Richard Gilborne

Christen: Not known
Death: 9 Oct 1794, Philadelphia, U.S.A.
Burial: Not known
Occupation: Planter
Father: Not known
Mother: Not known

Very little is known of the life of Richard Gilborne. No birth or marriage record has been found, but he and his wife baptised two children in St. Catherine, Jamaica, The announcement of his death in the Jamaican newspaper 'Royal Gazette' on 22 November 1794 read simply:

DIED
In Philadelphia, 9th of October last, where he went for the benefit of his health, Richard Gilborne, Esq. of the parish of St. Catherine, Planter.

He is probably related to, and possibly the son of, John Gilbourn (or Gibbourn), who married Lousia [Louisa?] Hornsbie in St. Dorothy, Jamaica 30 June 1751. No baptism of Richard has been found however. Two children baptised in the same parish of St. Dorothy, Thomas Garland Gilborne in 1757 and Mark in 1767 seem likely to be John's sons, though no parents names are given in the church record. (More discussion of his possible links to Tree 5 can be found here. An inventory of his possessions made following his death has survived.

Jamaica Archives, Spanishtown, Probate Inventories#1B/11/3, v. 83, p. 152

Jamaica, An Inventory and appraisement of all and singular the goods and chattels, rights and credits which were of Richard Gilbourne late of the parish of Saint Catherine in the County of Middlesex Esquire deceased, as they were shown unto us by Jane Gilbourne widow and Francis Clark gentleman his executrix and executor:

Negro man named Brittain£70
Ditto named Sommersett70
Ditto named Limerick70
Ditto named Sirus70
Ditto named Dublin68
Negro woman named Olive70
Ditto named Phillis70
Ditto named Charity68
Three horses60
One mule old20
One she ass4
Fourteen goats11
Four hoggs and small stock6. 5. 0
Wearing apparel or bed linen37. 8. 9
A parcel old books1. 0. 0
Household furniture &c.25. 0. 0
6 silver table spoons, 6 tin ditto, 1 soup ditto 1 puncheon6. 0. 0
2 silver watches6.10.0
1 pair silver spurs1. 2. 6
2 pair knee buckles, 1 pair shoe buckles 1 stock buckle0. 6. 8
1 pair gold sleeve buttons, 1 shirt buckle and one gold ring1. 2. 6
1 pair pistols1. 5. 0
3 guns3.15. 0
A parcel cookery ware4. 4. 7
2 old saddles and one bridle1.10. 0
1 pair Oznaburghs 108 yds.7. 3. 0
Due from George Seddon on balance of account due292.19. 3
Wm. Alexander’s bond13.15. 0
principal with interest now due14.15. 0
1 coffee mill, 12 coffee bags, cask, & c.30. 0. 0
TOTAL:  £1091. 7. 3

In obedience to the warrant of appraisement hereunto annexed and to us directed we have inventoried and appraised all and singular the goods and chattels rights and credits, which were of Richard Gilbourne late of the parish of Saint Catherine in the county of Middlesex Esquire deceased, as the same were shown to us by Jane Gilbourne, widow and Francis Clark gentleman his executrix and executor, and we do find that the same amounts to the sum of one thousand and ninety one pounds seven shillings, and three pence current money of Jamaica all which we certify under our hands and seals this 16th day of March 1795.

[Note. Values in £.s.d (pounds, shillings and pence) 1s = 12d, £1 = 20s]

Bob, a creole belonging to Richard Gilbourne had been recorded in Spanish Town workhouse, 17 May 1791 but was obviously not still with him in 1794.

In the 1811 Jamaica Almanac, 'The heirs of Richard Gilborne' are listed at Cocoa Walk, St. Catherine, owning 85 slaves and 13 head of stock.

As with all his other posessions, the slaves were inherited by Richard's wife and children. The slave trade with Africa was abolished in 1807, and in 1817 triennial surveys of slave ownership were instituted. These 'censuses' give us some record of the family, but also show us where slaves adopted the surname of their owners. We do not know any more of Richard's family until the first of these surveys, when we find preserved in the UK National Archives [Document T71/1 pp729-30]:

Jane Gilborne filed 24th. Sept. 1817
Jamaica Ss - A return of Slaves in the parish of Saint Catherine in the
possession of Jane Gilborne widow as owner on the 28th day of June
in the year of our Lord 1817.

