Joan FitzGerald's first husband was
James Butler. He was the eldest son of
Piers Butler, who had been in a dispute with
Thomas Boleyn, over the estate and title of Ormond after the
7th Earl had died without a son in 1515. Piers Butler had in 1522 proposed his son as bridegroom for
Anne Boleyn to settle the dispute. For reasons unknown, the marriage negotiations came to a halt, and Anne later married King
Henry VIII of England as his second wife. In 1528
Henry VIII forced Piers Butler to renounce the title of
Earl of Ormond and to become
Earl of Ossory instead. Joan FitzGerald's new husband was therefore already in the middle of his thirties when he eventually married her in 1530. Her dowry consisted of land in
County Tipperary along the boundary between the Desmond and the Ormond possessions, including the manors of
Clonmel, Kilfeakle, and
Kilsheelan. James and Joan had seven sons: •
Thomas ( – 1614), Black Tom, succeeded as the 10th Earl of Ormond, married firstly Elizabeth Berkeley; secondly, Elizabeth Sheffield, by whom he had an only daughter
Elizabeth Preston, Countess of Desmond; thirdly, Helen Barry •
Edmund of Cloughgrenan (1534–1602), married Eleanor Eustace, by whom he had issue •
John of
Kilcash (died 1570), married Katherine, daughter of
Cormac na Haoine MacCarthy Reagh, 10th Prince of Carbery, by whom he had a son,
Walter, 11th Earl of Ormond • Walter of Ballynodagh, became the ancestor of the Butlers of Nodstown •
James of Duiske • Edward of Cloughinche, married Mary, second daughter of the
Richard Burke, 4th Earl of Clanricarde, by whom he had issue • Piers of Grantstown After the dramatic fall of the Boleyns, the earldom of Ormond reverted to her father-in-law in February 1538. On 26 August 1539 her husband succeeded as 9th
Earl of Ormond and 2nd Earl of Ossory making her a double countess. On 17 October 1546 Ormond went to dine at
Ely House in Holborn, London. He fell victim of a mass poisoning along with his steward and 16 of his servants, possibly at the instigation of
Anthony St Leger, who was Lord Deputy of Ireland and a political opponent. Ormond died on 28 October, leaving Lady Ormond a young dowager countess in her thirties. Thomas, the heir, was only 15 and therefore became a ward of the king. She travelled to London to make sure the wardship would be handled gently. As a widow, she could legally act independently and she regained control of her
dowry. She administrated her dowry and jointure and played a major role in the affairs of house Ormond. == Second marriage ==