Biography
William Legge, 2nd Earl of Dartmouth, was born 20 June 1731 to George Legge (c1704-1732) and Elizabeth Kaye (c1707-1745) and died 15 July 1801 Blackheath, Greater London, England, United Kingdom of unspecified causes. He married Frances Catherine Nicoll (-1805) 11 January 1755 .
Lord Dartmouth was a large donor to and the leading trustee for the English trust that would finance the establishment of the Moor's Charity School, in Lebanon, Connecticut by Eleazar Wheelock to educate and convert the Indians. Wheelock subsequently founded Dartmouth College in Hanover, New Hampshire, naming the school in Lord Dartmouth's honor in hopes of getting his financial support. Lord Dartmouth refused. In London, Lord Dartmouth supported the new Foundling Hospital, a charitable institution for the care and maintenance of London's abandoned children. He served as a vice president of the organization from 1755 until his death. The famous painter Sir Joshua Reynolds painted the Earl's portrait and donated it to the hospital. The portrait is still in the Foundling Hospital Collection and can be seen at the Foundling Museum in London. He was admitted a Fellow of the Royal Society on 7 November 1754.
Children
| Name | Birth | Death | Joined with |
| George Legge, 3rd Earl of Dartmouth (1755-1810) | 3 October 1755 Westminster, Greater London, England, United Kingdom | 10 November 1810 Dawlish, Devon, England, United Kingdom | Frances Finch (1763-1838) |
| Henry Legge (1765-1844) | |||
| Arthur Kaye Legge (1766-1835) | |||
| Edward Legge (1767-1827) | |||
| Augustus George Legge (1773-1828) | |||
| Charlotte Legge (1774-1848) | |||
Footnotes (including sources)
| ‡ General |
|
