George Huie

Resident planter, dying c. 1833, owner of Duff House estate in Trelawny, Jamaica, the compensation for which was awarded to his executors James Murray and Thomas Willis (both q.v.).

1. Son of John Huie, a merchant, and his wife Margaret Riddoch, who were married in Rothiemay in Banff, Scotland, 04/07/1762. No sign of a birth/baptism for George in Scotland, although his sister Margaret was baptised in Rothiemay 23/01/1763 (occupation of father given as merchant on baptism record) and brother James also in Rothiemay 21/07/1764. Another brother, Thomas, was baptised in Marnoch, Banff, 18/09/1784, having been born in Jamaica 22/06/1782. His sister Ann Huie (q.v.) was born in Jamaica c. 1777 and lived in Macduff, Banff from before 1851 till her death in 1863.

2. George Huie registered his own enslaved people in Trelawny in 1829.

3. Memorial inscription in Macduff Cemetery: "Erected by George R. Huie, Trilawney[sic], Jamaica, and Ann S. Huie in Macduff in memory of their affectionate mother, Margaret Riddoch, relict of John Huie, merchant, Jamaica, who died 12th July 1831, in the 91st year of her age. The above-named Ann S. Huie, died 9th March 1863, in the 86th year of her age."

4. Inventory of George Huie, late of the parish of Trelawny, Planter, deceased, entered 24 January 1833. Personal effects (including slaves and stock): £3311 6s 8d. Total including debts due to him: £3898 16s 8d.

5. A letter written by George Huie's sister Ann to her nephew Alexander Smith dated 19/07/1833 refers to a codicil written to his will on 08/10/1832 revoking previous bequests made to his sisters Margaret and Ann and his nephews James, Alexander and John Smith. These were replaced with bequests of £250 sterling to each of them. He added bequests of £100 each to Eliza Bellinger (daughter of William Bellinger of Montego Bay) and William Cunykewfe (son of the late William Cunykewfe). The rest and residue of his real and personal estate after paying all legacies were to be divided equally among Ann Williams, a free woman of colour, and his eight reputed children by her - Robert, George Thomas, Ann, Helen, Susan, Margarete Carneily, Catheren and Mary Huie.

6. Ann's letter of 19/07/1833 appears to be the start of ongoing correspondence related to a deathbed change to George Huie’s will. Ann commented, 'James Murray was appointed to take charge, of George matters, by a letter inclosed in his Will, wherein he begs him to see Justus done to all parties, and I assure you he has not left a Great Fortune behind him, no last has provided well for his family, and we have no right to find fault, as to your Mother and me we will be content if we get a part every year till our legacy is payd up that’s what we want.' Note that the provisions contained in earlier parts of George Huie's will have not been identified.

7. Baptismal records have been found for four of Huie's children by Ann Williams: George Thomas Huie (a free quadroon aged 6 years) and Susannah Williams Huie (a free quadroon aged 1 1/2 years) both baptised in Trelawny 04/10/1814; Catharine Williams Huie (a free quadroon age 1 year) in Trelawny 13/05/1822; and Margaret Cornelia Huie (free quadroon daughter of Anne Williams a mulatto and George Huie Esquire born 13/08/1820 and baptised 10/06/1820). Note that all these entries have been mistranscribed with the surname Hine rather than Huie.

T71/874 Trelawny claim no. 220 (Duff House).

1. Marriage of his parents: "John Huie in this Parish & Margaret Riddoch in the Parish of Grange having contracted marriage & consigned Pledges after proclamation of their Marriage Banns were married July 4th 1762", General Registry Office for Scotland OPR Marriages 165 020 337 (Rothiemay). Baptisms of Margaret, James and Thomas, OPR Births 165 020 041 (Rothiemay), 165 020 045 (Rothiemay) and 161 010 249 (Marnoch). See separate entry for Ann S. Huie.

2. Ancestry.com, Slave Registers of former British Colonial Dependencies, 1812-1834 [database online].

3. Andrew Jervise, Epitaphs & inscriptions from burial grounds & old buildings in the north-east of Scotland (Edinburgh, Edmonson & Douglas, 1875) p. 246.

4. Inventory of George Huie transcribed at Jamaican Family Search [accessed 13/07/2012].

5. Unpublished letter of Ann Huie transcribed by Rod Coates, email 02/12/2016. For a copy of Ann Huie's letter and the transcription click here. (Opens in a separate window.)

6. Ibid.

7. Familysearch.org, Jamaica Church of England Parish Register Transcripts, 1664-1880 [database online].

We are grateful to Rod Coates for his assistance in compiling this entry and particularly for providing details of Ann Huie's letters.