Larchin Richard Gordon

Owner of Prospect Farm in St Mary, Jamaica. One of his beneficiaries was Amelia Bell (q.v.), with whom he had at least seven children.

1. The baptisms of three children of Larchin Gordon and Amelia Bell have been found in the St Mary parish register: Mary Gordon (born and baptised 1815); George (born 1818, baptised 1821, "free mustee"); and Amelia Williams (born 1821, baptised 1822, "free mustee"). Larchin Gordon Esquire was buried 24/10/1825 at Prospect Estate in St Mary. Larchin Gordon and Alexander Gordon, children of Larchin Gordon Esquire deceased, the former aged 2 years the latter 13 months, were baptised in St Mary, 24/10/1825. The baptisms of these two children are recorded on a page headed "Baptisms of free persons of colour."

2. The following death notice was published in the Royal Gazette of Jamaica in October 1825: "At his residence, Prospect Farm, on the 23rd, Larchin Gordon. Esq. much respected and regretted. He was a Gentleman of strict integrity, of mild disposition, and possessing an affectionate heart. He had been an inhabitant of St. Marv's for upwards of 30 years, of which parish he was a Magistrate, and at the time of his death the Senior Lieutenant Colonel of its Regiment of Militia. He was proprietor of Marley Hall estate in the same parish."

3. Will of Larchin Richard Gordon commonly called Larchin Gordon of St Mary Jamaica proved 09/02/1827. He left part of Prospect Farm to Amelia Bell and her children (Eliza Gordon, Jane Gordon, William Ramsay Gordon, Mary Gordon, George Gordon, Amelia Gordon and Larchin Gordon), and Henrietta Bell and her son (Alexander Gordon). After a division of the other part of the land and the enslaved people on Prospect Farm, which and whom were added to the Marley estate, he left Marley subject to an annuity of £50 p.a. to his mother Elizabeth in Britain and of £25 p.a. each to his natural children, to Larchin Lynch of Jamaica.

See estate evolutions for Prospect Farm.

1. Familysearch.org, Jamaica parish registers, St Mary, Baptisms, Marriages, Burials 1752-1841 vol. 1 pp. 65, 85, 95, 101, 129.

2. Royal Gazette of Jamaica, Saturday 29 October 1825, p. 23.

3. PROB 11/1721/216. The will is indexed erroneously by TNA online as "Larchin Richard Gordon, Duke of Manchester Captain General and Governor in and over the island of Jamaica."

We are grateful to Jonathan Braham and Steven Carter for their assistance with compiling this entry.