Edward Mais

Illegitimate son of John Mais (q.v.) and very likely the same Edward Mais, planter, who married Eliza Cameron in St Andrew in 1842.

1. Edward Mais, "son of Elizabeth Dickson a free quadroon by John Mais" was born 10/10/1809 and baptised 21/02/1811 in St Andrew, Jamaica. He had an older brother, Francis, born in 1807, who died in infancy. His father went on to have a further 4 illegitimate children with Susanna Hamilton and then c. 1827 married Martha Cleland and had another 6 children.

2. Edward Mais first appears as a slave-owner in the Slave Registers of 1832. He registers 6 enslaved people, 5 of whom were transferred to his ownership by Jno. Mais as administrator of the estate of Elizabeth Dickson in 1829.

3. "Edward Mais Esquire and Eliza Cameron, Spinster both of this Parish were married by license on the 29th day of Septr 1842 by the Revd Wm Smith as duly certified to me Alexr Campbell Rector." They went on to have 8 children and what little is known of Edward is gleaned from the records of his children's christenings: Rosa Ann (christened 14/01/1844, no image available); Hector Charles (1845, Edward Mais described as Planter, St Andrews); John Mitchell (1847, Planter, St Andrews); Emma Ann (1849, of St David, although the christening took place in St Andrew); Mary Eliza (1851, Planter, abode Sherwood); Edward William (1853, abode Windward Road, Wharfinger); William Breakspear (1856, abode Richmond Park, Esquire); and Amelia Sophia (25/10/1862, by which time Edward Mais was Gentleman, Liguancea, deceased; known as "Minnie").

4. In his will which was proved in 1853, Edward's father John Mais stipulated that his property be sold and £11,000 be shared between his 6 legitimate children and the residue of his estate be shared between 3 of his illegitimate children: Edward, his half-brother Jeremiah and his half-sister Eliza.

1. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online]. Howard Mais, 'John Mais of Bristol (1747-1798) and his descendants: a summary' http://www.newtons-online.net/histories/Maisesincejohnn..pdf [accessed 26/04/2013].

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

3. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online]. Familysearch.org batch no. I06336-6.

4. Howard Mais, 'John Mais of Bristol (1747-1798) and his descendants: a summary' http://www.newtons-online.net/histories/Maisesincejohnn..pdf [accessed 26/04/2013].