for the Borough of Barnstaple and daughter of Richard Stevens of Winscott. She died 16 September 1792 aged 65 years"

Below is a white marble relief sculpted escutcheon showing the following arms: Quarterly 1st & 4th: Clevland; 2nd & 3rd: Vert, two bars engrailed between three leopard's faces or . Overall is an inescutcheon of pretence of Stevens: Per chevron azure and gules, in chief two falcons rising belled or.