Sir Nicholas Lawes

Profile & Legacies Summary

1652 - 17^th Jun 1731

Biography

Son of Nicholas Lawes, a yeoman of Wiltshire, and his wife Amy. Born 1652; came to Jamaica 1663. Returned to England 1703 and lived at Isleworth until 1717. Governor of Jamaica 1717-1722. Died in Jamaica 17/06/1731 age 79. Owned Snow Hill, Swallowfield, Temple Hall and Mount James in St Andrew, and Townwell which has not been identified.
Memorial inscription in the Cathedral, St Catherine, Jamaica: IN THE NAME OF GOD AMEN HERE RESTETH THE BODY OF ELIZABETH LATE WIFE TO THE HONBLE COLL NICHOLAS LAWES AND ONLY DAUGHTER TO SIR THOMAS MODYFORD BARRONETT, DECEASED WHO WAS FIRST MARRIED UNTO THE HONBLE COLL SAMUEL BARRY AND DEPARTED THIS LIFE THE 11th DAY OF NOVEMBER IN THE YEARE OF OUR LORD GOD 1694 AND YE THIRTIETH OF HER AGE.
Nicholas Lawes of St Andrew, knight. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1731. Slave-ownership at probate: 478 of whom 279 were listed as male and 199 as female. 86 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £19,246.63 Jamaican currency of which £10,846 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £905 currency cash, £1,921.7 currency debts and £1,386.44 currency plate.

Sources

Vere Langford Oliver, Caribbeana being miscellaneous papers relating to the history, genealogy, topography, and antiquities of the British West Indies (6 vols., London, Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1910-1919) vol. 5 pp. 55-58, 'Lawes of Jamaica'.
James Henry Lawrence-Archer, Monumental Inscriptions of the British West Indies (1875), p. 55.
Trevor Burnard, Database of Jamaican inventories, 1674-1784.

Further Information

Absentee?

Transatlantic

Spouse

[1] Elizabeth Potter [2] Frances Carter [3] Elizabeth Modyford [4] Susanna Temple [5] Elizabeth Lawley

Children

With [1] Amy (1681-1702), Frances (1684-1684); with [4] James (1697-1733), Temple (1699-1754); with [5] Judith Maria

Will

Will precis from Caribbeana.

Sir Nicholas Lawes. Will dated 1 Aug. 1730. Late of Isleworth, now of Jmaica. Born in 165[2] of honest and loyal parents, who suffered for their loyalty to the Royal Family in the late Grand Rebellion. Confirm indenture of 1 Oct. 1720 between myself and James Lawes, Esq., my eldest son and heir, made on his marriage with Eliz. Gibbons, spinster, only dau. and heiress of Wm. G., late of Vere, deceased. My plantation called Snow Hill in St Andrews and Penn, Mount James plantation, a moity of Swallowfield and Penn, and a moity of Temple Hall and tract on New River to my said son. The other moities and 50 acres Savannah in Liguanea and my 2 lots in Orange Street, Kingston, to my son Temple Lawes, and to both my sons equally my moity of Townwell Plantation, formerly purchased from the heirs of Daniel Clicho(?). £50 per annum in the South Sea annuities to my dau. Judith Maria Lawes, and the said stock to be made up to £2000 according to the settlement I made with her mother before marriage. My granddau. Eliz. Hammerton £20 per annum. My sister-in-law Lady Ann Cheshire and Sir John Cheshire £50. My dau.-in-law Grace Beeston, widow, £40 per annum. My cousin Mary Jennings £20 per annum. My kinsman Henry Archbould, Esq., £25.

Associated Estates (3)

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