Rebecca Hart

1. Joint owner of Hart's Hall in St Elizabeth, Jamaica, inherited with her three sisters Rebecca, Sarah and Elizabeth from their natural father James Hart. Born 07/02/1782. The girl's mother Mary Scott was described as a "free Negro" when baptised with her three daughters in St Elizabeth in 07/08/1791.

2. In his will dated 07/09/1793 and proved in Jamaica in 1800, James Hart directed that 25 of his 41 enslaved people were to be placed on the 300 acres (adjacent to Hampstead) he had purchased from Alexander Walker and that Mary Scott and her daughters by him were to be permitted to settle on that holding and enjoy the same. His trustees (Thomas Smith and Edward Francis Coke, who were also to be the girls' guardians) were instructed to build a comfortable house for them there to the value of at least £200, and Scott was to have Hart's two best horses and identified items of furniture, silver etc.

3. Most probably Rebecca Hart, a "free mulatto", whose reputed children by Mr John Grey, James (born 15/05/1807), Mary (born 04/06/1808), Thomas (born 17/02/1810) and Margaret (born 28/11/1812), were baptised at Fonthill, 30/10/1813.

4. Rebecca Hart, Black River, aged 77, was buried 27/3/1859.

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

2. Information from Paul Hitchings sourced to transcript of will of James Hart held by SOAS as MS380887.

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

4. Familysearch.org, St Elizabeth parish register, baptisms, marriages and burials 1840-59, p.460.

We are grateful to Paul Hitchings for his assistance with compiling this entry.