Part 234s – Smith Robertson Genealogy – Indenture Research – 1827 James Smith

Good Afternoon,

This next Record, pages 564 to 566 from the Grenada Registers of Records, 1817-1837 (v. R2-Z2), could have something to do with ggg-grandfather James Smith. The Record is a Bill of Sale dated 9 June 1827 between one James Smith a Carpenter and Robert Henry Church, the Attorney who, I believe is acting on behalf of and representing Sir John Trevelyan who in turn is representing the Estate of the late Peter Simon, Richard Henry Alexander Bennet and Sir William Rouse Boughton who are representing the Estate of Susannah Louisa Baronet Dowager Saint John, and Robert Hankey who is representing the Estate of John Hankey. It really does get confusing, as to who is who is who. The Bill of Sale is the paper record of a transaction.

I was able to find the corresponding pages of the 1827 accounting of the Slave Registers of James Smith. The same persons are identified on the annual summary on pages 319 and 320. I’ve created a cross-reference illustration.

All-things-being-equal the James Smith is ggg-grandfather James; the only issue is that I am not able to find any blatant clue of his origins. I checked the names of the other persons involved in the Bill of Sale and it appears that they do originate from England. The only one that may or may not be from England, apart from John, Jenny and her four children, is ggg-grandfather James.

Here are the three pages, 564 to 566, of the Record from the Grenada Registers of Records from the microfilm FHL [1563329] and Item 5:

My transcription –

(564)

Entered 2d July 1827

Grenada
Know all Men by these presents that I James
Smith of the Parish of St. George in the said Island of Grenada Carpenter
for and in consideration of the sum of Two hundred and twenty two

Pounds

(565)

Pounds ten shillings Sterling lawful Money of Great Britain
to me in hand well and truly paid by Robert Henry Church Esquire of
the Island aforesaid the constituted Attorney of Sir John Trevelyan of
Nettlecombe in the County of Somerset in England Baronet (one of the
Executors of the Will of Peter Simond late of London Merchant deceased
and one of the residuary Devisees and Legatees of the Estate of the said
Peter Simond / Richard Henry Alexander Bennet of Beckingham in the
County of Kent England Esquire / one of the Devisees in trust named &
appointed in and by the last Will & Testament of the Right Honorable
Susannah Louisa Baroness Dowager Saint John / and Sir William Rouse
Boughton Baronet Successor in trust to Thomas Townsend deceased the
other Devisee in Trust named and appointed in and by the last Will and
Testament of the said Right Honorable Susannah Louisa Baroneʃs
Dowager Saint John who was also one of the residuary Devisees and
Legatees of the Estate of the said Peter Simond ) and Robert Hankey of
Tenchurch Street in the City of London Banker / surviving Trustee of the
Estate of John Hankey late of Mincing Lane London aforesaid Merchant
deceased who was the other residuary Devisee & Legatee of the said Peter
Simond deceased / at or before the signing and delivery of these presents
the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge have granted bargained
sold enfeoffed and confirmed and by these presents do grant bargain
sell enfeoff and confirm unto the said Sir John Trevelyan, Richard
Henry Alexander Bennet, Sir William Rouse Boughton and Robert
Hankey Devisees and Trustees as aforesaid their heirs and aʃsigns the
following three Male and three female Slaves named respectively John
Jenny and her four children Viz.? Sandy, Nancy, Margaret and Hankey?
with the future issues and increase of the said Slaves and the reversion
and reversions remainder and remainders rents issues and profits of
them and all the Estate right title interest use trust property claim
and demand whatsoever either at Law or equity of me the said James Smith
off in or to the said Slaves John, Jenny and her four Children Sand, Nancy
Margaret & Hankey To have and To hold and all and singular other the
premises to the only proper use and behoof of the said Sir John Trevelyan
Richard Henry Alexander Bennet, Sit William Rouse Boughton and
Robert Hankey Devises and Trustees as aforesaid and I do hereby warrant
and defend the sale of the said slaves John, Jenny and her four Children
Sandy, Nancy, Margaret & Hankey unto and to the use of the said Sir

John

(566)

John Trevelyan, Richard Henry Alexander Bennet, Sir
William Rouse Boughton and Robert Hankey their heirs and
Aʃsigns for ever In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand
and seal this Nineteenth day of June in the Year of our Lord One
thousand Eight Hundred and twenty seven.

James Smith (LS)

Signed Sealed and Delivered in the presence of

Francis Jemmett

Received on the day of the day of the foregoing Bill of Sale from
the therein named Robert Henry Church the sum of Two hundred
and twenty two Pounds ten shillings Sterling Money of Great Britain
being the full consideration Money therein agreed to by him paid to me
I said received £222. 10ʃ Sterling

James Smith

Be it remembered that on the __________ day of June One thousand
eight hundred and Twenty seven Liberty Seizen and peaceable proʃseʃsion
of the Slaves John Jenny and her four children Sandy, Nancy Margaret
and Hankey named in the foregoing Bill of Sale was made and given
to the therein mentioned James Smith the feoffer in said Bill of Sale
to the therein named Robert Henry Church according to the force
firm and effect of the same Bill of Sale in the presence of

Francis Jemmett

Grenada
Acknowledge before me by James Smith the
party executing the foregoing Bill of Sale as and for his free and voluntary
Act and Deed this Second day of July in the year of our Lord One
thousand Eight hundred and Twenty seven.

Owsley Rowley
Reg.

Here are the pages, 319 and 320 from the 1827 Slave Registers annual accounting for James Smith:

My sources are the Slave Registers of former British Colonial Dependencies, 1812-1834 for Grenada of The National Archives of Kew, England and as found on Ancestry.co.uk

In the course of my research I came upon an article In Search of A Slave by Jenny St. John as published in the July 2007 edition of Ancestors. This article provides some very good information regarding some of the persons mentioned in the 2 July 1827 Entry to the Grenada Registers of Records. It can be found at Jenny St. John’s website Heritage Matters.

Enjoy,

Jim