Joseph Stone Williams

Profile & Legacies Summary

1778 - 6^th Feb 1836

Claimant or beneficiary

Biography

Born c. 1778 in Westmoreland, Jamaica, the eldest son of James Williams and his wife Frances Cecilia Stone, owner of Anglesey Pen, Carawina and Cairn Curren plantations in Westmoreland.

The Royal Gazette of Jamaica 13 February 1836 reported the death"[i]n Westmoreland, on the 8th inst. in his 58th year, regretted by numerous friends and acquaintances, the Hon. Joseph Stone Williams, of Carawince estate and Anglesea pen, Custos Rotulornm of the Parish, and for many years one of the Assistant Judges of the Cornwall Assize Court, and was twice elected to represent his Parish in the House of Assembly. He faithfully discharged the duties imposed upon him by these important trusts, and, by his mild and gentlemanly manners, procured for himself the esteem of many, and the respect of all."

The will of Joseph Stone Williams [made in 1835] showed he was in a long-term relationship with Mary Pessoa, with whom he had three sons. He left Mary and her children monetary legacies, an annuity and the service of 42 apprentices. His will also revealed 4 probable children by 3 other women, to each of whom he also left legacies. He left £10,000 currency to his brother William Williams (which implies the latter was in Jamaica), and the interest on £5600 to his sister Jemima Jackson (currently in Britain). His brother Rev. Theodore Williams was his residuary legatee. He also mentioned a late sister Mary Hall Grant, his late father James Williams, his brother-in-law James Grant and 2 nieces, Elizabeth Lachlan Grant and Josephine Mary Grant.

"On a tablet in the parish church of Savanna-la-Mar [Westmoreland, Jamaica]:- Died 6 Feb. 1836 the Hon. Joseph Stone Williams of Carawina Estate & Anglesea Pen, Custos Rotulorum of this parish, & many years Assistant Judge of Cornwall Assize Court; twice elected to represent his parish in the House of Assembly; aged 58."
Higman showed Joseph Stone Williams as leaving personalty over £103,786 [presumably currency], more than half in 'public funds of Great Britain' in the hands of Colvile & Co., and including also £12,941 for the unexpired term of apprentices.

We are grateful to Anne M. Powers and Steven Carter for their assistance in compiling this entry.

Sources

For more details about Joseph Stone Williams see pages of A Parcel of Ribbons by Anne M. Powers, http://aparcelofribbons.co.uk/2013/03/joseph-stone-williams/ [accessed 10/07/2013]. For a detailed family tree see http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/48619924/person/13652008930 [accessed 12/07/2013].

Royal Gazette of Jamaica Saturday 13 February 1836, p. 16.

Memorial inscription from 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. 3 p. 349.
B.W. Higman, Plantation Jamaica, 1750-1850 p. 88.

Further Information

Children

[With Mary Pessoa] Joseph Stone, John Robert, Henry Lawrence

Will

Precis of the will of Joseph Stone Williams of the Parish of Westmoreland in the County of Cornwall.

PROB 11/1867. A full transcript by Anne M. Powers is available here: http://aparcelofribbons.co.uk/apr/items/show/69 [accessed 12/07/2013].

Payment of debts and funeral expenses
To my brother William Williams £10,000 currency
To my nieces Elizabeth Lachlan Grant and Josephine Mary Grant (daughters of James Grant by my late sister Mary Hall Grant) £2800 currency at age 21 or marriage; the interest to pay for their maintenance in the meantime
To my sister Jemima Jackson (at present residing in Great Britain) a trust fund of £5,600, the interest to be paid to her annually and the capital upon her death to be divided among her issue, or otherwise returned to my residuary estate
To my Goddaughter Mary Distin the Daughter of Doctor [illegible] Henry Distin £100.
To Mary Pessoa (of the parish of Westmorland, single woman) an annuity of £160; and the apprenticeship services of about 42 named men and women for the maintenance of herself and her three sons Joseph Stone Williams John Robert Williams and Henry Lawrence Williams; my mountain plantation Cairn Curran, to be divided between her three sons as tenants in common
the apprentices at present located upon Cairn Curran shall have the use of their houses and grounds during the apprenticeship system without any hindrance or molestation whatsoever
To Mary Pessoa the right to live and remain at her usual residence the Great House of Anglesea Penn as long as she choses so long as she remains single
To Mary Pessoa one of my gold watches currently being repaired in Great Britain and all furniture, linen and apparel
To Joseph Stone Williams, John Robert Williams and Henry Lawrence Williams, £1600, £1400 and £1400 respectively at age 23, the interest to be paid for their maintenance in the meantime
The cost of the education of my youngest sons to be paid by my general estate not from their legacies
To Joseph Williams and James Williams (sons of Eliza Robertson of Westmoreland, single woman), £2000 in trust between them at age 23, the interest to pay for their support in the meantime
To Mary Williams (daughter of Eliza Murray of St James) £1400 in trust, the interest to pay her maintenance for the rest of her life and the capital to go to her children upon her death
To Ann Williams (daughter of Ann Anderson) an annuity of £60
Various smaller bequests to friends, relatives and servants
To the heirs of my late sister Mary Hall Grant, the balance of her legacy due to her from the will of my late father James Williams, £3697 19s 1d Jamaican currency
Residuary legatee: my brother Rev. Theodore Williams
Executors and trustees: James Grant of Westmorland; Andrew Colvile of Great Britain

Will signed 30/11/1835.

Codicil dated 30/11/1835: clarifying the position of Andrew Colville as both executor and creditor.

2nd codicil dated 11/01/1836: to Ann Katherine Storer Widow £30 guineas as the one half of the commissions which I engaged to pay her on the crop of the estates of the late Anthony Gilbert Storer for 1831; to her daughter Ann Storer £30 guineas as a small remembrance; various other small bequests.

Occupation

Planter

Associated Claims (9)

Associated Estates (39)

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