NEW CANAAN PLANTATION, St. James, Jamaica.

Marriage settlement between George William Ricketts of Bishops Sutton and Letitia Mildmay of Shawford House, spinster, relating to New Canaan sugar plantation.  Includes schedule of slaves; November 2, 1791. 

SOURCE: Hampshire Record Office.  Heathcote Family Papers. 18M54/B1/8/1

Attested copy, 1837

Notes by transcriber – Ann Marie Grant: This document consists of 20 pages.  The only pages transcribed here are pages 1, 2, 19 & 20. - May 1, 2008

Extracted from Inventory of Heathcote family papers

Pgs:1&2

This Indenture of four parts made the second day of November in the thirty second year of the Reign of our Sovereign Lord George the Third by the Grace of God of Great Britain France and Ireland King Defender of the Faith and so forth and in the year of our Lord One thousand Seven hundred and ninety one Between George William Ricketts of Bishops Sutton in the County of Southampton Esquire of the First part. Letitia Mildmay of Shawford House in the said County of Southampton, Spinster, of the second part. George Robert Goodin of Woodend near Wotten underedge in the County of Gloucester, Esquire and Charles Bragge of the Temple London, Esquire of the Third part and Sir William Rowley of Tendering Hall in the County of Suffolk, Baronet.  George Poyntz Ricketts of Seymour Street, Portman Square in the County of Middlesex, Esquire, William Bragge of the Temple London, Esquire and Robert Serle of the City of Winchester in the County of Southampton aforesaid Gentleman of the Fourth part. Whereas a marriage by the permission of God is shortly intended to be had and solemnized between the said George William Ricketts and Letitia Mildmay and whereas in prospect and consideration of the said intended marriage and of the real and personal fortune of the said Letitia Mildmay hereinafter mentioned and covenanted to be settled, it has been proposed and agreed by and between the said George William Ricketts and Letitia Mildmay that he the said George William Ricketts should forthwith convey, assure and settle the plantation or sugar work called New Canaan in the Island of Jamaica together with the several pieces or parcels of Land and Hereditaments.  Whereof the same is composed and all the Negroe and other Slaves, Cattle, Stock and other appurtenances thereunto belonging and hereinafter more particularly mentioned and described to and for the uses and purposes and upon the Trusts hereinafter limited expressed and declared of and concerning the same in order that a clear jointure of Three hundred and fifty pounds a year Sterling Money of Great Britain may be secured out of the said plantation or Sugar work pieces or parcels of Land and Hereditaments and from the produce and profits thereof for the said Letitia Mildmay in case of her surviving the said George William Ricketts in manner hereinafter expressed.

Now this Indenture Witnesseth that in pursuance of the said Agreement and in consideration of the said intended marriage and of the real and personal fortune of the said Letitia Mildmay hereinafter mentioned and covenanted to be settled and also for and in consideration of the sum of Ten Shillings of lawful money of Great Britain to the said George William Ricketts in hand paid by the said George Robert Goodin and Charles Bragge at or before the sealing and delivery of these presents (the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged) He the said George William Ricketts Hath granted, bargained, sole aliened, released and confirmed and by these presents Doth grant, bargain, sell, alien, release and confirm unto the said George Robert Goodin

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and Charles Bragge (in their actual possession now being by virtue of a bargain and sale to them thereof made by the said George William Ricketts in consideration of Five Shillings by Indenture bearing date the day next before the day of the date of these presents for the term of one year commencing from the day next before the day of the date of the same Indenture of Bargain and sale and by force of the statue for transferring uses into possession) and to their heirs and Assigns All that plantation or sugar work situate lying and being in the parish of Saint James in the County of Cornwall in the Island of Jamaica commonly called and known by the name of New Canaan Estate together with the several pieces or parcels of Land whereof the same is composed or thereto or to any part thereof belonging or in anywise appertaining and howsoever the same now is or at any time hereafter shall or may be known butted, bounded or described together with all Houses, Out houses, Mill, Millhouses, Boiling Houses, Curing Houses, Stillhouses, Trashhouses, Edifices, Erection and Buildings on the said plantation or Sugar Work Lands and premises or on any part thereof erected and built with their and every of their appurtenances And all coppers, Stiles, pots, pans and plantation utensils and implements of planting upon or belonging thereto and all ways, passages, streams, watercourses, ponds, fishings and fishing places, woods, underwoods, timbers, timber trees, profits, privileges, commodities, advantages, emoluments, Hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever to the said plantation and Sugar Work called New Canaan, pieces or parcels of Land and premises belonging or in any wise appertaining or therewith or with any part thereof now or heretofore held, used, occupied , possessed and enjoyed or accepted, reputed, deemed, taken or known as part, parcel or member thereof And also all and every the several Negroe and other Slaves, Mules, Cattle and other stock in the Schedule hereunto annexed particularly named and mentioned together with the future issue, offspring and increase of the said female Slaves in the said Schedule contained And the reversion and reversions remainder and remainders rents, issue and profits thereof and of every part thereof And all the Estate rights, Title, Interest, Trust, use, property, possession, inheritance claim and demand whatsoever either at Law or in Equity or otherwise howsoever of him the said George William Ricketts of in to or out of the same or any part thereof And all Deeds, Writings, Evidences, Escripts or muniments touching, relating or belonging to the same every or any part thereof and all other the plantations, Land, Slaves, Cattle, Stock and Hereditaments of him the said George William Ricketts in the said Island of Jamaica which he or any person or persons in trust for him now is or are seized and possessed of interested in or entitled unto in possession reversion remainder or expectancy To have and to hold the said plantation and sugar work and all and singular other the Lands, Hereditaments, Negroe and other Slaves, Cattle, Stock and premises hereinbefore granted and conveyed or mentioned or intended so to be with all and singular their rights, members and Appurts unto the said George Robert Goodin and Charles Bragge their heirs Extors Admors and Assigns To the uses intents and purposes and upon the Trusts following that is to say To the only proper use and behoof of the said George William Ricketts and his heirs until the solemnization of the said intended Marriage But from and after the solemnization thereof Then To the use and behoof of the said George William Ricketts and his Assigns for and during the joint natural lives of them the said George William Ricketts and Letitia Mildmay without impeachment………………………………………….

