John McIver

Nephew of John Black of Elderslie Hedge in Trelawny, Jamaica, and Black's residuary legatee. His mother was Black's sister Ann. Reportedly purchased the Ardmarnoch estate in Argyllshire, which was sold in 1852, and a settler in New South Wales Australia, where according to an online family genealogy he died in 1876.

1. John McIver of Ardmarnock went to Australia in 1838 and arranged for his father-in-law James Baird, customs officer in Greenock, to have power of attorney over his Jamaica property and railway shares in McIver's absence. He gave Samuel Gemmill, writer in Greenock, power over "certain lands and heritable subjects in Argylshire and in Greenock" as well. He was still in Australia in 1840 when he wrote concerning a £1000 debt and an expected inheritance from "a deceased Mrs Oliver" (the inheritance didn't materialise).

2. John McIver Esquire of Ardmarnock married Cathcart Anderson Baird of Greenock West in Kilfinan, 23/03/1833. They had a daughter Janet born 06/01/1834 and baptised in Kilfinan 28/03/1834. Their next child Cathcart Anderson was born 17/08/1835 and baptised in Kilfinan 20/11/1835, followed by John Black (1837) and James (1838). With his wife and four children, he departed Greenock on the Christina 07/11/1838 and arrived in New South Wales 18/04/1839.

3. They had three further children baptised in Scone, New South Wales: Maria (1840); James Baird (1842); and David Colquhoun (1844), and another two in Armidale, New South Wales: Iver (1848) and Charles (1852).

4. Death 25/03/1876 "at his residence, Glen Esk, Rolland's Plains", John McIvor, Justice of the Peace, in his 74th year.

Will of John Black of Trelawny PROB 11/1710/483; http://ardmarnoch.co.uk/site/index.php/estate/history/ [accessed 01/12/2020]; http://webtrees.wilson-mciver.com/individual.php?pid=I360&ged=GGW1.GED [accessed 10/11/2016].

1. Account of Thomson v. Fullarton, Session Cases: Cases Decided in the Court of Session from July 27, 1842, to July 20, 1843 vol. V pp. 379-383.

2. GROS OPR Marriages 518 20 339 Kilfinan; marriage also declared in Greenock Old or West (GROS OPR 546/3 80 230). Baptisms of children: GROS OPR Births 518 20 82; 518 20 92; 528 20 100; 510 20 106; Ancestry.com, New South Wales, Australia, Unassisted Immigrant Passenger Lists, 1826-1922 [database online].

3. Anccestry.com, Australia, Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981 [database online].

4. Sydney Morning Herald 03/04/1876.

We are grateful to Vincent Gillen for his assistance with compiling this entry.