William Byam died 1779

Slave-owner on Antigua, described by Vere Langford Oliver as of Cedar Hill. In his will made in 1773 he said that he had mortgaged his estates on Antigua to Messrs Banister and Hammond, and subject to the mortgages and to legacies of £4000 to his son Samuel (of which £1000 was specified to be for Samuel's education and advancement), and of £3000 to his daughter Lydia, he left the estates to his son Edward. He left his estate in Pembrokeshire to his wife Martha for life and then to his daughter Lydia, with contingent reversion to his son Samuel. He specified that his sugars should go to John Banister to service his debt, while the income from the rum (which remained for his benefit) should go to his wife until the debt was reduced to £2000, when the rum revenue should service the remaining debt.

Vere Langford Oliver, History of Antigua Vol. I p. 98; administration of the will of William Byam of Holborn Middlesex but about to depart for Antigua, made in 1773, was granted in 18/03/1791 to his son Edward and in 1800 to his son Rev. Samuel Byam, PROB 11/1202/226.