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…..or any other thing in anywise relating or concerning the same and lastly

It is hereby agreed and declared by and between all the parties to these presents that in case the said intended Marriage between the said George William Ricketts and the said Letitia Mildmay shall not take effect and be had and solemnized within the space of six months next ensuing the day of the date hereof then and from thenceforth these presents so far as they are applicable to the event of a marriage between the said George William Ricketts and Letitia Mildmay shall cease, determine and be utterly void to all intents and purposes whatsoever. In Witness whereof the said parties to these presents have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first above written.

The Schedule to which the annexed Indenture refers-

Anthony	Damon	Liverpool	Quamin
April	Daniel	Lorraine	M.B. Quashie
Apollo	Emanuel	May	Rob Roy
Adam	Frank	Michael	Robert
Alick	Fox	Morton	Richard
Abraham	Fortune	Ned	Rodney
E. Adam	H. George	Nicholas	M. B. Rodney
Billy	General	Nick	Sylvan
Badluck	Hector	Ned	Eboe Sylvan
Boatswain	Hazard	M. B. Ned	Sam
M.B. Boatswain	Hamlet	Nickey	Sampson
M.B. Billy	Jacob	Asop	Sylvan
Bob	Jamaica	Pembroke	Swaney
C. Billy	Jeffery	Pan	Sandy
C. Boatswain	James	Peter	C. Sam
Colin	Jacob	Pope	Tom Williams
Caesar	Joe	Portius	M.B.Tom
Camrose	Jack Williams	Portius	C. Tom
Cudjoe	M. B. James	Pan	Trim
Cuffee	Jove	Primus	Valentine
Charles	Kettle	Plato	William
Cimon	Kent	Pew	Will
Cook	King	Prince	M.B.William
M. B. Cudjoe	Kinsale	Pompey	Winter
H. Cuffee	London	E. Primus	Wales
Dick	Liberty	Quawo	Yankey
Dassery	Lockhart	Quashie

 

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Ariana	Fidelia	Mimba	Phoebe
Abba	Flavia	Maria	Pamela
Bess	Fancy	Macco Mole	Penny
Bella	Fama	Molly	Polly
Beneba	Fidelia	Minerva	Quashebe
Ole Beneba	Frankey	Mary	M.B.Quashba
Belinda	Gift	Marina	Rose
Bele	Grace	Milly	Rachel
Bessy	Hannah	Nelly	Ruthy
C. Beneba	Jenny	Nancy Duncan	Rusticiana
Bunny	Joan	Nancy	Creole Rose
Cleopatra	Jane	Olive	Sylvia
Celia	Juba	Pleasant	Stella
Cooba	Judy	Phibba	Sukey
Catilina	Kate	Prudence	Sally
Clarissa	Kitty	Patience	Sally
Cleana	Livinia	Pretty	Sarah
Eve	Lund	Portia	Sue
Elsey	Lucinda	E. Patience	Tabia
Frama	Lucia	Phillis	M.B.Venue
Flora	Lucy	Pindar	90 Steers
Friskey	Monimia	Peggy	60 Mules

 

George William (Ls) Ricketts – Letitia (Ls) Mildmay – Geo. Rob. (Ls) Goodin – Charles (Ls) Bragge – William (Ls) Rowley – George Poyntz (Ls) Ricketts – William (Ls) Bragge - Rob. (Ls) Serle – Sealed and Delivered by the within named George William Ricketts and Letitia Mildmay and Robert Serle (being first duly stampt) in the presence of Jane Mildmay – J.M. Newbolt – Sealed and Delivered by the within named George Robert Goodin (being first duly stampt) in the presence of Jno. Payne Ed. Horne Clerk to Chas. Arnold, Chancery office – Sealed and Delivered by the within named Charles Bragge in the presence of Jno. Payne, Grays Inn Gent. – Willm. Walter Morley Clerk to Mr. Bullock, Grays Inn – Sealed and Delivered by the within named Sir William Rowley in the presence of Jno. Payne.  Willm. Walter Morley – Sealed and Delivered by the within named George Poyntz Ricketts in the presence of Jno. Payne, Grays Inn. Charles Douglas, Clerk to Mr. Bullock, Grays Inn – Sealed and Delivered by the within named William Bragge in the presence of Jno. Payne.  Willm. Walker Morley.

 

15th April 1837

Examined with the Original Deed

And attested to be a true copy thereof

By me Hm Nicholson Clerk to Mr Robert Becknell

                                                        30 Bloomsbury Square

 

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