    Names colour age    african or creole Remarks
    Males    
  Harry negro 32 african  
  Richard negro 18 african  
  William mulatto 37 creole  
    Females      
  Rose negro 50 african  
  Chloe negro 52 african  
  Easter negro 70 creole  
  Susannah Ann Brown
formerly Charlotte
negro 40 creole christened
        Males....Three
Females - Four
Total - Seven
 

I Jane Gilborne of the parish of Saint Catherine widow do swear that the
above list and return consisting of one sheet is a true perfect and complete
list and return to he best of my knowledge and belief in every particular
therein mentioned of all and every slave and slaves possessed by me
as owner considered as most permanently settled worked or employed
in the parish of Saint Catherine on the twenty eighth day of June
one thousand eight hundred and seventeen without fraud deceit
or evasion so help me God.
Jane Gilborne

Sworn before me the twenty
third day of Sept. 1817
John March

As can be seen, none of the slaves appear to be those she inherited when her husband died. However these may be Jane's personal slaves, as a second entry [Document T71/1 pp732-33] contains a much longer list from Jane Gilborne, for what appears to be a list of slaves held by her until she dies, but belonging to the business and to pass to Susan Machglashan after Jane's death.:

Jane Gilborne (as tenant for life with remainder) filed 24th Sept 1817.
Jamaica Ss. A return of slaves in the parish of Saint Catherine in
the possession of Jane Gilborne widow as tenant for life with remainder
to Susan Machglashan on the 28th, day of June in the year of our Lord 1817.

    Names colour age     african or Creole Remarks
    Males    
  James negro 32 creole  
  Humphrey Sambo 36 creole  
  Ned negro 25 creole  
  Robert negro 23 creole Son of Diner
  Tom negro 19 creole Son of Diner
  John negro 18 creole  
  Cuffee negro 14 creole  
  Quashie negro 18 creole Son of Jean
  Harry negro 11 creole Son of Sukey
  William mulatto 10 creole Son of Molly
  August negro 12 creole Son of Diner
  Thomas mulatto 8 creole Son of Molly
  Billy negro 8 creole Son of Dinah
  Jack negro 8 creole Son of Maria
  Jeffry negro 6 creole Son Pamilla
  Daniel negro 6 creole Son of Molly
  January negro 2 creole Son of Jean
    Females      
  Diner negro 45 creole Mother of Robert, Tom, Mary & August
  Dinah negro 44 creole Mother of Pamilla & Billy
  Jane Frances    negro 40 creole Mother of Susannna
  Molly negro 35 creole Mother of Catherine, Thomas, Daniel, & Jeffry
  Sukey negro 32 creole Mother of Abba [Amba?], Harry, Abigail
  Jean negro 40 creole Mother of Quashie, Margaret, January, & Amey
  Maria negro 22 creole Mother of Hannah & Jack
  Jane Gilborne   mulatto 24 creole Mother of Elizabeth Corrall
  Hannah negro 17 creole Daughter of Maria
  Mary negro 15 creole Daughter of Diner
  Amba negro 14 creole Daughter of Sukey
  Abigail negro 9 creole Daughter of Sukey
  Jessy negro 1 creole Daughter of Molly
  Susannah Sambo 2 creole Daughter of Jane Francis
  Amey negro 6mo creole Daughter of Jean
  Elizth Corrall formerly Betsy Quadroon    1 yr creole Daughter of Jane Gilborne
  Pamilla negro 25 creole Daughter Dinah and mother of Jeffry
         
Males....Seventeen
Females - Seventeen
Total - Thirty four

I Jane Gilborne of the parish of Saint Catherine widow do swear that
the above list and return consisting of one sheet is in a true perfect and
complete list and return to the best of my knowledge and belief in every
particular therein mentioned of all and every slave andslaves possessed
by me as tenant for life with remainder, to Susan Machglashan considered
as most permanently settled worked or employed in the parish of Saint
Catherine on the twenty eighth day of June one thousand eight hundred
and seventeen without fraud deceit or evasion So help me God.
Jane Gilborne

Sworn before me this twenty
third day of September 1817
John Marsh

Three years later, a further return was made, showing changes since the 1817 record, However no record has been found for Jane Gilborne in 1820, and it was assumed that she had died.A further three years later, another return was made, confirmed that Jane Gilborne had indeed died, in October 1819, so no return was available for her. There also appears to be no record of her slaves in 1820, but some of them have been traced in later years. In 1823, all except William were in the possession of Charles Mackglashan and William Myers who gave as the reason for the change in the number of slaves they held "by the death of Mrs. Gilborne and her daughter Mrs. Susannah McGlashan as representatives of the latter."
In 1826 the same owners reported that of Jane Gilborne's slaves listed in 1817 Rose had died in 1824, and that Henry, Richard and Susannah Ann Brown had been sold "under a Writ of Venditioni." Richard is believed to be the slave shown in the return of John Oldham, Attorney to Sarah Buckmaster, in 1832 in the parish of St. George. He is recorded as Richard Gilborne, Purchased, and is probably the Richard Gilborne who died later that year. This is not certain however, for a Richard Gilborne, in his role as Administrator of the estate of Sarah Mary Gilborne is found in 1829 to be the possessor of four slaves in Kingston - unlikely if he himself was a slave.

