William Wyllys

Absentee slave-owner in Jamaica, living at Stanton Drew Somerset. Claimed as annuitant of £700 p.a. on Mount Lebanus (the money went to trustees of the estate, Rev. David Laing and Rev. John West, both of whom q.v.), and as trustee of John Mackeson's (q.v.) marriage settlement on the Blue Mountain estate, both in Jamaica. It is not yet clear how his annuity of £700 p.a. arose.

1. William Wyllys, son of William Hall Wyllys and his wife Elizabeth nee West, born 11/07/1780 and baptised in Kingston, Jamaica, 23/01/1781. His mother was the sister of John West of Brixton (q.v.).

2. In 1851 William Wyllys aged 70 born Jamaica 'Annuitant and landed proprietor' was living at Stanton Drew Somerset with wife Sarah (born Bristol aged 30) and sons W.E.(aged 4); W.H. (aged 2) and M.W. (aged 1) Wyllys, all born at Stanton Drew. Death of William Wyllys registered Clutton Somerset Q1 1860. He left £4000 (resworn from £3000).

T71/867 and T71/1200 St Thomas-in-the-East No. 473; T71/1190 Manchester No. 358 for Blue Mountain. Both T71/1200 and T71/1190 give his address as Stanton Drew (Somerset): T71/1200 gives Morley House.

Alan Furness 'The Jamaican coffee Boom and John Mackeson, A Blue Mountain coffee planter 1807-19', Jamaican Historical Review Vol. III No. 3 March 1962 identifies Wm Wyllys as owner of Mt Lebanus in 1807, when Wyllys and his brother-in-law John Mackeson travelled together to Jamaica.

1. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].

2. 1851 census online; children's full names are inferred from National Probate Calendar entries in 1874 (Wyllys Harvey Wyllys), 1915 (Mackeson West Wyllys) and 1932 - William Edward Wyllys, a medical practitioner, did not die until 21/12/1931, and left £38,048 17s 7d (resworn at £37,989 7s 6d); FreeUKGen, England and Wales Free BMD Database, Deaths, 1837-1983 [database online]; National Probate Calendar 1860.