Francis Nathaniel Burton

Francis Nathaniel Burton, born on December twenty-sixth, seventeen sixty-six, was a prominent British colonial administrator and politician in Ireland. He was the younger twin son of Francis Conyngham, 2nd Baron Conyngham, and Elizabeth, daughter of Nathaniel Clements, born in London. His elder twin brother, Henry Conyngham, would later become the 1st Marquess Conyngham. Following the death of his maternal uncle, the Earl Conyngham, in seventeen eighty-one, their father adopted the surname Conyngham, inheriting the barony through special remainder.

Burton's political career began in the Irish House of Commons, where he served as Member of Parliament for Killybegs in seventeen ninety and again in seventeen ninety-eight. He represented County Clare from seventeen ninety until the Act of Union in eighteen oh one, after which he continued to serve County Clare in the Parliament of the United Kingdom until eighteen oh eight. In addition to his parliamentary duties, he took over as Colonel of the Clare Militia from his twin brother on October twenty-seventh, seventeen ninety-seven.

In eighteen oh eight, Burton was appointed Lieutenant-Governor of Lower Canada, although he did not arrive there until eighteen twenty-two, prompted by the threat of losing his salary. During the absence of Governor George Ramsay, he acted as the administrator of Lower Canada from June seventh, eighteen twenty-four, until September eighteen twenty-five. Although he left Quebec City in October eighteen twenty-five on a permanent leave of absence, he remained the official Lieutenant Governor until his death in Bath, England, in eighteen thirty-two.

Burton married the Honorable Valentina Alicia Lawless, the daughter of Nicholas Lawless, 1st Baron Cloncurry, and Margaret Browne. Together, they had five children, including Henry Stuart Burton, who lived from eighteen oh eight to eighteen sixty-seven, and Capt. William Burton, born in eighteen oh nine, who served in the Scots Fusiliers.