Hon. Peter Mackenzie of Esher

Slave-owner in Jamaica, owner of Flint River, of Esher Surrey in England when he made his will in 1773 but possibly dying in Jamaica. Lessee of Tryall estate in Hanover from at least 1762.

1. Will of Peter Mackenzie of Esher [made in 1773] proved 15/03/1775. In the will he left his house at Esher to Elizabeth Gardiner, wife of Christopher Gardiner. He left his nephew John Mackenzie 'late Lord Mackleod' his estate in Jamaica, subject to annuities of £150 p.a to Mrs Barbary [sic] Heron, £200 p.a. to Elizabeth Gardiner, £100 p.a.to Dorothy Smith (the sister of Elizabeth Gardiner) and £50 p.a. to Sally Pennier [?] daughter of Peter and Sally Pennier [?]. He had a leased estate in Jamaica [now identified as Tryall] on which he would be owed £3000 at the end of the lease in 1775, which he left to John Mackenzie Lord Macleod and Elizabeth Gardiner. He instructed that 'the Negroes belonging to me now in Tryall plantation' be moved to Flint River for its better cultivation. He left £50 p.a. to his sister Lady Anne Mackenzie. In a note he explained that the annuity to Mrs Barb. Heron was on account of the annuity he already was paying her under his bond. In the attestation he was described as formerly of Esher but late of Jamaica.

2. Peter McKenzie was listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 2847 acres of land in Hanover. Note that another Peter McKenzie was listed in the same record as the owner of 450 acres of land in St James. Trevor Burnard shows Peter McKenzie as leaving Total Physical Wealth of £16,448 sterling (including enslaved people; excluding realty and financial assets and liabilities) in 1774, making him the sixth largest Jamaican wealth-holder with an inventory taken in that year.

3. Peter Mckenzie of Britain, Esquire. Estate probated in Jamaica in 1775. Slave-ownership at probate: 262 of whom 139 were listed as male and 123 as female. 66 were listed as boys, girls or children. Total value of estate at probate: £35255.77 Jamaican currency of which £21707 currency was the value of enslaved people. Estate valuation included £82.33 currency cash, £12228.5 currency debts and £19.43 currency plate.

1. PROB 11/1006/94.

2. 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, Planters, merchants and slaves p. 19.

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