Mercy Pike Bishop (née Culpeper)

Profile & Legacies Summary

1783 - 17^th May 1839

Claimant or beneficiary

Biography

Mother of Charles Kyd Bishop (q.v.) and widow of Charles Kyd Bishop senior. In 1817, Mercy Pike Bishop registered enslaved people in Barbados as executrix of Charles Kyd Bishop deceased.

Mercy Pike Culpeper [or Culpepper] married Charles Kyd Bishop 06/12/1802, St Joseph, Barbados (groom listed as Kyd Bishop). They had 9 children baptised in Barbados between 1803 and 1817. Charles K. Bishop senior, Member of Assembly in Barbados and Collector of the Customs of Speightstown, died 26/06/1816. His youngest child Wilhelmina was born 8 months after her father's death.
Her second son John later took the name of Culpeper and was known as John Bishop Culpeper, after the wishes of his maternal uncle William Alleyne Culpeper.
Mercy Pike Bishop died 17/09/1839 aged 56 in Weston-super-Mare. Will of Mercy Pike Bishop of Island of Barbados proved 19/06/1839; a Charles Kyd Bishop (presumably husband) was born 1 January 1778, St Peter, Barbados. 1846 death aged 42 of Elizabeth Maclean, eldest daughter of late Charles Kyd Bishop of Barbados.

Sources

T71/899 Barbados claim no. 4963 (Orange Hill); T71/1593 p 121 24/2/1836 letter to Mercy Pike Bishop, Belle Vue, Clevedon, Bristol forwarding particulars of claim to her, in response to her letter of 23/3/1836 to counterclaim , 'being proprietor of nineteen slaves or thereabouts on the estate of my son Mr Charles Kyd Bishop'. Ancestry.com, Slave Registers of former British Colonial Dependencies, 1812-1834 [database on-line] - Barbados 1817.

Email from Monica Wilson, 04/01/2015. Births and baptisms of children from Familysearch.org, Barbados, Church Records, 1637-1887 [database online]. Death dates from National Probate Calendar. All died in England. Three daughters did not marry. Death of Charles Kyd Bishop senior, 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. 2 p. 219.
Morning Post 22/08/1839: "The Gazette of the 16th of August contains a notice that her Majesty has been pleased to grant to John Bishop Culpeper Esq. (formerly John Bishop), a Captain in the 14th Light Dragoons, her Royal license and authority that he may, in compliance with the wishes of his maternal uncle, William Alleyne Culpeper, of Harley-street, Middlesex, and of the island of Barbadoes, Esq., henceforth continue to the use surname of Culpeper in addition to and after that of Bishop."
www.portbury-hundred.co.uk/stjohnsbur.htm [accessed 13/08/2012]; Bristol Mercury 25/05/1839 Issue 2569; PROB 11/1911; Barbados Church Records, 1637-1887, FamilySearch

We are grateful to Monica Wilson for her assistance with compiling this entry.

Further Information

Absentee?

British/Irish

Maiden Name

Culpeper

Spouse

Charles Kyd Bishop

Children

Elizabeth Maclean (1803-1846), Charles Kyd (1806-1873), Mary Craven (1807-1832), Emily Fitzroy (1809-1878), Helen Nairne (1810-1889), Sophia (1812-1879), John (1814-1875), Jane (c.1815-1889), Williamina Culpeper (1817-1873)

Will

PROB 11/1911 - precis.

Mercy Pike Bishop, widow of Charles Kyd Bishop, late of the Island of Barbadoes Esquire.

My plantation or estate called Arnolds in Barbados to my eldest son Charles Kyd Bishop. Chargeable on this estate £4000 Barbados currency to be paid 5 years after my death with interest at 6%. To my six daughters Elizabeth Maclean Prater, Emily Fitzroy, Helen Nairne Claxton, Sophia, Jane and Williamina Culpeper 15 guineas each and to my faithful servant Susan 5 guineas to buy mourning.

To my youngest daughter Williamina Culpeper, who is not entitled like her sisters to any provision under her father's will, £2500 Barbados currency. To each of my 3 unmarried daughters Emily Fitzroy, Sophia and Jane, £1000 currency each. To each of my 2 married daughters Elizabeth Maclean Prater and Helen Nairne Claxton, £300 each. These legacies not to be due until 5 years after my death unless with the consent of my son Charles Kyd Bishop.

In the event of a surplus in my estate after the payment of these legacies, including the £3000 legacy left to me by my late husband, then an annuity of £5 sterling to be paid to my faithful servant Susan.

To my youngest son John Bishop Culpeper, Captain in Her Majesty's 4th Regiment of Light Dragoons, who is already better provided for that his sisters I give in testimony of my affectionate remembrance £150 Barbados currency. Also to him the plate bequeathed to me by my late husband Charles Kyd Bishop as I have hitherto entrusted to the keeping of my brother William Alleyne Culpeper Esquire... The residue of the said plate to my eldest son Charles Kyd Bishop.

If after providing the full payment of the legacies and the annuity, there is still a surplus in my estate then I give the following legacies. To my brother William Alleyne Culpeper, to my kind friend Jane Gibon, to my sister Henrietta Quintyne de Germain and to my son-in-law William Claxton Esquire £50 each Barbados currency.

The rest and residue to my son Charles Kyd Bishop.

My brother William Alleyne Culpeper, my brother-in-law Robert John Walcott of Barbados Esquire and my nephew Stephen Walcott Esquire to be my executors.

Signed 30/04/1839. Witnesses Edward Wilson, Rector of Weston Super Mare, John Gregory, Butcher, Weston Super Mare, Joseph Gregory, Carpenter, Weston Super Mare.

Proved in London 19/06/1839 by William Alleyne Culpeper Esquire.

Associated Claims (1)

Associated Estates (2)

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