William Lewis of Jamaica and Chertsey Abbey

1. William Lewis was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 300 acres of land in St Ann, 1548 acres in Westmoreland, 600 acres in St Elizabeth and 300 acres in St Thomas-in-the-Vale, total 2748 acres.

2. "M.A.. Westmoreland 1754, '55, '56, '61, 1771. Died in England and his remains brought to Jamaica and interred, at his request, at Deans Valley in Westmoreland 1774; aged 53 years. Vide Peerage in Jamaica. He was grand father of Matthew Gregory Lewis, known as Monk Lewis. A sister of Monk Lewis, Frances Maria, grand daughter of William, married Sir Henry Lushington 2nd. Baronet."

3. Monumental inscription at Deans Valley Dryworks: "HERE LIETH THE BODY OF MRS. JANE LEWIS, LATE THE WIFE OF THE HONOURABLE WILLIAM LEWIS, ESQ., AND ELDEST DAUGHTER OF MATTHEW GREGORY, ESQ., WHO DEPARTED THIS LIFE ON THE 19th DAY OF FEBRUARY, 1765, AGED 39 YEARS AND 10 MONTHS. SHE WAS MARRIED 22 YEARS AND 5 DAYS (Eulogies follow.) WILLIAM LEWIS, WHO DIED THE 27th OF APRIL, 1774, AGED 53 YEARS. HIS REMAINS WERE BROUGHT FROM ENGLAND ACCORDING TO HIS OWN REQUEST AND DEPOSITED IN THIS PLACE NEAR THOSE OF HIS AFFECTIONATE AND BELOVED WIFE."

4. Will of William Lewis [late of the parish of Westmoreland in Jamaica but now] of Chertsey [Abbey at Chertsey] Surrey proved 16/05/1774. He asked to be buried on the Cornwall estate in Jamaica alongside his wife. He left £2500 each to his five daughters, with £500 extra to the eldest Jane. He left his estates between his sons William and Matthew. In a codicil of 1773 he detailed the marriage settlement of his son Matthew and Frances Maria Sewell, including an annuity of £500 p.a. to Frances Maria if she survived Matthew Lewis, and £5000 to each of the children of the marriage, secured on the Cornwall and Black Morass estates.

1. '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.

2. Fuertado's Personages transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/b/bfeurtado04.htm.

3. Lawrence-Archer's Monumental Inscriptions p. 337 transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/b/Barche17.htm.

4. PROB 11/998/111.

We are grateful to Paul Hitchings for his assistance with compiling this entry.