Page:Dictionary of National Biography volume 35.djvu/234

M'Mahon M'MAHON, THOMAS O'BRIEN (fl. 1777), miscellaneous writer, was a native of Tipperary and a Roman catholic. He published at London in 1774 'An Essay on the Depravity and Corruption of Human Nature,' 12mo, which was followed in 1776 by a supplement, called 'Man's Capricious, Petulant, and Tyrannical Conduct towards the Irrational and Inanimate part of the Creation inquired into and explained. His opinions were ridiculed in the 'Critical,' 'Monthly,' and 'London' reviews, and he retorted at great length in a pamphlet entitled 'The Candour and Good-nature of Englishmen in their deliberate, cautious, and charitable way of Characterising the Customs, Manners, Constitution, and Religion of Neighbouring Nations, of which their own Authors are ever produced as vouchers,' 8vo, London, 1777 (reprinted at Dublin in 1792 as 'Remarks on the English and Irish Nations').

 MACMAHON, THOMAS WESTROPP (1813–1892), general, born on 14 Feb. 1813, was eldest son of General Sir Thomas MacMahon (1779–1800), G.C.B., second baronet, who served in the Portuguese army in the Peninsula, and was afterwards adj utant-general in India and commander-in-chief at Bombay. His mother was Emily Anne, daughter of Michael Roberts Westropp. His father's elder brother, John MacMahon (d. 1817), was private secretary and keeper of the privy purse to the prince regent, afterwards George IV; became a privy councillor, and was created a baronet 7 Aug. 1817, with remainder in default of his own male issue to MacMahon's father, Thomas. The young Thomas obtained a cornetcy in the 16th lancers 24 Dec. 1829, and was transferred to the 6th Inniskilling dragoons the year after, in which regiment he became lieutenant 2 Dec 1831, and captain 9 June 1838. On 22 April 1842 he was transferred as captain to the 9th lancers, when that regiment was augmented on proceeding to India, and served with it, under the command of Sir James Hope Grant [q. v.], in the Sutlej campaign, and at the battle of Sobraon 10 Feb. 1846 (medal). He was promoted to a majority unattached 13 July 1847. He served in Turkey and the Crimea as assistant quartermaster-general of the cavalry division, and was present at the battles of the Alma. Bokklava (with the heavy brigade), the Tchettaya, and siege of Sebastopol (C.B., medal, and three clasps, Turkish medal and fifth class of the Medjidie). While in the Crimea, on the promotion of Sir James Yorke Scarlett, he became lieutenant-colonel 5th dragoon guards from 12 Dec. 1854, and commanded that regiment until he went on half-pay in 1861. He succeeded his father as third baronet in 1860; became a major-general 6 March 1869; commanded the cavalry brigade at Aldershot, and was inspector-general of cavalry 1871 to 1876; became lieutenant-general in 1877, and general in 1880. In 1874 he received the honorary colonelcy 18th hussars, and in 1885 was transferred to that of his old corps, the 5th dragoon guards. MacMahon died at the Sycamores, Farnborough, Hampshire, after a protracted illness, 23 Jan. 1892. MacMahon married, first, in 1851, Dora Paulina, youngest daughter of Evan Hamilton-Baillie (she died in 1852); secondly, in 1859, Frances Mary, daughter of John Holford (she died in 1867); and thirdly, in 1888, Constance Marianne, widow of John Brooking. By his second wife he had four sons, all now in the army, and one daughter.

 MACMAHON, WILLIAM (1776–1837), Irish judge, second son of John MacMahon, patentee comptroller of the port of Limerick, by his second wife, Mary, daughter of James Stackpoole, merchant, of Cork, was born on 12 July 1776. Bred a Roman catholic, he conformed to the protestant religion, was called to the Irish bar in Trinity term 1799, and went the Munster circuit with O'Connell. He was a fluent, but confused speaker, spluttering much and frequently perpetrating bulls while addressing the jury. His rise was rapid. On 28 April 1800 he was made third Serjeant, on 8 Dec. 1813 second Serjeant, and on 1 March 1814 master of the rolls. On 6 May 1814 he received a baronetcy. From 1815 to 1825, during the absences of Lord-chancellor Manners, he was one of the commissioners of the great seal. He held the office of master of the rolls until his death at Dublin on 13 Jan. 1837. He was buried at Rathfarnham on 21 Jan. MacMahon was a cautious, painstaking, and impartial judge, and was widely respected. He married twice: first, on 16 May 1807, Frances, daughter of Beresford Burton, king's counsel; secondly, on 1 Sept. 1814, Charlotte, daughter of Robert Shaw of Dublin, bart. By his first wife he had two sons, Sir Beresford, who succeeded to the title, and John William. By his second wife he had issue five sons and three daughters.

(1824–1891), the third son of his second marriage, born at