Submitted by Joyce Falink, email: jfalink@rconnect.com. May not be copied or reproduced in any manner without permission of submitter.
Copies of excerpts from Jamaica Wills
(Not as yet filmed by LDS church)
Please be forewarned, however, that some of these wills mention slaves as property.
Surnames in all capitalization by webmaster, not part of original document.
Wills LOS 132/198
Estate Matthew BRUCE dec’d. Will and Probate Ent. 27/6/1874
Last Will and Testament of Matthew BRUCE of St. Elizabeth Planter . My daughter Agnes MCDUFF BRUCE has already been provided for .. I give and bequeath to my wife Agnes Bruce and to my daughter Isabella Jane STEWART BRUCE my property called Good Hope in Santa Cruz Mountains for and during their lives . And after their decease to my son Robert BRUCE and his heirs . Sell the rest and residue and out of the proceeds pay the following ie to my son Robert BRUCE L5 in full of all his rights as my heir at law and unto Mary WATSON who has attended me during my illness . Appoints William SAMUELLS the elder of Mount Eruside ? in St Elizabeth my executor..
Wills LOS 97/255 David HUTCHISON Ent 3 August 1820
Of Parish of Manchester. Planter.. bequeath all my plantation in Manchester called Coffee Grove together with slaves and stock to my beloved brother George HUTCHISON of the City of Edinburgh in Great Britain and to Alex MOORE Esq of St. Eliz .. In Trust for the purposes hereinafter recited: 1st taking into consideration the advanced age of my beloved brother George HUTCHISON and his having no family depending on him I leave and bequeath L1000 in token of remembrance in full of all claims he may have against my estate: 2nd it is my wish that L5000 be invested in funds of Gr. Britain as early as the sum is released out of crops. . To my beloved sister Agnes Jean HUTCHISON wife of William HUTCHISON of the City of London and her son George FERGUSON; Interest to be paid annually as aforesaid to such of my reputed children hereinafter as may be residing in Great Britain or Ireland. I leave and bequeath to my beloved nephew George FERGUSON HUTCHISON L500. To Miss Jean HUTCHISON of the town of Ayr daughter of the late Provost, James HUTCHISON. To Elizabeth HUNT of Manchester a free woman of colour L200 till the youngest of my reputed children Jean HUTCHISON, Eleanor H, Margaret H, David H, Charlotte H and James H attain 21 years, they are to get L100 each, then L200, then L1000 each when attain 21years. . A comfortable dwelling house to be erected and furnished on Coffee Grove for Miss Hunt and her children and to have the services of 8 slaves, Appoint brother George HUTCHISON of Edinburgh and Alex MOORE executors.
Wills LOS 102/190
George HAY Ent. 26/3/1823
To William CODDELL of Tranant East Lothians Scotland and James EWING Esq
Son Thomas now about 14 years at High School
Son John now about 12 months old in Kingston, Jamaica
Brothers John and James
Sisters Catherine Rebecca and Ann L40
Will of Herbert Ernest MILES
Entered in Supreme Court Will Book No 12, folio 269
Filed in the Record Office on the 7 June 1911
This is the Last Will and Testament of me Herbert Ernest MILES of Stones Hope Manchester Jamaica. After all just debts and funeral expenses being defrayed, I should like each of the following to have clear of legacy duty L10.0.0. namely Mariella Frances MILES L10, George Echd? Miles L10, Henry Clare Miles L10, Edith Martha Miles L10, Emma Spencer Miles L10, all my instruments and papers to my Brother RW Miles. The residue of whatever I may be worth at the time of my demise to be equally divided between my brothers Richard Walter Miles and Alfred Henry Miles with the exception of L25 to Richard Walter Miles to be first deducted from the residue before Division. I hereby appoint Richard Walter Miles to be my sole executor and I revoke all former wills and codicils.
Witnesses: Henry West HILL, Newport, Ja.,Arthur WOOD, Newport, Ja.
Will dated: 9 May 1911
Wills LOS 135/222
Rear Admiral John Baker Porter HAY decd
Entered 17 August 1892
.. Rear Admiral of Brighton in county of Sussex All debts to be paid etc.
(Leaves everything to James Beckford Lewis Hay Rear Admiral . If he dies before him then to Clotilda Henrietta his wife for her life then to her children. Dated 4/3/1886
Wills LOS 135/223
James Lewis HAY
Entered 11/8/1892
Admiral in her Majesty’s Navy, of Tunbridge Wells in Kent, . To my dear wife Clotilda Henrietta Hay . To Edward Owen Hay, Howard Fitzgerald Hay, James Beckford Hay ..
(No mention of JA. – Dated 28/3/1892)
Will of Richard Walter MILES
Ent. 11 September 1909
I appoint my wife, my brother Alfred Henry Miles and my friend Lionel Albert ISAACS ..
in trust for my children who being sons attain the age of 21 and being daughters attain that age or marry under that age, in equal shares L1000 to my mother for life and after her death to my sisters Edith and Emma?
