BUTTON, Sir THOMAS (died April 1634), admiral and explorer
Date of death: April 1634
Spouse: Mary Button (née Rice)
Child: Ann Laugharne (née Button)
Child: Elizabeth Poyer (née Button)
Child: Miles Button
Parent: Margaret Button (née Lewis)
Parent: Miles Button
Gender: Male
Occupation: admiral and explorer
Area of activity: Military; Travel and Exploration
Author: Ifor Ball Powell
He was the fourth son of Miles Button, sheriff of Glamorgan in 1565, 1571, 1589, and Margaret, daughter of Edward Lewis of Van. The Buttons had become possessed of Worleton, in the parish of S. Lythans, Glamorganshire, an alienated manor of the see of Llandaff. Their house at first was probably on the Dog Hill moated grange site, just across the Nant Golych, from the parish of S. Lythans and in the parish of S. Nicholas; later, the residence was probably on the site of the present house called Duffryn, situated nearby. The date of Thomas Button's birth is not known. He went to sea about 1589.
In 1612-13 he commanded an expedition dispatched to inquire into the fate of Henry Hudson and to search for a north-west passage to Asia. Button explored a great part of Hudson Bay. He was knighted on his return by James I. For the rest of his long naval career he served as ' Admiral of the King's ships on the coast of Ireland.'
Sir Thomas married Mary, daughter of Sir Walter Rice of Dynevor, Carmarthenshire, and they had seven children. He made his home at Cardiff.
Miles, his eldest son, married Barbara, the daughter and heiress of Rhys Meurug (' Merrick ') of Cottrell, Glamorganshire, his daughter Elizabeth married Col. John Poyer, and his daughter Ann married Rowland Laugharne . The places of his death and burial are not known.
Author
- Ifor Ball Powell
- The Transactions of the Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion, 1948, 35
- G. T. Clark, Glamorgan Worthies Some account of Sir Robert Mansel, Kt., Vice Admiral of England and Member of Parliament for the county of Glamorgan; and of Admiral Sir Thomas Button, Kt., of Worlton, and of Cardiff, in the county of Glamorgan (Dowlais 1883)
- J. S. Corbett, Glamorgan Papers and Notes on the Lordship and its members (1925)
- D. R. Paterson, 'Button Gwinnett and his Family Associations with Glamorgan,' in Cardiff Naturalists' Society, lxvi, 69-80
- Edgar Jones, 'Dog Hill, Duffryn.' in Archaeologia Cambrensis, 1933, 398-9
Sources
- Wikipedia Article: Thomas Button
Further Reading
- Wikidata: Q1338420
Additional Links
Published date: 1959
Article Copyright: http://rightsstatements.org/page/InC-RUU/1.0/
The Dictionary of Welsh Biography is provided by The National Library of Wales and the University of Wales Centre for Advanced Welsh and Celtic Studies. It is free to use and does not receive grant support. A donation would help us maintain and improve the site so that we can continue to acknowledge Welsh men and women who have made notable contributions to life in Wales and beyond.
Find out more on our sponsorship page.