Bligh, John (1617–66), customs official, was baptised on 22 February 1617, the third son of William Bligh of Plymouth. His early career is uncertain but he appears to have lived in London as a linen draper. He invested in the adventure for Irish land, purchasing shares in several investments in 1654, and secured extensive grants of land in Co. Meath, mostly in Moygallion barony, perhaps also acting as an agent for adventurer interests in general. By August 1658 he was a farmer of the Irish excise and he became a commissioner of customs and excise under the restoration monarchy, probably in 1660, though patents were issued only on 2 September 1662. When that revenue was later farmed out, he was named a commissioner to audit customs and excise arrears on 14 March 1664, and was one of those to whom responsibility for inland excise and ale licence revenue was delegated on 8 March 1665.
He married Catherine, daughter of Thomas Fuller, merchant of London, and his wife, Lucy (née Cannon), and sister of William Fuller, bishop of Limerick from 1664 to 1667 and later bishop of Lincoln; they had at least one son and four daughters. In 1660 he had represented Athboy, Co. Meath (in which he held property) in the Irish convention, and was elected an MP for Athboy 10 April 1661. He resided at Rathmore, Co. Meath. He died 3 November 1666. His son Thomas (1654–1710) was MP for Athboy (1692–3) and Co. Meath (1695–9, 1703–10), and father of John Bligh (1683–1728), 1st earl of Darnley, and of General Thomas Bligh (qv), MP for Athboy (1715–75).