Joseph Stone Williams

1778 - 6th Feb 1836

Claimant or beneficiary

Biography

Born c. 1778 in Westmoreland, Jamaica, the eldest son of James Williams and his wife Frances Cecilia Stone, owner of Anglesey Pen, Carawina and Cairn Curren plantations in Westmoreland.

The Royal Gazette of Jamaica 13 February 1836 reported the death"[i]n Westmoreland, on the 8th inst. in his 58th year, regretted by numerous friends and acquaintances, the Hon. Joseph Stone Williams, of Carawince estate and Anglesea pen, Custos Rotulornm of the Parish, and for many years one of the Assistant Judges of the Cornwall Assize Court, and was twice elected to represent his Parish in the House of Assembly. He faithfully discharged the duties imposed upon him by these important trusts, and, by his mild and gentlemanly manners, procured for himself the esteem of many, and the respect of all."

The will of Joseph Stone Williams [made in 1835] showed he was in a long-term relationship with Mary Pessoa, with whom he had three sons. He left Mary and her children monetary legacies, an annuity and the service of 42 apprentices. His will also revealed 4 probable children by 3 other women, to each of whom he also left legacies. He left £10,000 currency to his brother William Williams (which implies the latter was in Jamaica), and the interest on £5600 to his sister Jemima Jackson (currently in Britain). His brother Rev. Theodore Williams was his residuary legatee. He also mentioned a late sister Mary Hall Grant, his late father James Williams, his brother-in-law James Grant and 2 nieces, Elizabeth Lachlan Grant and Josephine Mary Grant.

  1. "On a tablet in the parish church of Savanna-la-Mar [Westmoreland, Jamaica]:- Died 6 Feb. 1836 the Hon. Joseph Stone Williams of Carawina Estate & Anglesea Pen, Custos Rotulorum of this parish, & many years Assistant Judge of Cornwall Assize Court; twice elected to represent his parish in the House of Assembly; aged 58."

  2. Higman showed Joseph Stone Williams as leaving personalty over £103,786 [presumably currency], more than half in 'public funds of Great Britain' in the hands of Colvile & Co., and including also £12,941 for the unexpired term of apprentices.

We are grateful to Anne M. Powers and Steven Carter for their assistance in compiling this entry.


Sources

For more details about Joseph Stone Williams see pages of A Parcel of Ribbons by Anne M. Powers, http://aparcelofribbons.co.uk/2013/03/joseph-stone-williams/ [accessed 10/07/2013]. For a detailed family tree see http://trees.ancestry.co.uk/tree/48619924/person/13652008930 [accessed 12/07/2013].

Royal Gazette of Jamaica Saturday 13 February 1836, p. 16.

  1. Memorial inscription from Vere Langford Oliver, Caribbeana being miscellaneous papers relating to the history, genealogy, topography, and antiquities of the British West Indies (6 vols., London, Mitchell, Hughes and Clarke, 1910-1919), Vol. 3 p. 349.

  2. B.W. Higman, Plantation Jamaica, 1750-1850 p. 88.


Further Information

Children
[With Mary Pessoa] Joseph Stone, John Robert, Henry Lawrence
Will

Precis of the will of Joseph Stone Williams of the Parish of Westmoreland in the County of Cornwall.

PROB 11/1867. A full transcript by Anne M. Powers is available here: http://aparcelofribbons.co.uk/apr/items/show/69 [accessed 12/07/2013].

