Frederick St John

General Frederick St John (20 December 1765 – 19 November 1844) was an officer of the British Army and a politician. He rose to the rank of general during his career and saw service during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and the Second Anglo-Maratha War. He also sat briefly for the constituency of Oxford.

Family and early life Frederick St John was born the second son of Frederick St John, 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke and Lady Diana Beauclerk.

St John enlisted in the Army as an ensign in the 85th Regiment of Foot in 1779, at the age of 14. St John and his wife then joined the East Indiaman Kent to complete the journey. On 7 October, Kent was captured by the French privateer Confiance, under Robert Surcouf. St John was taken prisoner and exchanged.

On 6 April 1793, St John married Arabella Craven (died 9 June 1819), daughter of William Craven, 6th Baron Craven and Elizabeth Craven. They had five sons and four daughters: Keppel St John (26 February 1812 – 7 June 1813) Elizabeth St John (11 July 1814 – 27 October 1846), married Rev. George Carter on 9 March 1841