Thomas Paterson

Owner of Downe Castle Settlement in Trelawney, Jamaica. Died at some point between 1820 and 1823.

1. "Some months ago we got a hint that the deceased Mr. Thomas Paterson, of Doune Castle, Trelawney, in the island of Jamaica, had died theire about ten years ago, leaving a good deal of money, and a will, directing, among other things, his executors in Jamaica to pay a sum of £200 to the poor of the parish in which he was born, in Scotland; as also a sum of £1000 sterling to his natural son, a poor but industrious Mason in Glasgow. These executors in Jamaica had got their clutches on Mr. Paterson's money, and like many other trustees in too many parts of the world, we suppose they wished to keep it snugly to themsleves, without communicating any share of it to the poor in Scotland. We fell upon means, however, to reach them, even in Jamaica; and now we have had the satisfaction to receive authentic intelligence from that quarter, to the effect that Mr. Paterson actually made his will 13 October, 1821-- and a copy of it is now lying before us. He directs his executors after his death to pay "to the Ministers and Elders of the parish of Kilmadock, my native parish, (Doune, Perthshire,) the sum of £200 sterling, to be divided among the poor of said parish;" and he also directs them to pay to his "reputed son, Robert Paterson, Mason, the sum of £1000 sterling." The rogues in Jamaica, thus detected, are now willing to pay the money, on a proper power of attorney being sent thither by the parties. And we need only further observe, that the first legacy, which, with interest, now amounts to £300 sterling, will be a God-send to many a poor person in the parish of Kilmadock; and the second legacy, now amounting, with interest, to £1500, will keep the poor mason pretty comfortable, we hope, for the remainder of his life."

2. Thomas Paterson's reputed son is probably the Robert Patterson, "free mulatto son of Thomas Patterson, a white man and Margaret a negro aged 8 years" who was baptised in Trelawny 22/09/1810; this Robert Paterson would have been about 19 years old when Thomas Paterson signed his will. Robert Paterson, born Trelawny, Jamaica, mason, age 48, was living at 26 Robertson Lane, Glasgow, in the census of 1851 with his wife Isabella and son Robert. He was at 110 Renfield Street, still a mason, age 58 in the census of 1861, again with his wife Isabella and son Robert. Robert Paterson, mason (journeyman), married to Isabella Fulton (illegitimate), age 66, son of Thomas Paterson, coffee planter (deceased, reputed father) and Margaret Campbell, housekeeper, died 18/05/1869 at 140 Renfield Street, Glasgow. The informant was his son Robert. In 1871, Isabella Paterson was an inmate and pauper in Auchterarder, Perthshire (her place of birth given as Kilmadock).

T71/874 Trelawney claim no. 395.

1. Reformers' Gazette vol. 5 p. 89 (No. CXXVI, 30/08/1834).

2. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online]; 1851, 1861 and 1871 censuses online; GROS Deaths 1869 644/6 335.

We are grateful to Alex Renton for his assistance with compiling this entry.