John Vesey, 2nd Viscount de Vesci
Anglo-Irish politician and peer / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Rt Hon. John Vesey, 2nd Viscount de Vesci and 3rd Baron Knapton (16 February 1771 – 19 October 1855), was an Anglo-Irish politician and peer.
Around 1790, Vesey planned and developed the new town of Abbeyleix because the original settlement was subject to flooding of the River Nore. The old settlement was levelled and the residents moved to the new town. He was a compassionate and conscientious landlord and was extremely charitable to the local people during the difficult famine years.[1] A fountain in memory of John Vesey stands in the Market Square of Abbeyleix. A map commissioned by John Vesey in 1828, showing the Abbeyleix Manor holdings was discovered after almost 200 years and went to auction in 2016.[2]