Jamaican Family Search Genealogy Research Library
THE ISLAND OF JAMAICA
GRAND DIVISIONS:
I. COUNTY OF MIDDLESEX
II. COUNTY OF SURRY
III. COUNTY OF CORNWALL
The County of Middlesex contains about 1,305,235 acres, and has eight Parishes, and fourteen Towns or Villages, viz.
Towns
St. Jago de la Vega
Villages
Port Henderson
Passage Fort
Towns
Old Harbour
Villages
Market
Villages
Cross
Chapel
Villages
Carlisle Bay
Towns
Port Maria
Villages
Rio Nuevo
Scot's Hall Negro Town
Saltgut
Towns
St. Ann
Villages
Laughlands
Runaway Bay
St. Jago de la Vega, the county town of Middlesex, and the metropolis of the island, commonly called Spanish Town, stands in 18 degrees 1 sec. North latitude, and 76 degrees 45 sec. West longtitude, about a mile in length, and rather more than a quarter of a mile in breadth, contains between 500 and 600 houses, and about 4000 inhabitants of all colours and denominations. This town is situated in a delightful plain, and on the banks of the Rio Cobre, thirteen miles from Kingston, and ten from Port Royal; is the residence of the Commander-in Chief, and here the Supreme Court of Judicature is held four times in the year, viz. on the last Tuesdays in February, Mary, August, and November, and sits three weeks.
The village of Passage Fort, and six from Spanish Town, contains about 12 houses, and is a considerable barquadier or shipping-place for the parishes of St. Catherine, St. Thomas in the Vale, and St. John.
Port Henderson about 3 miles from Passage Fort, and 6 from Spanish Town, by the indefatigable and enterprising spirit of John Henderson, Esq., the proprietor, has of late grown into a considerable village, and greatly outrivals Passage Fort as a shipping place for the adjacent parishes; and as vessels can approach nearer to the wharf than at the former place, it is likely to preserve the superiority it has attained.
In this parish there are 11 sugar plantations, 108 pens, and about 10,000 slaves.
The town of Old Harbour contains about 30 houses; several ships load there for Great Britain, as the harbour is safe and commodious, and there the Spaniards formerly moored their galleons.
There are in this parish 18 sugar plantations, 70 pens and other settlements, and near 5000 slaves.
In this parish are 23 sugar plantations, 53 other settlements, and 5800 slaves.
Contains upwards of 48 sugar-works, 47 other settlements, and above 8800 slaves.
The villages of the Cross and Chapel contain about 10 houses each; the parish church is at the former, and there is a chapel of ease, which gives name to it, at the latter.
In this parish are 78 Sugar-works, 200 other settlements, and near 16,800 slaves.
The village of Carlisle Bay, so called in honour of an Earl of Carlisle, formerly Governor of this island, does not boast of more than 12 or 15 houses:- it is, however, remarkable for a descent made here by Monsieur Ducasse, governor of Hispaniola, with 3 ships of war, 23 transports, and 1500 men, in June 1694.... [They were defeated by the local militia].
In this parish there are 23 sugar works, 136 other settlements, and 6700 slaves.
The town of Port Maria consists of about 25 houses. The villages of Rio Nuevo and Saltgut have from 10 to 12 houses each, chiefly inhabited by wharfingers and shop-keepers, and are, as well as Port Maria, commodious shipping-places.
This parish contains 80 sugar-works, 120 other settlements, and 18,000 slaves.
The town of St. Ann consists of about 40 houses, straggling along the Bay, which is an excellent harbour for shipping, being defended by a reef of rocks, that stretches almost across its entrance. The villages of Laughlands and Runaway Bay are so small, that they hardly deserve the name.
There are in this parish 42 sugar plantations, 188 other settlements, and above 16,000 slaves.
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To bring into one view the number of Settlements, Slaves, Cattle and other annual Produce of Sugar Estates in this County:
Sugar Plantations, 323, that produce annually 29,000 hogsheads;
Other Settlements, 922
Negroes, 87,100
Cattle, 75,000
The County of Surry contains 672,616 acres, and has 7 parishes, and 12 Towns and Villages, ciz.
Towns
Kingston
Towns
Port Royal
Towns
Halfway-Tree
Villages
Yallah's
Towns
Morant Bay
Port Morant
Villages
Bath
Towns
Titchfield
Villages
Manchioneal
Moore Negro Town
Villages
Annotto Bay
Charlestown Negro Town
The town of Kingston was founded in the year 1693, when the repeated desolations, by earthquake and fire, had driven the inhabitants from Port Royal. It extends a mile from north to south, and about as much from east to west, on the harbour: it contains 1840 houses, besides negro houses and warehouses.
