Peeke Fuller

Profile & Legacies Summary

???? - 1798

Biography

Owner of Fuller's Rest and Thetford estates in St John, Jamaica. Apparently resident in Jamaica, where he made his will in 1795 with a codicil of 1798, in which he instructed his wife and children to leave Jamaica for Britain. The estate was subject between 1801 and 1831 to extended 'painful litigation' between the 'reputable, numerous and once wealthy' Fuller family and Willis and Waterhouse of Kingston Jamaica [who were in some years taking as consignees interest and commissions equivalent to 10-12% of the principal they had outstanding to Peeke Fuller].

Peeke Fuller's wife Caroline was the daughter of the Hon. Felton Hervey, the 8th (some sources give 10th) son of the 1st Earl of Bristol. Peeke Fuller named Frederick Augustus Hervey 4th Earl of Bristol and Bishop of Derry as trustee under his will; the naming of Peeke Fuller's sons Henry Augustus and Frederick Hervey and his daughter as Caroline Lepel [Molly Lepel was the wife of John Lord Hervey, son of the 1st Earl of Bristol, and the mother of the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Earls] reinforce his emphasis on the connection.

Sources

Administration of the will was granted in London 16/04/1818, PROB 11/1603/212, but it was registered in Jamaica in 1799; The Legal Observer, Or, Journal of Jurisprudence, May-October 1831 (1831) Volume 2 pp. 302-303.

Caribbeana Vol. IV, 'Monumental Inscriptions in England, pertaining to Jamaica' details the Fuller family tomb at Wargrave, Berks., which records two of Peeke Fuller's daughters as grand-daughters of Hon. Felton Hervey, and shows the marriage of Peeke Fuller and Caroline Hervey.

Further Information

Absentee?

Spouse

Caroline

Children

Henry Augustus, Frederick Henry, Caroline Lopell, Louisa, Isabella Patrick

Will

PROB 11/1603/212 - precis.

Peeke Fuller in the parish of St Catherine in Middlesex, Jamaica Esquire.

Ratify a treaty I have entered into with my brother Charles Beckford Fuller of Wellwynn in Hertfordshire, England for the purchase of his moity of certain plantations in Jamaica of which I am entitled to the other moity. Also entered into articles of agreement with messrs Willis and Waterhouse of Kingston, Jamaica, merchants. Also granted an annuity of £500 sterling to my wife Caroline Fuller in lieu of dower. Trustees hereinafter named to uphold these agreements.

Sugar plantation in Guanaboa, St John, known as the Rest Estate, which is mortgaged to Messrs Protheroe and Claxton. Also a house and land at Old Harbour Bay in St Dorothy. Both to my son Frederick Harvey Fuller, free from any incumbrances. Trustees to pay off the mortgage out of the profits of my other property in Jamaica.

My wife and children to depart Jamaica for Britain as soon as conveniently may be after my decease and to enable her to do so I give her £500 sterling, all my horses, carriages, harnesses, saddles, horse and carriage furniture, and other furniture belonging to my plantations, pens and other lands for her own and absolute use.

Wife to have use of my house in Spanish Town, servants, furniture, so long as she is in Jamaica.

All plate to my wife for life and thereafter to my son Henry Augustus Fuller.

To my brother Charles Beckford Fuller £500 sterling.

For her faithful service and attention to me and my family, manumit a woman slave called Mimba. An annuity of £20 Jamaican currency to Mimba for life.

To a free negro woman named Margaret Oaks Fuller, an annuity of £4 Jamaican currency for life in addition to the sum given her by my late father's will.

To each of my daughters Caroline Lopell Fuller, Louisa Fuller and Isabella Patrick Fuller £5,000 sterling at age 21 (or marriage, if with the consent of my wife). If daughters marry without the consent of my wife then the legacy shall sink into my residuary estate.

All my estate both real and personal in Jamaica (except The Rest and my house at Old Harbour Bay) to Rt. Hon and Rt. Rev. Frederick Earl of Bristol and Bishop of Derry, George Goodin Barrett of Trelawney Esquire and William Beckford Ellis of St Catherine Gentleman upon trust to pay to my brother Charles Beckford Fuller £800 a year for life. Also to the use of Kean Osborn of St Thomas-in-the-East and James Mitchell of Kingston for 500 years for the following purposes:

to pay for the maintenance and education of my sons and daughters until age 21 [limits given on the maximum amounts to be spent per year, depending on the age of the children]
any surplus from the proceeds of the estate to pay my debts and in particular to the discharge of the mortgage of Prothroe and Claxton
then to Henry Augusts Fuller at age 21
after the death of Henry Augustus Fuller then to his eldest legitimate son or then to all daughters as tenants in common, thereafter to my second son Frederick Hervey Fuller

Signed 23/01/1795.

Codicil dated 13/01/1798. My wife Caroline Fuller, my executors George Goodin Barrett and William Beckford Ellis have since died. Replace with Hon. George Crawford Ricketts of St Catherine and William Thomson of St Dorothy as trustees and executors with the Earl of Bristol and as guardians of my children. Also to each of my daughters £10,000 Jamaican currency in lieu of the £5,000 sterling previously bequeathed to them.

[Further notes on the Court of Chancery case.]

Occupation

Plantation owner

Associated Estates (8)

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