Lieut. Col. John McGillivray

???? - 1788


Biography

  1. Third son of Captain Farquhar McGillivray, 7th Chief of Clan McGillivray and his wife Elizabeth McIntosh, who was probably born at the family seat of Dunmaglass. Emigrated to North America around 1750. Loyalist slave-owner and plantation-owner in Georgia who also owned Sunflower estate in Jamaica from at least 1778. Lietuenant Colonel in the West Florida milita during the American Revolution. In 1783 he sailed for Jamaica with enslaved people from Georgia, in contravention of the peace treaty. He then returned to Britain where he assumed responsibility for his own and his cousin Lachlan's claims for compensation for war losses (eventually a little under £12,000). Made a subscription of £200 to Inverness Royal Academy in 1784. Died in 1788 on a return voyage from Kingston to Britain. His will was proved 28/02/1788 when he was given as of St Martin-in-the-Fields.

  2. Dr James Dallas (q.v.) was near Mobile (then in British West Florida, now Mobile, Alabama) in 1778 temporarily farming a plot of land belonging to one “Col. Mcilivray” [sic]. “The Doctor [Jas. Dallas] ... had a very narrow escape of losing all his last negroes that he sent down there (upwards of thirty odd) on account of the former troubles ... (T)hey were all then very busy in planting of corn ... [and] his crop in that article alone would amount to nigh 6000 dollars.”


Sources

  1. Amos J. Wright, Jr., The McGillivray and McIntosh Traders: On the Old Southwest Frontier 1716-1815 (Montgomery, Alabama, 2007); PROB 11/1162/323.

  2. Email from Robert Hutcheon 18/01/2020 sourced to National Records of Scotland, GD314/109.

We are grateful to Jim Brennan and Robert Hutcheon for their assistance with compiling this entry.


Further Information

Will

PROB 11/1162/323 - precis.

Lieutenant Colonel John McGillivray formerly of the provinces of Georgia and West Florida in North America but at present of the parish of St Martin in the Fields, Westminster.

I stand engaged for the payment of £500 sterling to my cousin Lachlan McGillivray Esquire every year for his natural life in consideration of the lands, slaves and other personal property which he conveyed and delivered over to me some time before the province of Georgia was evacuated by His Majesty Troops. It is my will that the said sum of £500 shall be duly and punctually paid to the said Lachlan McGillivray every year.

To my sister Amy McGillivray, £100 a year for life.

To my cousin Alexander McGillivray £10 a year for life.

My executors to invest sums in the public funds or out at interest upon such good securities as shall be approved of by the above Lachlan McGillivray, Amy McGillivray and Alexander McGillivray to annually produce the sum sufficient to satisfy these legacies.

To my nephew John Lachlan McGillivray £2,000.

To my niece Barbara McGillivray £2,000.

To my cousin Farquhar McGillivray £1,000.

To John McGillivray, son of the said Farquar McGillivray £100, and to his daughters Jannet McGillivray and Johanna McGillivray £100 each.

To my cousin John McGillivray, son of Alexander McGillivray, £200.

To Lachlan McGillivray, son of Archibald McGillivray, £400.

To Lucy Graham, daughter of Mr Charles Graham of Fenchurch Buildings, £100.

To Charles Shaw, son of Alexander Shaw of Suffolk Street, Charing Cross, £100.

To Miss Eleanor Inglis, sister of Bailey William Inglis of Inverness, £100.

To Lachlan McGillivray, son of Duncan McGillivray, late of Balnagair, £200.

To David McGillivray, son of Alexander McGillivray near Inverness, two good field slaves, one man and one woman.

To Alexander McGillivray, son of Archibald McGillivray of Daviot near Inverness, the bond of £150 which is due to me from his father.

It is my will that Miss Ann McGillivray shall be permitted to continue in the occupation of the farm at Aberchalder for life provided she pays to Farquahar McGillivray the interest money as it shall become due of the balance of the purchase money owed by me to Farquhar McGillivray.

All rest and residue to my nephew John Lachlan McGIllivray and his heirs. In default to my niece Barbara McGillivray. My executors at their discretion to sell the estate and property in Jamaica except the following slaves: Big Rose, Mulatta Jamie, Black John and Paul who are to be manumitted.

Farquhar McGillivray of Dulcrombie, Bailey William Inglis of Inverness, Charles Graham and James Dick of London, merchants, and James Simpson of the Middle Temple Esquire barrister at law to be my executors. £20 each to them to purchase mourning.

Signed 22/11/1786.

Codicil dated 22/11/1786. In the above written will I have made no mention of the estate and property in land which belongs to me in North Britain, it being my intention that on failure of heirs of my body the same should descend to my nephew John Lachlan McGillivray who is at present my heir at law.

Proved at London 28/02/1788.


Associated Estates (1)

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
1778 [EA] - 1788 [EY] → Owner

Relationships (1)

Other relatives