John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont (1683-1748), President of the Trustees of Georgia

Sitter in 8 portraits
Perceval was elected to the Irish House of Commons in 1703; he was raised to the Irish Peerage first as Baron, and then Viscount, Perceval. He was elected to the British House of Commons in 1727. In 1729, Perceval sat on the Parliamentary Gaols Committee chaired by James Oglethorpe, and the collaboration was instrumental in the founding of the colony of Georgia. Perceval was an enthusiastic supporter of Oglethorpe's scheme to establish the proposed new colony. He played a crucial role in securing the funding that was essential for the support and defence of Georgia. Indeed, the survival of the colony owed as much to Perceval's efforts in London as it did to Oglethorpe's activities in the colony.