Benjamin Harper

Probably the merchant of Grenada shown as co-owner of enslaved people in St George in 1817 under 'Harper Bruce and Davies', subsequently moving to Demerara, and possibly also the same man as the partner in Baillie, Campbell and Harper of Old Jewry in London which failed in 1819.

1. The Demerara Vade Mecum gives him as attorney for Best & Phoenix and Good Hope estates in Demerara in 1825.

2. Administration of the will of Benjamin Harper 'Batchelor of Demerara and Essequibo' ['now of the colony of Demerara but born in London'] was granted 12/05/1830. The will was made 27/05/1826 and deposited at Demerara in June 1827 when he was described as 'late'. He left all the property he had in Britain in the hands of Lewis [sic] Thornton, ''about £2000 I think' to his sister Mary Harper. He left all the property he had in British Guiana and Grenada, including his house at Cuminsburgh to Mrs Felicity Harper 'my housekeeper' and their children Sarah Amelia Anne Mary Harriet Benjamin Felicity and Louisa 'burdened however' with £50 to each of the children of his eldest daughter Sarah. His executors had been James Baillie and Louis Edmond Thornton: the latter as surviving executor renounced the role in 1830.

London Gazette 17457 06/03/1819 p. 436.

1. Demerara Vade Mecum (1825) pp. 289, 291 (via Googlebooks).

2. PROB 11/1771/136

We are grateful for the help of Jim Brennan with this entry.