A great fire, in the beginning of the month of February, 1782, consumed upwards of 80 dwelling-houses and stores, with a number of other buildings of inferior note; but as many of them are now rebuilt, and other parts of the town filling up very fast, the number of buildings in 1784 will probably exceed that of any former year. The number of white inhabitants is about 5000, of free people of colour 1200, and of slaves about 8000: it is the county town, where the Assizes are held, in January, April, July, and October, and last a fortnight.
This parish contains no sugar plantation, and only twenty settlements, which are grass pens.
The delightful village of Halfway-Tree, about 2 miles and a half from Kingston, contains no more than 15 or 18 houses. There is a genteel new room here, where Assemblies are held once in two months. In St. Andrew are 60 sugar estates, 129 other settlements, and 16000 slaves.
The town of Port Royal, once a place of the greatest riches and importance in the West Indies, is now reduced, by repeated calamities, to 3 streets, a few lanes, and about 200 houses. It contains the Royal Navy Yard, for heaving down and refitting the King's ships; the Navy Hospital, and Barracks for a regiment of soldiers. The fortifications are in excellent order, and, when the plan upon which the additional works that are carrying on is completed, it will then vie, in point of strength, with an fortress in the King's dominions. This parish has 3 sugar-works, 21 other settlements, and about 2500 slaves.
The village at Yallah's Bay consists only of a few scattered houses near the church: The parish contains 11 sugar-works, 55 other settlements, and 3500 slaves.
Bath remarkable for the salubrity of its waters, contains but a few houses, not above 18. Morant Bay, a very considerable shipping place, has above 40 houses, and is growing very fast into the form of a town. Port Morant is also a considerable village, and has a fine deep harbour.
In this parish there are 188 sugar estates, 130 other settlements, and 29000 slaves.
Port Antonio, or Titchfield, has a most excellent harbour for shipping, but does not count above 30 houses. Manchioneal harbour is capacious and secure, and the parish is settling fast.
There are in this parish only 60 sugar-works, 97 other settlements, and 10,800 slaves.
The last parish in this County: it has no town or village but Annotto Bay, a barquadier or shipping-place, and a Negro or Maroon town called Charlestown. There are 19 sugar-works, 88 other settlements, and 5800 slaves.
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In the whole County of Surry there are 350 sugar-works,
540 settlements
75,600 slaves
and about 80,000 cattle
The County of Cornwall contains 1,522,149 acres, has 5 Parishes, and 10 Towns or Villages, viz:
Towns
Lacovia
Black River
Villages
Accompong Negro Town
Towns
Savanna-la-Mar, the county town
Villages
Queen's Negro Town
Towns
Lucea
Towns
Montego Bay
Villages
Furry's Negro Town
Towns
Martha Brae
Villages
Trelawny Negro Town
The town of Lacovia does not contain more than 20 houses: here the Quarter Sessions and Petty Courts for the parish are held. Black River has about 50 houses, and a fine Bay for shipping. This parish has 39 sugar-works, 190 other settlements, and 16,000 slaves.
Savanna-la-Mar is the county town, where the Assize courts are held for the county of Cornwall, the last Tuesday in March, June, September, and December: it has lately been ornamented by an elegant court-house, and contains about 100 other houses. In the parish are 89 sugar estates, 106 other settlements, and 18000 slaves.
Luceaboasts of one of the most secure harbours in the world, but the hurricane that happened the 2nd of October 1780, has reduced the number of buildings, which before amounted to 40 or 50. There are 81 sugar-works, 65 other settlements, and near 16,000 slaves, in Hanover.
Montego Bay the capital of this parish, and, next to Kingston, the most flourishing town in the island, contains above 600 houses, and carries on a very considerable commerce with Great Britain, and those colonies in North America under the protection of the Crown. The harbour is capacious, but rather exposed to the north winds, which at certain times of the year blow with great violence. There are 110 sugar plantations, the same number of other settlements, and 27,000 slaves in this parish.
The town of Martha Brae is situated about 2 miles above the mouth of the river of that name, and contains about 80 houses. This parish contains 69 sugar estates, near 90 other settlements, and about 16,000 slaves.
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General state of the County of Cornwall:
388 sugar plantations
561 other settlements
above 93,000 slaves
and the produce in sugar about 67,000 hogsheads,
and about 69,500 cattle
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REVIEW OF THE STATE OF THE WHOLE ISLAND
Total
Negroes 255,700
Sugar estates 1061
Produce 105,400 hogsheads of sugar
Other settlements 2018
Cattle 224,500
20 Parishes, in which are 36 Towns and Villages, 18 Churches and Chapels, and about 23,000 white inhabitants.
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