John Butler, 17th Earl of Ormonde

The Wandesfords were Protestants and had supported the Prince of Orange during the Williamite War in Ireland.

They owned land and coal mines around Castlecomer in northern County Kilkenny.

His wife's mother belonged to a junior branch of the family of Viscount Southwell.

When the Earl of Wandesford died in 1784, his titles became extinct, but his estates passed to John Butler.

John and Anne (or Frances Susan Elizabeth) had four sons: —and two daughters: In 1783 his father died in Kilkenny Castle.

The Irish House of Lords accepted this claim and he was restored to become the 17th Earl of Ormonde.

A 3/4-length painted portrait of Anne or Frances-Susan-Elizabeth Wandesford, showing a lady sitting in a chair.
His wife, Anne Wandesford, painted by Hugh Douglas Hamilton