George Frederick Samuel Robinson Ripon, earl de Grey and marquis of, an English statesman, born in London, Oct. 24, 1827. He was a member of parliament from 1852 to 1859, and became prominent as a liberal under the name of Viscount Goderich. On the. death of his father, the first earl of Ripon, Jan. 28, 1859, he took his seat in the house of lords, and on Nov. 14 of the same year he inherited his uncle's title of earl de Grey. He was under secretary of state for war from June, 1859, to February, 1861, and again from July, 1861, to April, 1863, and secretary thenceforward till February, 1866; and he was connected with the India board from February to July, 1861, and from February to June, 1866. At the close of 1868 he became president of the council. In 1871 he went to Washington as chairman of the high joint commission which concluded the treaty of Washington in regard to the Alabama claims, and was for his services made marquis, June 23. In 1872 he was elected for the third time grand master of the freemasons in England, which post he resigned in 1874 on joining the Roman Catholic church.