John Hosack

Profile & Legacies Summary

1756 - 1815

Biography

Owner of Buff Bay River in St George, Jamaica. Married to Jean Tinning. Two children, William baptised in Tinwald, Dumfries-shire in 1808 and Mary Ann baptised in Troqueer, Kirkudbright in 1810, appear by name in his will, but there were at least two others, including John Hosack who has an entry in the ODNB as 'police magistrate and author' which says 'His father owned property in Jamaica.' John Hosack the father was buried at Dumfries, 25/09/1815 age 59.
The marriage notice of his daughter Mary Ann, to John Bell (q.v.) in 1828 described John Hosack as of Glengaber, Dumfries-shire.
‘A little tablet on the wall is dedicated to John Hossack of Glengaber, and Buff Bay River, Jamaica, died 19th October 1815, Aged 59. On numerous stones in St Michael's besides this one we find the island of Jamaica associated with adventurous Dumfriesians, shewing the close connection that was long maintained between the Queen of the South and the Queen of the Antilles.’
‘21. At Dumfries, John Hossack Esq., of Glengaber and of Bluff Bay River, in the island of Jamaica; a gentleman greatly esteemed and respected by all who had the pleasure of his acquaintance.’

We are grateful to Jim Brennan and Steven Carter for their assistance in compiling this entry.

Sources

GROS OPR Births 882 020 175 and 849 010 014. GROS OPR Deaths 821 070 215; Archbold, W. A. J., and Eric Metcalfe. "Hosack, John (bap. 1813, d. 1887), police magistrate and author." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography 23/09/2004; Accessed 25/02/2020. https://www.oxforddnb.com/view/10.1093/ref:odnb/9780198614128.001.0001/odnb-9780198614128-e-13832.
Dumfries Weekly Journal, marriages, 17/06/1828, transcribed at rjw-data.info/DWJ%20PDF%20files/1828.pdf [accessed 27/05/2016].
William M'Dowall, Memorials of St. Michael's, the old parish churchyard of Dumfries, pp. 195-6.
The Scots Magazine, Wednesday 1st November 1815, p. 878.

Further Information

Absentee?

British/Irish

Spouse

Jean Tinning

Children

William, Mary Ann

Will

PROB 11/1576/75 - precis.

John Hosack presently residing at Olepedale in the parish of Troquear.

All my estate in St George known as Buff Bay River to my eldest son William Hosack by my wife Jean Tining at age 24. In default to my daughter Mary Ann Hosack and other such sons and daughters that I may have with my present wife. [Also mentions land in Scotland.] The net proceeds of the estate to belong to him after the age of 21 years but he is not to take possession of the estate until the age of 24. My other heritable and moveable property are to form an equal division among the sons and daughters of my present marriage share and share alike. In the event of my death before my sons and daughters each reach the age of 14 years, they shall be entitled to £30 a year until they each arrive at age 24 years. The share arising to my younger children shall in no case exceed the sum of £4,000 sterling each and whatever surplus shall belong to my eldest son William.

Rev. George Greig, minister of the parish of Gurwald[?] and Rev. Thomas Tudor minister of Dumfries and failing them by death or removal their succession in office James Hosack in Edinburgh my brother and Jean Tining alias Hosack my present spouse so long as she continues a widow to be tutors and curators of my children during their minorities. If my eldest son shall pay the sum of £4,000 to each of my younger children then he shall be entitled to succeed to my whole heritable and moveable property at age 24.

In case there are no surviving children of my present marriage then my whole property should be divided equally between Catharine, Jean and Janet Hosack, daughters of the said James Hosack my brother and Margaret Hosack daughter of my brother Alexander Hosack...

In addition to the sum provided in her marriage contract, I leave my wife £20 sterling per year while she continues a widow. Also £25 sterling a year to my sister Janet Hosack in Edinburgh and £25 sterling a year to William Hosack now at Clareurefield[?] School.

Frankey the housewoman in my said Jamaican estate and her mulatto son William Hosack belonging to the said estate in Jamaica shall be made free and shall have 15 acres of land given to the as their own property on the said estate with £40 Jamaican currency to assist to build a house...

Signed 16/08/1810.

Codicil dated 29/07/1813 at Dumfries. Previous to my marriage I made a settlement of £100 sterling per annum to my indented spouse Jean Tining payable from the farm of Crerer Tower a further sum of £20 sterling to be paid to her annually. Should the rent from the said farm not be sufficient then I order a sum of money to be laid out on landed security so that the interest will be sufficient to pay the said sum. After my death the capital to be equally divided amongst my younger children. My spouse to have all the plate and furniture in the house belonging to me and the house to be her property. The neat proceeds or profits of my Jamaican and all other property to be allowed to accumulate until my eldest son is 26 years of age, then an equal division of all my property in Great Britain is to be made amongst my younger children then alive. None of the younger children are to have power or possession of their properties until they arrive at the age of 26 years. Should any misfortune occur and my Jamaican estate be partly or totally lost before my eldest son reaches the age of 26 years then he is to have an equal share of what property may be in this Country... Philip Forsyth of Northside to be one of my executors. William Hosack the boy presently at Clarencefield School is to have £50 sterling when he is 26 years of age instead of an annuity and is to be put to a trade and supported during his apprenticeship. All the sugar made on my Jamaica estate until my eldest son is 26 years of age is to be the property of my younger children.

Codicil dated 27/07/1815. The annuity provided to my spouse to be increased to £200 sterling per annum and she to have £500 payable at my death. Also to her £200 per annum from my Jamaican estate to be paid by my eldest son when he is 26 years old. If she marries again these provisions to cease. The mulatto boy William Hosack now at Tinwald so soon as he has leant a trade shall be sent to Jamaica passage free with a sufficient quantity of clothes and tools for the exercise of his trade and that he shall be supported in Jamaica until he gets into business, and after being one year in Jamaica he is to have the £50 provided for him by the preceeding codicil... John Gray of Marwhanrick[?] to also be executor.

Proved at London 05/01/1816.

Associated Estates (2)

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