William Chisholme

18th Feb 1737 - 1802


Biography

Apparently the son of a Selkirk doctor and trained as one himself before moving to Jamaica. Later became owner of Thomas's River, North Hall, Health Crawl and Breadland Pen in Clarendon, Jamaica, as well as owning a quarter share of Trout Hall, Green River, Troys and Chisholm's Mammee Gully pen in Jamaica, the latter estates being mainly owned by his brother James.

Left £20,000 to his reputed son Charles, a writer in the East India Company. Bought Chisholme House near Hawick when he returned to Britain. Of Queen Anne Street, Middlesex, in 1801.

Not found as a graduate at the Universities of Edinburgh or Glasgow within likely dates.

William Chisholm, son of Thomas Chisholm, surgeon, present Dean of Gild, and Agnes Bannatyne his wife, was born 18/02/1737 and baptised 20/02/1737 in Selkirk. James Chisholm, son of Thomas Chisholm, surgeon and late baillie, and Agnes Bannatyne his wife, was born 06/09/1744 and baptised 08/09/1744 in Selkirk.


Sources

Alexander Mackenzie, History of the Chisholms (Inverness, 1891) p. 189. Note this source contains some inaccuracies, stating for example that William Chisholme was married and failing to note that his only son was illegitimate, as well as giving the year of William Chisholme's return as 1874.

Will of James Chisholme of Portland Place, Middlesex PROB 11/1541/10; Will of William Chisholme of Saint Marylebone, Middlesex PROB 11/1382/360.

GROS OPR Births 778 20 132 and OPR Births 778 20 198 Selkirk.

We are grateful to John Rees for his assistance with compiling this entry.


Further Information

Absentee?
British/Irish
Children
[Illegitimate] Charles Chisholme
Will

PROB 11/1382/360. Of Queen Ann Street East in St Marylebone, Middlesex Esquire.

My body to be interred in my family vault in Selkirk.

To my sister Margaret Scott of Edinburgh £500 sterling pa chargeable on my one-quarter part of Trout Hall and Green River sugar plantations in Clarendon Jamaica and of two pens one called Troys and the other at Mammee Gully, both in Clarendon. This property subject to the annuity I leave to my friend Colonel William Colquhoun at present residing in Lower Grosvenor Street upon trust for Thomas Hibbert of Upper Wimpole Street and James Craggs of Vere in Jamaica Esquire for the use of my brother James Chisholme of Portland Place.

To my son or reputed son Charles Chisholme now a writer at Bengal in the service of the Honorable East India Company £20,000 sterling at age 21 without any deduction whatsoever and interest of 5% to be paid to him annually in respect of such legacy.

To the son and daughter, twins, of Martha Riley widow of Shaftesbury in Dorsetshire, £100 each at age 21 or marriage and £5 pa for their support and maintenance in the meantime.

£20 sterling to the poor of the parish of Selkirk in Scotland and £20 to the poor of the parish of Roberton in Scotland. Also £20 to the minister of Selkirk for a ring...

My plantations In Clarendon called Thomas's River and North Hall sugar estates, Health Crawl and Broadland pen and all my other property elsewhere except in Scotland to the use of my brother James Chisholme, his heirs etc upon trust that at such time at his discretion he shall sell all the property and it shall form part of the residue and remainder of my estate.

All the residue and remainder in trust for the benefit of the eight children of my sister Margaret Scott, Miss Mary Agnes Chisholme (daughter of my brother James) and my reputed son Charles Chisholme in equal shares at age 21 or marriage.

Signed 25/06/1801.

Codicil. The legacy of £20,000 to be paid to my reputed son Charles Chisholme at age 25 rather than age 21, the interest at 5% to be paid to him in the meantime. Signed 15/03/1802.

Proved in London 29/11/1802 by the oath of James Chisholme the sole executor.

Occupation
Planter

Associated Estates (9)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
1817 [EA] - → Previous owner
- 1802 [EY] → Owner
- 1802 [EY] → Joint owner
- 1802 [EY] → Joint owner
- 1802 [EY] → Joint owner
- 1802 [EY] → Owner
1809 [EA] - 1817 [LA] → Previous owner
1796 [EA] - 1802 [EY] → Owner
- 1802 [EY] → Joint owner

Relationships (12)

Brothers
Brother → Sister
Uncle → Niece
Father → Natural Son
Uncle → Niece
Uncle → Nephew
Uncle → Nephew
Uncle → Nephew
Uncle → Niece
Uncle → Nephew
Uncle → Nephew
Uncle → Nephew

Addresses (2)

Chisholme House, Roberton, Hawick, Roxburghshire, Southern Scotland, Scotland
Notes →

It's not clear when he bought Chisholme House, sources generally state the 1780s.

Queen Anne Street East, Marylebone, London, Middlesex, London, England