George Ricketts of Canaan

Fourth son of William Ricards/Ricketts, "a Captain in Cromwell's army, who, accompanying the expedition under Penn and Venerables, was present at the conquest of Jamaica in 1655" and Mary nee Goodwin. His elder brother John died sine prole. His second brother William, of Ridgeland in Jamaica, settled in North America. His third brother Jacob died sine prole.

Major-General in the Jamaican militia. Died in 1760 age 80. Married [1] Sarah, daughter of Raynes Waite, of Chertsey, Surrey [2] Sarah, widow of John Lewis, Esquire, of Cornwall, Jamaica, nee Bennet [3] Elizabeth Cleaver. His 27 children included: John Ricketts of Prospect estate, Jacob Ricketts of Midgham estate, William Henry of Canaan estate and a posthumous son George William Ricketts, born in 1760 and bequeathed New Canaan in St James in the will of his father.

George Rickets was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 3890 acres of land in Westmoreland.

George Ricketts of Westmoreland, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1762. Slave-ownership at probate: 288 of whom 143 were listed as male and 145 as female. 67 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £43892.11 Jamaican currency of which £15854.88 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £35 currency cash, £22895.79 currency debts and £171.76 currency plate.

John Burke, History of the Commoners of Great Britain and Ireland (London, 1834) Vol. 1 pp. 22-23, 'Ricketts of Combe'.

'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.