Laurencine Whiteman

Formerly enslaved, owned before 1813 by Andrew Whiteman with whom she had a child, Jane Anne Whiteman. Bequeathed to her daughter in Andrew's will of 1813 and manumitted in 1831. The two enslaved people for whom she was awarded compensation were almost certainly her sons Jean Baptiste (born 1819) and Alesson (born 1821).

1. Laurencine was first mentioned in the will of Andrew Whiteman, proved in London in 1813. "I bequeath unto the free Mulatto Girl named Jane Anne Daughter of my Negroe Woman Slave named Laurensine the Sum of three hundred pounds Sterling to be paid to her by three annual Instalments of One hundred pounds each the first on her attaining the age of 18 years & until she attains that age I request that the interest of five per cent on the said Sum or fifteen pounds Sterling may be paid Annually to Joseph Nicolson for her use or in the event of his death or declining to take charge of it then to her Godmother Judith herein before mentioned until she is capable of making a proper use of it herself to be paid by my Executors in Grenada & drawn for from the funds in the possession of my trustees in England. I also give & bequeath unto the said free Mulatto Girl named Jane Anne her mother Laurensine to assist in taking care of her & providing for their mutual support an Annuity of ten pounds Grenada currency during her life from the colony of Grenada by virtue of her Manumission."

2. Jane Anne and her half-sister Clarissa had been manumitted by Andrew Whiteman in 1806.

3. Gilbert, son of Laurencine and owned by Jane Anne Whiteman, was baptised at Upper Latante Estate in Grenada 06/04/1816, the same day as Andrewina, daughter of Jane Anne's half brother William Henry Whiteman (q.v.) and Charlotte, his slave.

4. In line with the terms of Andrew Whiteman's will, Laurencine age 27 years appeared in the Slave Registers of 1817, registered by Wm Henry Whiteman (q.v.) guardian of Jane Anne Whiteman in the Parish of St David. Laurencine was recorded as having a "Large hairly mole on her chin" (mentioned in later Slave Registers as well). Also owned by Jane Anne Whiteman was Gilbert, aged 1 year, the son of Laurencine.

5. In 1819 Jane Anne still 'owned' her mother Laurencine and half-brother Gilbert and had also gained another half-brother, Jean Baptiste, given as aged 11 months on 31/12/1819.

6. Jane Anne Whiteman registered her own enslaved people for the first time in 1821: Gilbert aged 5 years, Jean Baptiste age 3 years and Laurencine age 31 years. Possibly Jane Anne had reached her majority aged 21 by this time, but that would indicate Laurencine was only 10 years old when she gave birth to Jane Anne. More likely, Jane Anne had reached the age of 18 and inherited the money left her by her father.

7. The Slave Registers for 1822 show Jane Anne gained another half-brother, Alesson, aged 6 months on 31/12/1822. In 1825, Clarissa Whiteman (half-sister of Jane Anne and also mentioned in the will of Andrew Whiteman) registered 5 enslaved people as agent to Jane Anne Whiteman: Gilbert age 9, Jean Baptiste age 7, Alesson age 5, Edmond age 18.5 months and Laurencine age 35. Clarissa registered Jane Anne's enslaved people again in 1829 but this time there was no sign of Edmond: Gilbert age 13, Jean Baptiste age 11, Alesson age 9 and Laurencine age 39.

8. On 31/12/1831, Jane Anne was recorded as owning 2 enslaved people, Laurencine aged 41 years and Gilbert age 15 both having been manumitted during the course of the year. This time the two remaining enslaved people were "in the possession of Laurencine Whiteman as Agent." In 1833 Laurencine Whiteman again registered enslaved people as agent of Jane Anne: Jean Baptiste age 15 and Alesson age 13. Neither Clarissa nor Jane Anne nor Laurencine were able to sign their own names, identifying themselves by mark.

1. PROB 11/1542.

2. Email from Daphne Phillips Daifas sourced to FHL1563328 89/entered 20 Oct 1806: "Andrew Whiteman of the Parish of St David planter manumits the mulatto girl slave named Jane Anne….witnessed Owsley Rowly, John H Phillips…received from Andew Whiteman….100 pounds…." 90/entered 20 Oct 1806: "Andrew Whiteman of the Parish of St David planter manumits the mulatto girl slave named Clarissa….witnessed Owsley Rowly, John H Phillips…received from Andew Whiteman….100 pounds…."

3. Baptism records photographed by Daphne Phillips Daifas.

4. Ancestry.com, Slave Registers of former British Colonial Dependencies, 1812-1834 [database online].

5. Ibid.

6. Ibid.

7. Ibid.

8. Ibid.

We are grateful to Daphne Phillips Daifas for her assistance in compiling this entry.