William Williams

A precis in Caribbeana of the will of William Williams of St Ann entered 05/03/1761 shows that he left his estates of Woodstock and Flatt Point in St Ann in trust to be sold for the benefit of the Foundling Hospital in London, and he left 'that vile rogue and imposter Gershom Williams pretending to be a son of mine' 1s to buy a halter to hang himself.

1. William Williams was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 1343 acres of land in St Ann and 1545 acres of land in St James, total 2888 acres.

2. William Williams of St Ann, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1762. Slave-ownership at probate: 150 of whom 77 were listed as male and 73 as female. 40 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £11959.08 Jamaican currency of which £7795 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £32.13 currency cash, £186.43 currency debts and £108.7 currency plate.

Caribbeana Vol. III p. 350; Anne M. Powers, 03/03/2012 noted in her A Parcel of Ribbons website 'There is a reference in the catalogue of the Beinecke Lesser Antilles Collection at Hamilton College to articles of agreement between Gershom Williams of Jamaica and the governors of the Foundling Hospital, dated [22] October 1763, by which Gershom Williams agreed to pay £4,500 to the Foundling Hospital by instalments in return for the governors assigning their interest in all the estates of William Williams to the use of Gershom Williams' and asked 'Did the Foundling Hospital ever receive the money?' http://aparcelofribbons.co.uk/tag/gershom-williams/ [acccessed 28/08/2019]; Beinecke Lesser Antilles Collection at Hamilton College MS 203 p. 237 shows an earlier will dated 26/05/1759 of William Williams [also noted by Anne M. Powers] which left Woodstock and Flat Point to his son William Williams.

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. Seagrove and Williams were listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owners of 400 acres of land in St Andrew and 275 acres of land in St George, total 675 acres. Williams and Blagrove were listed in the same source as the owners of 2955 acres of land in St Ann. The individuals in these partnerships have not been identified. Seagrove may be Samuel Seagrave (q.v.). Blagrove may be John Blagrove the elder or Thomas Blagrove (both q.v.). There are 13 different individuals with the surname Williams listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754.

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