Preceded by William Pulteney Name James the Died February 16, 1721 | Preceded by Joseph Addison Role British Politician Parents James Craggs the Elder | |
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Born 9 April 1686 ( 1686-04-09 ) Succeeded by Christopher Wandesford, 2nd Viscount Castlecomer | ||
James Craggs the Younger PC (9 April 1686 – 16 February 1721), was a British politician.
Life
Craggs was born at Westminster, the son of James Craggs the Elder. Part of his early life was spent abroad, where he made the acquaintance of George Louis, Elector of Hanover, afterwards King George I of Great Britain. In 1713 he became Member of Parliament for Tregony, in 1717 Secretary at War, and in the following year Secretary of State for the Southern Department. Craggs was implicated in the South Sea Bubble, but not so deeply as his father, whom he predeceased, dying on 16 February 1721, aged 34. Among Craggs's friends were Alexander Pope (who wrote the epitaph on his monument in Westminster Abbey), Joseph Addison and John Gay.
James Craggs left an illegitimate daughter, Harriot Craggs, by the noted dancer and actress Hester Santlow. Harriot married firstly in 1726 to Richard Eliot, having nine children including Edward Craggs-Eliot, 1st Baron Eliot and secondly in 1749 to John Hamilton by whom she had a son.