Susannah Gilborne

Richard and Jane's daughter, Susannah married Thomas Mackglashan, a lieutenant in the 101st regiment, on 11 December 1809 in St. Catherine. Three of their children were baptised in St. Catherine, but the third baptism, of daughter Charlotte Susan on 5th December 1817, indicated that her father was deceased. (Parish records show that he had been killed in a duel in September 1815.) The next slave return after Jane Gilborne's was for Susan Mackglashan - Jane's daughter:

Susan Machglashan (As tenant with remainder) filed 24th. Sept. 1817
Jamaica Ss. A Return of Slaves in the parish of Saint Catherine in
the possession of Susan MachGlashan widow as Tenant for life with
remainder to Jane Eliza Machglashan John Wellington Machglashan and
Charlotte Susannah MachGlashan on the 28th day of June in the year of our Lord 1817.

    Names colour age    african or creole Remarks
    Males    
  Dublin negro 35 African  
  Limerick negro 36 African  
  Syrus negro 37 African  
  Britain negro 50 African  
  Oxfords negro 30 African  
  Apollo negro 28 African  
  Rodney negro 30 African  
  Sampson negro 37 African  
  Jasper negro 30 African  
  Neptune negro 32 African  
  Hamlet negro 40 African  
  Charles negro 22 Creole  
  Hercules negro 16 creole Son to Olive
  Edward negro 13 creole Son to Harriet
  Romeo negro 13 creole Son to Sophia
  Henry negro 11 creole Son to Priscilla
  Philip negro 11 creole Son of Sophia
  Stephen negro 10 creole Son to Harriet
  Colin negro 7 creole Son to Olive
  Mars negro 6 creole Son of Sophia
  Richard negro 6 creole Son to Priscilla
  Prince negro 4 creole Son to Priscilla
  Ceasar negro 3 creole Son to Harriet
  Manchester negro 5 creole Son to Lucy
  Edwin negro 12 creole Son to Lucy
  Dick negro 18mo creole Son to Lucy
  Isaac negro 6mo creole Son to Harriet
    Females      
  Olive negro 40 african Mother of Hercules & Colin, Phebe & Sebina
  Charity negro 32 african  
  Harriet negro 32 african Mother of Edward & Nancy, Stephen Ceasar & Isaac
  Lucy negro 30 african Mother of Edwin, Dick, Manchester & Eleanor
  Sophia negro 40 african Mother of ??, Philip & Mars
[?? does not appear to be Romeo, which would be expected from Male names above]
  Priscilla negro 26 creole Mother of Henry Richard & Prince
  Sabina creole 21 african Daughter to Olive
  Juliet negro 14 creole  
  Phebe negro 13 creole Daughter to Olive
  Lettice negro 11 creole  
  Eleanor negro 8 creole Daughter to Lucy
  Nancy negro 6 creole Daughter of Harriet
         
Males....Twenty seven
Females - Twelve
Total - Thirty nine

I, Susan Machglashan of the parish of Saint Catherine widow do swear
that the above list and return consisting of one sheet is a true perfect
and complete list and return to the best of my knowledge and belief
in every particular therein mentioned of all and every slave and slaves
possessed by me as tenant for life with remainder to Jane Eliza
Machglashan John Wellington Machglashan and Charlotte Susannah
Machglashan considered as a most permanently settled worked & employed
in the parish of Saint Catherine on the twenty eighth day of June one thousand
eight hundred and seventeen without fraud, deceit or evasion So help me God.
Susan Machglashan

Sworn before me this twenty third
day of September 1817
John March

It can be seen that these include the slaves Dublin, Limerick,Syrus, Britain, Olive and Charity that were owned by Richard Gilborne at his death. Susan submitted two lists of changes in 1820 [T71/2/426 pp784-5] one designated as slave held by her as owner, the other for those held by her as tenant for life, before thay passed to her children. These showed changes for the slaves held by her in 1817 and also those held by Jane Gilborne. The combined changes are:

Births:
Dublin Negro 2 son of Maria Creole
Alexander Sambo 2 son of Mary Creole
Frank Negro 2 1/2 son of Molly Creole
Yorkshire Negro 1 1/2 son of Hannah Creole
John Sambo 1 1/2 son of Jane Frances Creole
Pompey Negro 1 son of Lucy Creole
George Negro 2 1/2 son of Priscilla Creole
Sarah Negro 2 Daughter of Charity Creole

Deaths:
Mars Negro 6 24 Aug 1817 Creole
Ceasar Negro 3 5 May 1819 Creole
Sophia Negro 40 11 Jan 1818 African
Suckey Negro 32 26 Sept 1817 Creole
Jessey Negro 1 13 Apr 1818 Creole

Manumized (Freed from slavery):
William alias William Pike Mulatto 13 Son of Molly Creole
Thomas alias Thomas Pike Mulatto 11 Son of Molly Creole
Jane Gilborne Mulatto 27   Creole
Elizabeth Corrall Quadroon 4   Creole
Mary Roberts Corrall Quadroon 2   Creole

Elizabeth and Mary Roberts Corrall were probably children of the manumized Jane Gilborn, for another quadroon son, John James Corrall (or Carroll?) was baptised in 1825.

Slavery was finally abolished in Jamaica in 1833.



  Family Tree   Top  

 

Valid XHTML 1.1