Taylor Cathcart

Taylor Cathcart of Scotland, awarded compensation for ownership of enslaved persons on Brustrode Farm, Westmoreland, Jamaica, as judgement creditor of Anthony Whitelock (q.v.).

1. Taylor Cathcart was the plantation manager on Grandvale Plantation in 1812 which was owned by John Cunningham of Craigends, Renfewshire, Scotland. On 29/05/1812, John Cunningham wrote: “Dear Taylor, I have had the pleasure of receiving yours accompanied by a list of the negroes and stock on Granvale – I am happy to observe that the increase in births is likely to keep pace with the decrease occasioned by the deaths of the old and infirm people and I am so pleased to see that you afford every comfort to the women in a state of pregnancy. Indeed, I suppose you will always be disposed to do everything in your power for the comfort of all the slaves. It will be a very satisfactory and consolatory reflection to you after you have relinquished the management and retired from that situation in life.”

2. In 1823 he married Frances Ann Davis Marcy, eldest daughter of George Marcy (q.v.), of Jamaica. They had three children born in Westmoreland, Jamaica: Frances (born 18/09/1824), James (born 20/04/1826) and Robert (born 29/11/1827 and died 06/02/1832). Another son, also called Robert, was born in Glasgow, 20/02/1833, and a final son, William Taylor was born in Newburgh, Fife, 10/10/1838.

3. In 1833 he succeeded his elder brother, Captain Robert Cathcart RN.

4. In the censuses of 1841 and 1851, Taylor Cathcart was living at Pitcairlie House, Newburgh, Fife. In 1841 he was age 60, occupation “Ind.[ependent]”, born in Newburgh, Fife, with his wife Frances, age 30, his daughter Frances age 15, son William age 2, 5 female servants and 1 male servant. In 1851 he was age 73, with his wife age 44, daughter Frances age 26 and son Robert, age 18, 2 male servants and 3 female servants.

5. Death of Taylor Cathcart at Pitcairlie House, Newborough Parish, Fife, 14/12/1857 age 80, occupation “Landed Proprietor”, parents James Cathcart, “Landed Proprietor” and Lucretia Cathcart née Cahoon.

6. Death of James, son of Taylor Cathcart: "At Delhi, on the 27th October, of fever, Lieut. James Cathcart, 50th Bengal Native Infantry, eldest son of Taylor Cathcart, Esq. of Garbiston".

T71/871 Westmoreland claim no. 261 (Bulstrode Farm). T71/1209 counterclaim from Taylor Cathcart of Scotland.

1. ‘Records of the Lennox family of Woodhead – containing the records of the Cunningham family of Craigends – Jamaican estate owners’, quoted at www.casbah.ac.uk/cats/archive/183/GCAA00001.htm [accessed 22/06/2012].

2. Matthew Forster Conolly, Biographical dictionary of eminent men of Fife of past and present times : natives of the county, or connected with it by property, residence, office, marriage, or otherwise (Edinburgh, Inglis & Jack, 1866) pp. 110-111. Births and baptisms of four eldest children were recorded in the Parish Records of Newburgh, Fife in 1843: General Register Office for Scotland, OPR Births 450/00 0020 0127 Newburgh. Births and christenings of all five children at www.familysearch.org batch no. C11450-5. The death certificate of Frances Ann Davis Cathcart gives her parents as George Marcy, Landed Proprietor, and Elizabeth Marcy née Nicholls: General Register Office for Scotland, Deaths 1899 423 060.

3. Conolly, op. cit., p. 110.

4. 1841 and 1851 censuses online.

5. General Register Office for Scotland Deaths 1857 450 060 Newburgh.

6. Glasgow Herald 23/12/1850.

We are grateful to Morag Fyfe for her assistance with compiling this entry.