William Aikenhead

Profile & Legacies Summary

1700 - 1760

Biography

Born c. 1700 and died after 1760 in Jamaica. Owner of Stirling Castle estate which he bequeathed to his eldest son John Lawrence Aikenhead.

William Aikenhead was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 445 acres of land in St John; presumably this is Stirling Castle.

William Aikenhead of St Thomas-in-the-Vale, doctor. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1762. Slave-ownership at probate: 5 of whom 3 were listed as male and 2 as female. 0 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £602.63 Jamaican currency of which £360 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £0 currency cash, £0 currency debts and £15 currency plate.

Sources

See precis of his will. A detailed family tree by Anne M. Powers is available on Ancestry.com, 'Jamaica Connections' by amp9621.

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.

Further Information

Children

Elizabeth (1734-1800), John Lawrence (1735-1780), Margaret Eleanor (1741-1780), Milborough (1743-1796)

Will

Will transcribed by Anne M. Powers and available at http://aparcelofribbons.co.uk/apr/items/show/62 [accessed 12/01/2015].

Entered 04/12/1760.

William Aikenhead of the parish of St Thomas in the Vale.

Payment of all just debts.

To my eldest daughter Elizabeth Aikenhead, wife of Gilbert Ford Esquire, £50 currency for mourning.

To my second daughter Margret Helen Aikenhead, £50 currency for mourning, £1500 currency "to be paid to her when she demand the same" and £160 currency per annum in the meantime.

To my nephew John Aikenhead £100 currency.

To my sister-in-law Mary Reid widow £50.

To a free mulatto man named Johny whom I formerly manumitted £10 per annum for life.

The rest and residue to my son John Lawrence Aikenhead.

My life ownership from my late wife of two "Negroe Women Slaves Named Hagar & Delia & of one Negroe Child Named Bessy the Daur of Delia" shall descend to my son John Aikenhead but in accordance with my late wife's wishes these to be conveyed to my daughters Margaret helen Aikenhead and Milborough Harvie, otherwise to each of these daughters £200 in lieu.

Occupation

Planter

Associated Estates (1)

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