Robert Boyes Muirhead

Glasgow Sheriff Court Wills, SC36/51/9, precis.

Robert Boyes Muirhead late of Jamaica but now of 12 Broughton Street, Edinburgh.

To my daughter Elizabeth Mitchell Muirhead £3000 sterling with all my furniture and plate either as my legal daughter by marriage according to the laws of Scotland with her late mother Sarah Ivy Board a free person of colour, and as declared by the latter 7 January 1827 at 8 Newington Place, Newington, Edinburgh, in the presence of the Revd. Mr Forbes McPillans, Mrs Law, Henry Seddon, Elizabeth Mitchell Muirhead and Susannah Smith, by addressing to me these words, "This is my husband is it not so?" to which I bowed assent, but by this document answer "yes" it having been unnecessary for me to say more at that time as I considered that we were otherwise married by the laws and customs of Scotland by residing in it as husband and wife from July 1826 till the time of her decease on the 13th February 1827 but in the event the law should not justify me in this construction then I give the said bequest to my natural daughter Elizabeth Mitchell Muirhead, a free quadroon girl of colour her heirs and assigns for ever on attaining the age of twenty one years.

To Mrs James Muirhead, 33 Norfolk Street, Glasgow, £1000 sterling together with all furniture etc in her house bought in my name since I returned to this country, together with my full and free discharge to her husband my brother James for any thing he may have owed me otherwise either while I was in Jamaica or since.

To Mrs George Muirhead, Glasgow, £500 together with all the furniture etc bought in my name for her use.

To Mrs Mackay of Sta. Croix £500 sterling.

To Sarah Baillie Seddon, £500 for her honourable conduct to me within these last four frightful months of disgraceful disobedience and ingratitude on the part of her sister Ann and Brother Henry Seddon.

I direct the manumission of a slave named Jane Morrison, Eliza's nurse in Jamaica, to be purchased and given to her.

To the children of the late John Latting[?] of Jamaica, £300 sterling.

To Robert Paul Esquire W. S. Edinburgh, £300... to Mrs Paul £100...

To James Forsyth Esquire in Jamaica, £500 sterling for the manumission and advantage of my reputed son at Smallwood Penn in Jamaica, to be laid out as he shall see best.

I direct that I may be buried very plainly and privately at Newington if I die in Edinburgh or in my late father's ground in the North West Churchyard Glasgow should I die in the neighbourhood of that city.

My daughter will in the event of establishing her own birthright and removing its illegitimacy carry notwithstanding the will of her late mother into effect by conveying to George D. Seddon the house in Jamaica given him by his late mother, the Grace Penn in North Street to Ann Ivey Seddon, the Blacksmiths shop to Henry D. Seddon, notwithstanding that the balances of accounts will be so far against her mother's estate and in my favour as to totally extinguish all their right. Reserving for herself and her sister Sarah the other freeholds there in Duke Street and Playouse Alley, which they may either sell for their mutual benefit or here as she pleases.

James Forsyth of Kingston and James M. Macqueen of the same place to be executors with my brother James Muirhead in Glasgow and Robert Paul of the City of Edinburgh and Mrs James Muirhead also of Norfolk Street, Glasgow.

Signed 10/11/1828.