Contents |
St George was born in 1658.
He is registered on the College Roll as entering Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in 1671 at the age of 14. He was distinguished for his scholastic achievements and for the positions he occupied as a dignitary of the Church. He graduated from TCD with a B.A. in 1676, an M.A. in 1679 (in which year he was appointed as a Fellow of TCD), a B.D. in 1687, and became a D.D. in 1692.
He founded the Dublin Philosophical Society with William Molyneux in 1683, and succeeded him as Secretary in 1685. In the same year, he became Donegal Lecturer and Professor of Mathematics at TCD, and made important additions to that Science (ultimately he bequeathed his valuable Mathematical Library to TCD).
He was obliged to flee to England during the reign of James II, and in 1689 he became chaplain to Lord Paget, William III’s ambassador to Vienna and was also elected to membership of the Royal Society. In the Boyle Papers (Vol. 25, pp. 280-1), information is recorded from the Imperial Ambassador and members of his entourage concerning the transmutation of gold performed by J.W. Seiler with a date of 9 July 1691 in the margin.
On his return to Trinity in 1692, he was chosen Provost, and was the College Tutor of the celebrated Jonathan Swift, with whom he remained life-long friends. He is also said to be the clergyman who officiated at Swift and Stella’s secret “wedding” in 1716.
In 1695, he was elevated to be the Lord Bishop of Cloyne, of Clogher in 1697, and of Derry in 1716.
He married Jane St. George, daughter of Sir George St. George, bart of Dunway in the county of Galmore, and they had one son and one daughter.
Bishop St. George Ashe, DD, died in Dublin in 1718, his remains being interred in Christ Church. In condoling with Swift on the death of the distinguished bishop, Addison wrote, “He has scarce left behind him his equal in humanity, agreeable conversation and learning.” Sir A. Fountaine said to Swift that there was not a bishop in England with half his wit.
This profile is a collaborative work-in-progress. Can you contribute information or sources?
See also:
This week's featured connections are Acadians: St George is 13 degrees from Joseph Broussard, 17 degrees from Louis Hebert, 17 degrees from Antonine Maillet, 16 degrees from Roméo LeBlanc, 16 degrees from Aubin-Edmond Arsenault, 17 degrees from Louis Robichaud, 18 degrees from Cleoma Falcon, 18 degrees from Rhéal Cormier, 20 degrees from Jack Kerouac, 19 degrees from Maurice Richard, 19 degrees from Ron Guidry and 20 degrees from Beyoncé Knowles-Carter on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
Categories: Ireland, Featured Connections | Christ Church Cathedral, Dublin | Bishops of Clogher, Church of Ireland | Bishops of Cloyne, Church of Ireland | Bishops of Derry, Church of Ireland | Alumni of Trinity College, Dublin | Dublin Philosophical Society | Church of Ireland Priests | Ireland, Mathematicians | Ireland, Notables | Notables