Benjamin Harding

Profile & Legacies Summary

???? - 1766

Biography

The will of Benjamin Harding of Hacton House near Hornchurch Essex was proved 07/04/1766. Unusually he shared his residual estate, including his real estate and implicitly enslaved people, equally among his three sons.

Benjamin Harding was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 336 acres of land in Hanover.

Benjamin Harding of Britain, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1767. Slave-ownership at probate: 198 of whom 104 were listed as male and 94 as female. 0 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £12271.31 Jamaican currency of which £10551 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £0 currency cash, £0 currency debts and £0 currency plate.

The will of his father-in-law Richard Newman of West Ham Abbey, Essex (proved 1766) confirms Harding's wife as Sarah nee Newman.

Sources

PROB 11/917/299.

'A List of landholders in the Island of Jamaica together with the number of acres each person possessed taken from the quit rent books in the year 1754', TNA CO 142/31 transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Samples2/1754lead.htm.

Trevor Burnard, Database of Jamaican inventories, 1674-1784.

PROB 11/918/356.

Further Information

Absentee?

British/Irish?

Spouse

Sarah Newman

Children

Elizabeth Mary; Mary Ann; Richard Newman; John; Ben. Haughton

Will

PROB 11/917/299 - precis.

Benjamin Harding of Hacton House near Hornchurch, Essex, Esquire.

Payment of just debts.

To my dear and loving wife Sarah her diamond watch and jewels; my coach and harneses and such of my horses as she shall think proper to choose; all my household goods, plate, furniture for her use until any one of my sons reaches the age of 21 so long as she remains a widow. Sarah to have the right to buy any household goods when any son reaches the age of 21 should she remain a widow.

To my daughters Elizabeth Mary Harding and Mary Ann Harding £2000 sterling each at age 21 or on marriage. To any future daughter of mine born after my death, £2000 sterling.

The residue to my sons Richard Newman Harding, John Harding and Ben. Haughton Harding and any future child of mine if a son equally between them share and share alike and to their heirs as tenants in common.

Richard Newman of West Ham Abbey, Essex, Esquire, Peter Newman of the same place Esquire, James Carr of Lucea, Jamaica, planter and Sarah my wife to be executors.

My executors authorised to lay out and apply the rents and profits of my estate Blue Hole in Jamaica and also the surplus monies of my estate for the carrying on and improvement of my new estate Newmans Hall and pen in St James's and Hanover in Jamaica during the minority of my children as shall be entitled to the residue.

Signed 01/12/1762.

Proved in London 07/04/1766 by the oath of James Carr. Proved in London 17/05/1766 by the oath of Sarah Harding. Proved in London 23/05/1766 by the oath of Peter Newman the other surviving executor.

Associated Estates (4)

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