John Straw of the City of London

???? - 1777


Biography

London apothecary, who lent money to the London merchant firm of Serocold & Jackson against the security of property in Jamaica including enslaved people: he had also owned an [unnamed] estate in his own right that he had sold and taken back a mortgage for all or part of the purchase price. The Barbican estate and the enslaved people on it in St Andrew Jamaica was shown as his property in 1776, and in the hands of his executor as mortgagee after his death: John Straw had leased this estate to John Jackson for 12 months in 1776.

  1. Will of John Straw Apothecary of Leadenhall Street City of London [made in 1777] proved 13/01/1778. The will sets out the transactions he had undertaken with Serocold and Jackson. He had through Richard Goodall of Crosby Square [who was also one of his executors] advanced money to Serocold & Jackson, which was still outstanding and on which some interest was unpaid. Serocold & Jackson in turn had issued notes and a bond to in favour of John Straw, and had also deposited mortgages over estates which had been assigned to them by various parties in Jamaica: William Barnett and Elizabeth Everett his wife; John Reader; Edward Bowes; and Thomas Murphy. John Straw had also sold one [unnamed] estate that was his own and taken security for the purchase price. He left his property to his wife and to Richard Goodall, to repay Goodall some advances he had made to Straw, with his wife as residuary legatee. In a codicil, he provided for his wife's death or intestacy by leaving his property to their niece Catherine Lynch.

Sources

Caribbeana Vol. III.

  1. PROB 11/1038/104

Further Information

Absentee?
British/Irish
Spouse
Katherine

Associated Estates (2)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
1786 [EA] - 1786 [LA] → Previous owner
1776 [EA] - 1776 [LA] → Owner

The Barbican estate was shown as the property of John Straw in 1776: this might be the estate mentioned in his will as having been his own and then sold. In August 1776 he had leased it to John Jackson for one year.


Relationships (4)

Deceased Husband → Widow
Business associates
Notes →
John Straw was a creditor of Serocold &...
Business associates
Notes →
John Straw was a creditor of Serocold &...
Testator → Executor

Addresses (1)

Leadenhall Street, City of London, Middlesex, London, England