John Vaughan, 1st Earl of Carbery

John Vaughan, 1st Earl of Carbery (1574 or 1575 – 6 May 1634) was a Welsh courtier and politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1601 and from 1621 to 1622. He served Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, and later Prince Charles, heir to the throne of King James I. However, his career ended when the Prince acceded to the throne in 1625, and he later estimated that serving the Prince had cost him £20,000, which went unrecompensed.

Early life Born to a Carmarthenshire family, Vaughan was the son of Walter Vaughan of Golden Grove, Llandeilo (who died 1597), and his wife Katherine, a daughter of Gruffydd ap Rhys of Dinefwr. His Vaughan grandfather, another John, was the first of the family to settle at Golden Grove and claimed descent from Bleddyn ap Cynfyn (died 1075), a Prince of Gwynedd and of Powys of the Royal House of Mathrafal. Vaughan's father married secondly Letitia, a daughter of Sir John Perrot, Lord Deputy of Ireland.

His brothers included the writer William Vaughan. He was appointed High Sheriff of Carmarthenshire for 1605.

Service with Prince Charles Vaughan worked to obtain a position in the household of Prince Charles, the heir to the throne, and in 1614 asked the Earl of Somerset, who was close to the king, to use his influence. He was successful, gaining the profitable office of comptroller when Prince Charles's household was formed in 1616. it is unclear whether this was intended as compensation or whether he had to pay for this advancement. with whom he had issue. Vaughan's father-in-law Sir Gelly Meyrick took part in the Earl of Essex's revolt and was executed for treason on 13 March 1601. Meyrick's daughter Margaret Vaughan and his son Roland Meyrick were restored in blood and name by King James I in 1606. He married secondly to Jane (c.1563 – Nov 1643), daughter of Sir Thomas Palmer of Wingham, Kent, widow and relict of Sir William Meredith, 1st Baronet of Stainsty, county Denbigh, Wales, who by her marriage to Vaughan was styled Countess of Carbery, and who survived him.

Vaughan's surviving children by his first marriage were his eldest son Richard, and his daughter Elizabeth (d. by 1642) who married Sir Henry Salusbury, 1st Baronet.

Vaughan's sister Elinor married John Protheroe of Nantyrhebog, Powys, Wales.