Thomas Fairbairn and Huggins Family of St.Vincent West Indies

[SMJW]

Looking for information about Thomas Fairbairn (possibly Thomas James Alexander Brown Fairbairn) who married Mary Huggins 16 Sept 1807 in St. Vincent according to the register 1765-1820 page 132/260 https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP1013-1-4/.
Thomas seems to have been associated with Mr Gordon's estate Fairhall or Bentinck, in that in 1834 a Thomas Fairbairn attested to the report of 246 enslaved people on the property of James A. Gordon (possibly James Brebner Gordon). Fairhall was owned by James's Brebner Gordon's son James Gordon at the time of the slave register). Found this connection in documents of the Centre for study of the Legacies of British Slavery https://ucl.ac.uk/lbs/estate/view/3644
I believe Thomas Fairbairn's father was a Colonel Thomas Fairbairn who died 4 Nov 1808 and was buried at Fairhall- per page 235/260 of the St. Vincent Marriage, Baptism and Burial Registry 1765-1820.
Looking at Fairhall I found mention of Thomas Fairbairn as a 'grantee' of Mr.Gordon's estate, land in the Parish of St.George under Governor Bentinck. gregg784.com/2017/04/30/manuscript-collection/?print=pdf Document held in Bentinck Collection at Hamilton College New York)

Thomas's wife Mary Huggins was, I believe, the daughter of James Huggins (1752-1837) and sister of Joseph Stanley Huggins. Note one of Joseph's sons was Thomas Fairbairn Huggins presumably after his brother-in-law.
I also note James Huggins wife Mary (Evans) Huggins who died in 1811 left  slaves to her daughter Mary Fairbairn  https://eap.bl.uk/search?query=St.Vincent, Digitization of Wills, Deed Books and Powers of Attorney for St.Vincent 1785-1865. The Wills of 1806-1811 page 357/370.)

I am linking these pieces - hoping for others researching Fairbairn or Huggins have more information.

I note Mary Huggins also leaves slaves to 7 other children - 6 match my tree but she names Ann LaCroix - I have an Amy Huggins (1786-1861) in my tree and think she may be this Ann.

[cchallenger]

Hi, glad I came across this chat.

I'm researching free coloured and black people in St. Vincent during the slave era and came across a will written by Judith Slater in May 1808 - https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP1013-1-5-2#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=165&xywh=-2098%2C-1%2C7195%2C4500

In it she names Thomas Fairbairn, William Alexander and Walter Coningham, as trustees for her children John Pope (who she freed in 1790), Eliza Cobham and Thomas Craig.

Walter Coningham (d. 1830) was an enslaver and owner of Colonarie Vale estate which he had jointly purchased with the other named trustee, William Alexander (d. 1814)

The fathers of her children were:
John Pope, merchant, deceased in 1788, father of John & Nancy Pope
Elijah Cobham, merchant who left St. Vincent and was  residing in Dominica in 1788, father of Eliza/Elisha Cobham
Stephen Craig, merchant, deceased, father of Thomas Craig

She also desired to free her 3 grandchildren:
1. Nancy Fairbairn (not sure of her parentage)
2. Thomas Fairbairn (parents were Thomas Fairbairn and Nancy Pope (she's not mentioned in the will - perhaps Nancy had died still holding enslaved status?) - young Thomas was baptized in St. George's Anglican in 1799;
3. Janet Burrage (Eliza's daughter) - [Eliza died on January 14, 1827 according to the St. George Anglican Cathedral records. Her “mastiff” daughter was Jennette/Janet/Jeannette Burrage/Burridge.]

My questions:

1. I don't understand how her grandchildren were enslaved unless of course Judith was only able to free John and not her other children.

2. Are any of your Fairbairns connected to this Thomas Fairbairn who she named as one of her trustees and why did she choose him? Who was he to her (perhaps the father of two of her grandchildren Nancy and Thomas?) Of course you must know that many interracial relationships produced children outside of marriage.

This will is a little confusing as I try to figure out how people are connected and why.

Don't mean to add any more complexities to your search.

Thanks,
Cheryl

[SMJW]

Hi Cheryl, Sorry for the delay replying. Thank you so much for the link to the will so interesting this mystery. Unfortunately I can not add anything. It took me 15 years or so to link my family tree to Mary Huggins Fairbairn wife of Thomas Fairbairn. My ancestor was her brother James Joseph Huggins who emigrated to Trinidad. I had a few dates for these Huggins in a handwritten tree which only followed male lines. I have patched together that Mary Huggins married Thomas Fairbairn but just picking up a few references to him in St. Vincent. My ancestor I understand was educated in UK - wondering if Thomas F. was also? Wonder too if Thomas F. was a solicitor of some kind? Or an estate manager of Fairhall (Gordon's estate)? I can not link him to owning an estate.
The fact that 2 of Judith Slater's grandkids were so named points to the likelihood that Thomas F. was their father. He married Mary Huggins in 1807 - which I guess that is neither here nor there as he may easily have had kids before and after, though Mary Huggins had none that I have found.  Sure would be interesting to find Thomas F.'s will in case he mentions his children. No idea when he died but after 1834 when he attested to slave numbers.
Hope for more leads, Susan

[cchallenger]

Hi again,

I don't know if you have the will of Thomas Fairbairn but I came across it this morning (although I'm pretty sure I've seen it before). In it he names his wife as Mary.

Here's the link: https://eap.bl.uk/archive-file/EAP1013-1-5-2#?xywh=110%2C52%2C3164%2C1808&cv=201

He and Judith wrote their wills within months of each other (she in May 1808 and he in November 1808)

Hope this helps,
Cheryl

[SMJW]

So interesting, he decided to do the will (2 Nov 1808) which was two days before his father died (4 Nov 1808). He does not name the Heir at Law. He gives a legacy to nephew William Thurston of Dundee who would be his sister's son I imagine, not yet 21. Not sure there is a Dundee in St.Vincent? Maybe Scotland at school?
I found a Manager W.J. Thurston associated with 7 slaves registered at Golden Vale Estate in 1827, maybe the sister's husband? https://www.ancestry.ca/search/collections/1129/records/8617238?tid=43375400&pid=122645745490&queryId=06caddba-b045-4624-9e07-bfb6b4475cf8&_phsrc=BwI3372&_phstart=successSource
Golden Vale I seem to recall is associated with the Huggins family.