Ann Doyle otherwise Kearton

Resident slave-owner in St Vincent, partner of John Kearton (q.v.). John Cropper claimed the compensation for Kearton's estate as the creditor of Ann Kearton. Although she appears as Ann Kearton in the compensation records and described herself as widow in her will, there is some doubt whether she and John Kearton were legally married. Again, although her will was proved in 1836, she reportedly died before May 1820, in which case the Ann Kearton who was awarded the compensation for seven enslaved people under St Vincent no. 664 was a different woman.

1. Will of Ann Kearton widow of St Vincent (made in 1818) proved 23/11/1836. In the will she appointed Josias Jackson of Rutland Vale estate and Nathaniel Bassnett Cropper (both of whom q.v.) as trustees, and left a number of specific legacies or bequests, including: forgiveness of debt due from her sister Eleanor Doyle; £500 to her sister Elizabeth Bulkely of St Vincent; £100 to her grand-daughter Frances Morgan daughter of Thomas Morgan of St Vincent; £100 each to Elizabeth Paul, to Henry Dalzell son of George Dalzell, to the sons of John Braithwaite of Bath engine maker, and to the sons of George Kearton of Mansell Street Goodman Fields attorney at law; and £500 each to her sons George Kearton and Thomas Kearton (her son George was not the same man as George Kearton of Mansell Street). She mandated the freeing of 'the following slaves belonging to me that is to say Phillis Peggy her daughter Mary and her child Andrew William Jane Catherine Dido and Angel. I likewise order and direct that my said Trustees shall sell my slave Toussaint to himself for the price or sum of fifty joes.' Her residuary legatee was Mary Kearton, the daughter of her son George Kearton.

2. A sketch of the family history in the Northern Echo online in 2011 supported by the details of her sister in the will confirms that this is Ann Kearton nee Doyle, partner of John Kearton of St Vincent (q.v.), nephew and heir of George Kearton (q.v.).

T71/1268 St Vincent no.636: John Cropper of Liverpool in his counterclaim described himself as agent and consignee at Liverpool for man years prior to the death of 'Ann Kearton formerly of the island of St Vincent widow (which happened in the year 1818).'

1. PROB 11/1869/139.

2. http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/features/blogs/staff/echomemories/8913308.Trip_of_a_lifetime__take_two/ [accessed 17/05/2015].