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Research in Other Countries => Other Countries => Topic started by: Martin109 on Sunday 13 February 11 15:23 GMT (UK)
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My Gx3 Granddad (1761-1839) was a plantation owner in Jamaica between about 1782 and 1815, when he returned to Scotland. In his will, he states:
... my said lawful children John Sawers and Robert Sawers shall make payment as soon after my death as possible to John Alexander Sawers a free brown man my reputed or natural son residing in the parish of Hanover in the Island of Jamaica and his heirs and assignees whomsoever the sum of one hundred and fifty Pounds Sterling money which I hereby leave and bequeath to him as a legacy
... I also direct and appoint them to make payment as soon after my death as possible or at any time or in such instalments as they may think proper to Robert Sawers a free Quadroon boy my reputed or natural son who formerly resided with me at Viewfield in the neighbourhood of Stirling and presently a Seaman the sum of one hundred Pounds Sterling which I hereby leave and bequeath to him as a legacy
I would like to find out more about these sons, and also about their mothers, wives and subsequent children.
I have so far used Jamaican Family Search (http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com), and found John Alexander having taken over his father's plantation after the latter returned to Scotland in 1815.
How would you go about finding out more?
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It was a custom to have a liason with ones plantations slaves.
Are there any plantation owners and slave lists on line.
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Thanks.
I assume the term 'free brown man' would be synonymous with the term 'mulatto'.
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https://www.familysearch.org/
Has a marriage in 1825 for a John Alexander Sawers to Jane Petgrave in Hanover, and some children for them.
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Yes, it is apparent from a will I am transcribing for another Rootschatter that there were many liasions between the owners and the slave women. A few hundred miles to the north and west, but in the same historic period i have read that every time George Washington had a row with his wife, he visited the slaves' quarters that night! Many black Americans do seem to carry the surname Washington. A DNA test might be instructive if possible.
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https://www.familysearch.org/
Has a marriage in 1825 for a John Alexander Sawers to Jane Petgrave in Hanover, and some children for them.
Thank you for that! I was aware of the marriage and some of the children from other sources, but I'm glad to have found some more precise dates.
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Martin,
I'm a descendant of one of John Alexander's sons, Ezekiel (who migrated to Australia. I believe we have a contact in common - Janice, who is my grandmother's cousin and Janice forwarded to me the copy of the Will of which you speak about. I believe you are a descendant of John Sawers Snr. who returned to Scotland, married and had another 'legitimate' family.
I have gone as far back as James Sawers also, and have recently paid a Jamaican genealogist (Dianne Frankson-Golding who appeared on WDYTYA - Ainsley Harriot Series 5.) to research John Alexander and Jane Petgrave's maternal ancestors' origins. Unfortunately this genealogist was only too happy to take USD$400 but not provide useful information. We are now back to square one and I have found another genealogist who I think will be credible and who will be able to assist with tracing John Alexander's mother and Jane Petgrave's family. I have DOB/Parish etc. so all the information is available to begin the search.
I can send you the information I have thus far if you are interested.
I live in Australia.
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Hi Dottie14!
Thanks very much for replying.
Yes, I was in contact with Janice some years ago and I'm so glad she forwarded the copy of the will to you.
I'll PM you later today with some more information. It's noon in the UK at the moment, so I'll be able to contact you properly after work, which will be in about 6 hours' time.
It's great to be able to make links - there are other links with other parts of the Sawers family in Australia which you may be interested in.
Martin
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Hi Martin,
It's about 11.00pm here, so I'll check back on first thing Tuesday morning. I came into contact with Janice on Ancestry.com site last year so through her, I am now aware that John Sawers' son moved to Melbourne and I'm aware of the history of Bowie Sawers as well (thanks to Janice providing pieces of the puzzle). I look forward to learning more!
Bye.
Traci
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Unfortunately it is not easy to track the children born to slave owners in the Caribbean. On the one hand slave owners tend to own the children born out of wedlock, they also determine the status of the mother, that is whether to have the children legally recognised or not. However, I have found when tracing children accepted as either natural or reputed child born to slave owners - they tend not to appear on the slave returns. This can make it difficult to identify the mother.
Regards the term brown man - it is synonymous with other terms such as mustee, quadroon and as you said mulatto. Crude techniques were employed when classifying the complexion of an individual at the time of baptism.
I have the baptismal registers for children of John Alexander Sawers[Sawyers] snr. Do you require them?I can email them to you if you wish. Although you probably have them already. Another theory - found a John Sawers, baptised 1798 in parish of Hanover aged about 8 years old. No mother named. Listed as a quadroon child that makes him a strong possibility to be John Alexander Snr - why - in Jamaica and many countries many individuals were given one first name, as the individual approach adulthood, tends to take on other names. Found another John Sawers, quadroon baptised in St James in 1785, again no mother named. I realise that these are conjectures. Quadroon children were usually born to a white man and a mulatto woman.
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Hello Sharon,
Thank you for your response. I have baptism records for John Alexander's five eldest sons but not his two youngest Archibald and Benjamin (c. 1950). I would greatly appreciate receiving any information you have.
The child, John Alexander who was baptised in 1798 could be our John Alexander as he was born in 1792. Would you be able to send this record as well? I am trying to trace his mother.
Thank you so much. E-mail : (*)
Out of curiosity, what is your interest/connection in John Alexander Sawers?
Regards,
Traci
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Hello Traci
I do not have a biological connection to the Sawyers of Jamaica. I am a researcher in Caribbean records, I work as a genealogist.
I have sent you an email off-list with records.
Take care
Sharon
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Sharont, i found the will I transcribed had several records of "natural" children who were benficiaries under the will. For this reason if no other, I think Caribbean wills to be a useful source of data on illegitimate children, though it is not likely to be exhaustive.
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This is fabulous! And you are right - this is particularly so for children born free (Free People of Colour - FPC) or mother FPC. However, the law in Jamaica at one stage deemed the threat of FPC inheriting huge assets from their fathers could result in shift in economic power in favour of FPC were capped to a certain amount. In other words restricted to inherit a nominal amount. I have to confirm which law and the year it was passed and the amount permitted to be inherited.
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The will I referred to was made in 1795, and had a codicil added in 1806. The amounts of money left to "People of colour" and freed slaves were paltry by comparison to the vast sums left to people of obvious European descent, so I guess it was before 1795.
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Hello, I know this thread was started a long time ago, but I have just done searching for family on my paternal grandmother's side and come up with with site. My great grandmother was Frances Elizabeth Sawers born in 1873 in Lucknow, Victoria and her father is Ezekiel Petgrave Sawers born in 1832 in Jamaica and mother Frances Elizabeth Evans born in 1832 in Rutherglen, Victoria.
This is my first time on the site and apologies if I have not followed the correct etiquette in posting on such an old thread. First time looking into family history and it is all a little new and exciting :).