John Hart

Merchant and slave-owner of Kingston Jamaica, with Irish connections, in London when he made his will in 1805 shortly before he died.

1. Will of John Hart merchant [late of Kingston, at present of Bedford Place in the parish] of Bloomsbury made 04/06/1805 and proved 02/11/1805. He left an annuity of £300 p.a. to Rev. Richard Russell of Armoy Co. Antrim, a similar annuity passing to the Rev. Russell's wife Mary Russell if he [Russell] predeceased her, and £2000 to each of the Russells' children, half 3 years after his [the testator's] death and half five years after it. He left: an annuity of £50 p.a. to Mrs Larmise [?] of Kingston Jamaica and 'two negroe women slaves named Salley and Anney [Amey?]; and legacies of £100 each and an annuity of £50 p.a. to a sister and brother in London named Shortiss [?]. He instructed his executors to contact the owners of a 'certain slave' named James who lately 'belonged' to him and to secure James's manumission. He made his partner William Peatt Litt (q.v.) merchant of Liverpool his residuary legatee, and appointed as executors Litt and his [the testator's] partners John Crosman and John Burke merchants of Kingston. In a codicil he left: to his esteemed friend and relation Samuel Thompson of Muckamore his leasehold property in Co. Donegal, and £1000 to Thompson's daughter; £500 each to Eliza and Sarah Law, the daughters of Dr John Law of Dublin; and a mourning ring and his four £500 shares in the Imperial Fire Insurance Office to Charles William Alder of Upper Baker Street.

2. John Hart was named in a legal dispute as the former owner of Hazard, Change Hill, and Small Field plantations and 'runs of land', some of which were part-owned by George Harrison, William Peatt Litt, and John Burke. His date of death is given in the appeal as 4th June 1805 [in fact the date he made his will] and his executor is listed as John Crosman, later owner of Hazard, Change Hill, and Small Field.

1. PROB 11/1433/9.

2. National Archives PCAP 13/2/4: "Printed appeal to an Appeals Committee of the Privy Council from JAMAICA [colonial, Caribbean]. Appellant: John Timperon, merchant. Respondent: John Crosman, Francis John French and Jane French his wife, George Harrison Turner, John Hart Turner, William Radcliff and Elizabeth Radcliff his wife, Charlotte Smith an infant, William Davis and Sarah Davis his wife".