John Collins

No Dates


Biography

Owner of Southampton estate in St Elizabeth, Jamaica. Deceased by 1820.

  1. “Supposed to be of a family of the same name at Gort-a-Wye near Ramelton, Co.Donegal, Ireland, late of Southampton Pen, Parish of St Elizabeth, Island of Jamaica. The deceased died possessed of a Grain Farm in St Elizabeth, Jamaica, called Southampton Pen, with slaves and stock thereon. He died considerably in debt but it is supposed that something may remain of his Estate for his Relatives; to discover whom this advertisement is published, that they may obtain their rights. One of his friends in Jamaica states, the deceased informed him, that he was born in Derry, in Ireland, which he left for America when a boy, with his father, mother and family. To another friend he stated himself to be born at sea, on his parents' way to America who were both Irish; that he had served in the American Light Horse, under Washington, and arrived in Jamaica in 1784. His age appears to have been about 61..."

  2. Collins bought Southampton Pen at some point before 1822 [and presumably before 1820] from the residuary devisees of Robert Benstead Wright. Subsequent lawsuits by the legatees of Wright and by a subsequent owner, Thomas Mason, stated that Collins died intestate and without heirs.


Sources

  1. Advertisement for relatives dated 01/12/1820, printed in Bell’s Weekly Messenger 11/03/1821.

  2. Reports of Cases heard and determined by the Judicial Committee of the Privy Council (reported by E.F.Moore), Vol IV, 1841-45, pp. 228-238.

We are grateful to Paul Hitchings for his assistance with this entry.


Associated Estates (2)

The dates listed below have different categories as denoted by the letters in the brackets following each date. Here is a key to explain those letter codes:

  • SD - Association Start Date
  • SY - Association Start Year
  • EA - Earliest Known Association
  • ED - Association End Date
  • EY - Association End Year
  • LA - Latest Known Association
1820 [EA] - 1829 [LA] → Previous owner
1817 [EA] - 1819 [LA] → Owner