John Gordon of St Thomas-in-the-Vale

1728 - 1774


Biography

Father of Robert Home Gordon (q.v), and probably the owner of Dornoch, Riverhead and Home Castle, all in St Ann Jamaica, which appear in the Accounts Produce against the name of his son, then a minor, from 1774-1775 onwards.

  1. Will of John Gordon of St Thomas-in-the-Vale Jamaica [but now in London] proved 24/11/1774. In the will he instructed his trustees to sell his [unspecified] Jamaica estates at their discretion but to have remitted the money to Great Britain and reinvested it in real property there before his son reached 21.

  2. There is a monument to John Gordon of St Thomas-in-the-Vale at St Peter's Dorchester. As of 2022, the Chancellor of the Diocese of Salisbury has given her permission for its removal. It is due to be stored in Dorset Museum, an adjoining building, where it will be accessible to anyone who wants to see it.

  3. John Gordon of St Thomas-in-the-Vale, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1775. Slave-ownership at probate: 416 of whom 216 were listed as male and 200 as female. 0 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £67035.48 Jamaican currency of which £30260 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £0 currency cash, £23184.4 currency debts and £612.38 currency plate.

  4. The will of John Gordon of St Thomas-in-the-Vale was proved in Jamaica, 22/12/1774.

We are grateful to


Sources

  1. PROB 11/1002/337.

  2. There is an essay on Dr John Gordon and his family by Michael Russell, OPC for Dorchester at http://www.opcdorset.org/fordingtondorset/Files2/JohnGordon1728-1774.html [accessed 16/03/2018]. 'Judgement in the Consistory Court of the Diocese of Salisbury in the Matter of Dorchester, St Peter, Holy Trinity and All Saints.' Neutral Citation Number: [2022] ECC Sal 4 Petition No 2020-055798. https://lawandreligionuk.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/In-the-Matter-of-Dorchester-St-Peter-Holy-Trinity-and-All-Saints-2022-ECC-Sal-4.pdf [accessed 24/10/2022].

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

  4. LOS 42.

We are grateful to Daniel Livesay, Max Hebditch and Val Potter for their assistance with this entry.


Further Information

Absentee?
Transatlantic?
Spouse
Married but no further details
Children
Robert Home Gordon

Relationships (2)

Father → Son
Brothers

Inventories (1)