Fountayne was the younger of two sons of John Fountayne. He was raised at Melton Hall],[1] in High Melton, the family seat which he inherited upon the death of his elder brother in 1739 and which he immediately set about substantially rebuilding.[2]
He graduated M.A. from St Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1739 and was later awarded a Doctorship of Divinity from the same college in 1751.[3]
Noted as quite a politically astute Dean, he held on to office by moving with the political wind, as recounted by his friend, the author, Laurence Sterne.[5]
Marriages
John Fountayne married three times, firstly to Ann Bromley, daughter of William Bromley, speaker of the House of Commons in 1744 and by whom he had no issue. Following Ann's death in 1746, he married Frances Maria Whichcote, of Harpswell, Lincolnshire, by whom he had one daughter, also named Frances Maria.
Upon Frances' death in 1750, he thirdly married Ann Montagu, in 1754, the only daughter of Charles Montagu of Papplewick, Nottinghamshire. This marriage produced two sons and three daughters, all of whom the except the middle daughter died unmarried. There are memorials to all these family members in Melton Church.
The second daughter from this third marriage married Richard Wilson, second son of Dr. Christopher Wilson, sometime Bishop of Bristol.[6] As a result of this marriage, the family name was changed to Fountayne-Wilson and later reverted to Montagu, following an inheritance.
^Omerod, W.M, 'The Lord Lieutenants & High Sheriffs of Yorkshire 1066-2000, (2000). Department of History of the University of York. ISBN1-871647-74-6. [1]