John McLeod the elder, of Colbeck

Owner of Colbeck estate in St Dorothy, Jamaica, which he bequeathed to his nephew John McLeod the younger, apparently via his [the younger's] father Donald McLeod as tenant-for-life. It's not known when he bought the estate but he owned it in 1765 when he subjected it to a large mortgage. Uncle of Lady Jannet Grant nee McLeod who claimed compensation for the estate in lieu of a £5000 legacy under her uncle's will.

John McLeod was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 513 acres of land in St Thomas-in-the-East, 666 acres in Clarendon and 3396 acres in St Dorothy, total 4575 acres.

John Mcleod of St Dorothy, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1775. Slave-ownership at probate: 417 of whom 198 were listed as male and 219 as female. 84 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £46,702.95 Jamaican currency of which £28,559.5 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £1,318.25 currency cash, £2,067.9 currency debts and £504.05 currency plate. Trevor Burnard shows him as leaving Total Physical Wealth of £31,882 sterling (including enslaved people; excluding realty and financial assets and liabilities) in 1774, making him the fourth largest Jamaican wealth-holder with an inventory taken in that year.

The will of John McLeod of St. Dorothy, Esq. was proved in Jamaica 18/05/1775 and included the manumission of his "mulatto slave" Sally, who was also bequeathed £20 Jamaican currency and the right to remain in his mansion.

Law Reports (1840) accessed via http://jamaica-history.weebly.com/macleod-of-colbecks.html [accessed 13/03/2015].

'A List of landholders in the Island of Jamaica together with the number of acres each person possessed taken from the quit rent books in the year 1754', TNA CO 142/31 transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Samples2/1754lead.htm.

Trevor Burnard, Database of Jamaican inventories, 1674-1784; Trevor Burnard, Planters, merchants and slaves p. 19.

LOS 42 f. 112.

We are grateful to Daniel Livesay for his assistance with compiling this entry.