  1. Payment of debts and funeral expenses
  2. To my brother William Williams £10,000 currency
  3. To my nieces Elizabeth Lachlan Grant and Josephine Mary Grant (daughters of James Grant by my late sister Mary Hall Grant) £2800 currency at age 21 or marriage; the interest to pay for their maintenance in the meantime
  4. To my sister Jemima Jackson (at present residing in Great Britain) a trust fund of £5,600, the interest to be paid to her annually and the capital upon her death to be divided among her issue, or otherwise returned to my residuary estate
  5. To my Goddaughter Mary Distin the Daughter of Doctor [illegible] Henry Distin £100.
  6. To Mary Pessoa (of the parish of Westmorland, single woman) an annuity of £160; and the apprenticeship services of about 42 named men and women for the maintenance of herself and her three sons Joseph Stone Williams John Robert Williams and Henry Lawrence Williams; my mountain plantation Cairn Curran, to be divided between her three sons as tenants in common
  7. the apprentices at present located upon Cairn Curran shall have the use of their houses and grounds during the apprenticeship system without any hindrance or molestation whatsoever
  8. To Mary Pessoa the right to live and remain at her usual residence the Great House of Anglesea Penn as long as she choses so long as she remains single
  9. To Mary Pessoa one of my gold watches currently being repaired in Great Britain and all furniture, linen and apparel
  10. To Joseph Stone Williams, John Robert Williams and Henry Lawrence Williams, £1600, £1400 and £1400 respectively at age 23, the interest to be paid for their maintenance in the meantime
  11. The cost of the education of my youngest sons to be paid by my general estate not from their legacies
  12. To Joseph Williams and James Williams (sons of Eliza Robertson of Westmoreland, single woman), £2000 in trust between them at age 23, the interest to pay for their support in the meantime
  13. To Mary Williams (daughter of Eliza Murray of St James) £1400 in trust, the interest to pay her maintenance for the rest of her life and the capital to go to her children upon her death
  14. To Ann Williams (daughter of Ann Anderson) an annuity of £60
  15. Various smaller bequests to friends, relatives and servants
  16. To the heirs of my late sister Mary Hall Grant, the balance of her legacy due to her from the will of my late father James Williams, £3697 19s 1d Jamaican currency
  17. Residuary legatee: my brother Rev. Theodore Williams
  18. Executors and trustees: James Grant of Westmorland; Andrew Colvile of Great Britain

Will signed 30/11/1835.

Codicil dated 30/11/1835: clarifying the position of Andrew Colville as both executor and creditor.

2nd codicil dated 11/01/1836: to Ann Katherine Storer Widow £30 guineas as the one half of the commissions which I engaged to pay her on the crop of the estates of the late Anthony Gilbert Storer for 1831; to her daughter Ann Storer £30 guineas as a small remembrance; various other small bequests.

Occupation
Planter

Associated Claims (9)

£688 2s 2d
Awardee (Owner-in-fee)
£1,609 9s 2d
Unsuccessful claimant (Executor or executrix)
£82 6s 1d
Awardee
£5,912 16s 11d
Awardee (Owner-in-fee)
£262 3s 1d
Awardee
£1,628 8s 10d
Awardee (Owner-in-fee)
£189 15s 11d
Awardee
£221 8s 0d
Unsuccessful claimant (consensual)
£2,752 15s 4d
Not a claimant (Executor or executrix)

Associated Estates (39)

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
1815 [EA] - 1837 [LA] → Owner
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - → Receiver
1820 [EA] - 1834 [LA] → Owner
1811 [EA] - 06/02/1836 [ED] → Owner
1826 [EA] - 1834 [LA] → Executor
1817 [EA] - 1820 [LA] → Attorney
1820 [EA] - 1829 [LA] → Receiver
1820 [EA] - 1829 [LA] → Receiver
1823 [EA] - 1829 [LA] → Attorney
1820 [EA] - → Attorney
1820 [EA] - 1829 [LA] → Attorney
1820 [EA] - → Agent
1829 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Trustee and Executor
1823 [EA] - 1837 [LA] → Trustee and Executor
1823 [EA] - 1827 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1827 [EA] - 1820 [LA] → Attorney
1829 [EA] - → Other

Sold enslaved people to James Edward Burlton between 1826 and 1829.

1820 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1826 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1826 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1816 [EA] - 1816 [LA] → Not known
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1825 [EA] - 1829 [LA] → Executor
1817 [EA] - 1820 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - 1829 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - → Guardian
1817 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Joint owner
1817 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Attorney
1823 [EA] - → Executor
1826 [EA] - 1829 [LA] → Executor
1823 [EA] - 1832 [LA] → Trustee
1826 [EA] - 1834 [LA] → Attorney

Relationships (8)

Brother-in-laws
Notes →
Also apparently executor and...
Grandson → Grandfather
Executor → Testator
Brothers
Notes →
Rev. Theodore Williams was also the residuary legatee of his brother Joseph Stone Williams under the latter's will proved in...
Brother → Sister
Brother → Sister
Brother → Sister
Nephew → Aunt
Notes →
Joseph Stone Williams was described as her nephew in the will of Elizabeth...