L1000 to my eldest sister Marietta
L500 each to my brother Herbert Ernest Miles, my sister Edith Martha and my sister Emma SPENCER, my mother in law Ellen Louisa BLACKEN residue of the trust to my brother Alfred Henry Miles.
This 8 May 1909
Will of Hubert Isaac WILLIAMS
Entered 3 January 1921
Last Will and Testament of me Hubert Isaac WILLIAMS of Belleview – Content in the Parish of Manchester, Jamaica . I hereby give devise and bequeath to my beloved wife Florence Isabel Williams her heirs executors and administrators for her and their own use and benefit absolutely and forever all my estate and effects both real and personal whatsoever and wheresoever and of what nature and quality soever and I hereby appoint her the said Florence Isabel Williams sole executor of this my Last will and testament. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 6th June 1914
Witnesses Sarah SCHARSCHMIDT
Ella Rosalie MYERS
Will of Florence Isabel WILLIAMS
15 May 1923
Florence Isabel WILLIAMS of Content in Manchester
Appoints brothers Arthur Stafford MYERS of Williamsfield and Hugh Vivian MYERS of Santa Cruz to be executors of her will.
To my father Alfred Seaton MYERS and my mother Roberta Myers, L1000, and the interest to them.
To my eight brothers and sisters Arthur Stafford MYERS, Mrs. Evelyn SCHARSCHMIDT, Ella MEYERS, Mrs. Emma MUSCHETTE, Stanley MYERS, Herbert MEYERS, Cecil MYERS and Hugh Vivian MYERS . L1000 to be divided among them.
To my aunt Amanda MYERS L50
To my niece Deonicia MYERS L25
This 8 Sept 1922
EA BONNITO J.P. Witnesses
M. A. COKE
Will and probate, personalty under L100
Dated 5 Feb 1857
Entered 1 June 1857
Estate Hugh Rupell WILLIAMS of Porus Plantation in St. Ann. . My reputed children James WILLIAMS, George WILLIAMS, Edward WILLIAMS and Andrew Lewis GATCHAIR
Wills LOS 101/100
Patrick BURKE
Entered 19 June 1822 Written 18 Aug 1817
I Patrick BURKE of St Thomas in the East . Merchant, according to the ancient good and laudable custom of which my heart recognises the propriety I bequeath my Soul to God hoping for his mercy through the only merits of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Being of sound and disposing judgement and memory make this my Last will and Testament in manner and form following. Imprimis (all just debts to be paid):
Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth BURKE a Black free woman all my wearing apparell household furniture utensils small stock and a house to hold unto the said Elizabeth BURKE her heirs and assigns forever. Item I give and bequeath to the said Eliz. Burke a black free woman during her natural life 6 of my slaves names Charlotte PERKINS and her 3 children and Ann BURKE and her mulatto daughter Bess.
Item I give and bequeath to my 4 mulatto children Margaret BURKE, Mary BURKE, Rebecca BURKE and Peter BURKE who are all free the above mentioned slaves left to Elizabeth Burke to be equally divided between them Item I give and bequeath to Elizabeth Burke and her 4 mulatto children mentioned above my house in Titchfield free school land (note: this land now exists in Portland Parish). (Also gives them L140 to make them as comfortable as possible, to lay in provisions in the house for their joint use).
Item the remainder of my property to be divided between my brothers and sisters John BURKE of Ballmew? Near Castleher In the county of Mayo in Ireland, and Mrs. Cecilia CARR of Castlebar in the county of Mayo in Ireland, to them and their heirs forever. Appoints brother John BURKE and friends Thomas BLAKELY Maurice JONES and Thomas JONES executors.
These wills above and listed below are just some of hundreds of wills which exist at spanish town not yet filmed by the LDS church:
John MILES 1881, 1A/79 RM Court Vol 1
Charles Augustus HAY 1926 18/327 RM Court Vol 1
John HAY 1824-5 105/195
Index to Wills Vol 2 1818 – 1881
1907 137/87 John William HUTCHISON
1838-9 109/55 William HUTCHISON
1824 104/56 Jane Brown HUTCHISON
1820 97/255 David HUTCHISON
No Bruce 1881 – 1834
Index to Supreme Court. Vol 1 1881-1926.
All MILES
11 Aug 1894 G.D. Miles
20 Jan 1896 David “
11 Sept 1909 Richard W “
7 June 1911 Herbert E “
7 July 1926 Lillie Marion “
All WILLIAMS
6 Aug 1923 Ella Jane Williams
15 May 1923 Florence Isabel “
26 Feb 1923 Reginald James “
3 Jan 1921 Hubert Isaac “
10 Mar 1920 Alexander “
21 Jun 1891 JSW “
21 June 1891 AELV “
14 Sept 1885 AP “
19 Dec 1883 John ” Dt Ct Will
5 May 1881 Thomas ” ” ” “
29 Sept 1917 James Hutchison
No Bruce (this time period)
No Hay ” ” “
Index to Supreme Court Wills Vol 2 1926 – 1952
2 Aug 1928 Robert HAY
16 Aug 1939 Charles James HAY
22 May 1941 Henry Wright HAY
No more Hay to 1952
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