William Wynter

Resident slave-owner in Jamaica, owner or tenant-for-life of an estate tentatively identified as Hampshire.

1. William Wynter was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 500 acres of land in St Catherine, 300 acres in St Mary, 8 acres in St Dorothy and 520 acres in St Thomas-in-the-Vale, total 1328 acres.

2. The will of William Wynter [written and attested in 1772 and entered in Jamaica in 1776] was proved in London 08/05/1783. In the will he freed a group of enslaved women, 'Betty and her daughter Quimba Candis Jubor my Housekeeper and Shab', and left land to the same group together with Charlotte, daughter of Quimba [implying that Charlotte was already free]. He left the rest of his real and personal estate to his son Edward Hampson Wynter. [It is possible that Charlotte was the Charlotte Wynter who with Nathaniel Phillips of Slebech (q.v.) had six children including Catherine Phillips Wynter and Charlotte Phillips Wynter, each of whom q.v.)].

3. William Wynter of St Catherine, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1773. Slave-ownership at probate: 307 of whom 152 were listed as male and 155 as female. 83 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £20648.72 Jamaican currency of which £18166 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £47.5 currency cash, £1374.23 currency debts and £726.76 currency plate.

His date of death is approximate. His will was made in 1772 and recorded in Jamaica in 1776, but his son Edward Hampson Wynter is shown against the estate in 1775.

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. Will of the Hon. William Wynter of St Catherine Jamaica proved 08/05/1783 PROB 11/1110/2. The will has been transcribed by Anne Powers, ttp://aparcelofribbons.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/32-Will-of-William-Wynter-1783.pdf [accessed 28/05/2017].

3. Trevor Burnard, Database of Jamaican inventories, 1674-1784.

We are grateful to Sean Creighton for drawing our attention to the possible link between the Charlotte named in William Wynter's will and the Charlotte Wynter who was the partner of Nathaniel Phillips.