John Burnley Littlepage

 Awarded the compensation for three groups of enslaved people in Trinidad, one as executor of Dr Alexander Williams (his father-in-law), one with his wife Anna Maria Littlepage (q.v.) and one in his own name.  His family were in Britain in 1841 and 1851 but no trace of his life or death here has been found to date.

1. John Burnley Littlepage, son of Thomas Littlepage and Ann nee Burnley of King William County Virginia, and nephew of Hardin Burnley and cousin of William Hardin Burnley (q.v.), was born in 1780 [sic.].  

2. John B. Littlepage, merchant of Port of Spain, had five children with Apple Watson, a free person of colour, all baptised in the Anglican Trinity Cathedral: Eliza (1805), Maria (1806), William (1808), John Burnley (1810, presumably died young) and a second John Burnley (1811). Apple Watson later also had children with Francis Bickley (q.v.).

3. In 1825 John B. Littlepage was shown as harbourmaster at Port of Spain since 1821, having been in the colony since 09/01/1799.

4. Gravestone inscription at Lapeyrouse Cemetery, Port of Spain: "Sacred to the memory of Alexander Williams. M.D. who departed this life on the 19th September 1833 aged 73 years. And to his wife Ann Hughes Williams who departed this life on the 23rd January 1833 aged 78 years. Also to their grand-children Elizabeth Littlepage who died on the 2nd April 1827 aged 2 years and 48 days. And John Burnley Littlepage junior who died on the 4th November 1834. Also sacred to the memory of John Burnley Littlepage, an affectionate husband and tender father who departed this life the 30 June 1838 aged 56 years."

Trinidad nos. 553, 643A-C, 644, which gives him as John B. Littlepage. T71/518 p. 3227 John B. Littlepage registered 11 slaves as husband of Anna Maria Littlepage; p. 3228 registered 14 slaves as father and guardian of Alexander W. Littlepage. T71/1593 p. 298 17/10/1836 letter from Commissioners to J R [=B] Littlepage of 10 Maida Hill, Edgware Road: to say there' was no problem in him being a trustee but asking him to tell them who else would act in that capacity. Littlepage had given the Commission the names of the Marryats, but the Marryats had declined to act [T71/1611 letter from Littlepage 15/10/1836]: a portion of the claim was payable to Littlepage's children.

1. Clayton Torrence, 'Winston of Virginia and related families' (Richmond Va: Whittet and Shepperson 1927) , pp. 418-19, through www.ancestry.co.uk

2. Transcriptions of baptism records by email 10/06/2021 from Nigel Burton.

3. John B. Littlepage, evidence in 'Trinidad Negroes, return to an address of the Hon House of Commons 12/6/1827 for Extracts from the minutes of evidence taken by the committee of the council of Trinidad for enquring into the Negro character', PP 1827 [479]. 'Extracts from the Committee of Council of Trinidad apptd on the 4th of November 1824 'for the purpose of obtaining a more correct knowledge of the Negro character, as exhibited in this colony, in the state both of slavery and freedom', p. 48, (Tuesday 22 Feb 1825).

4. Photograph of gravestone at https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/139431343/john-burnley-littlepage [accessed 18/06/2021].

We are grateful to Nigel Burton for his assistance with compiling this entry.