I am trying to search a great xxxx grandfather born 1790 St Vincent.

Does anybody have any more details.

Hello Anne
I have ancestors living in St. Vincent from at least 1797 to 1829 with surname Cotton.
My gggg granmother was Elisabeth Cotton born 1798/9 in St. Vincent Island.
Her father amy have been William Cotton who owned property on the island before 1797, owned the Gomia Estate from 1815 to 1828 and died sometime between 1829to 1830.

Does this sound like your ancestors too?
Regards Jonathan

Hi

It could be the same William Cotton that we are related to.

I am trying to find more links. Some of the family seemed to come back to London and had a business in Oxford Street London.

I will try to find out more.

Anne

Hello Anne
A bit more info: William Cotton died between 24 Jan 1828 and 31 Dec 1830 on St. Vincent Island. I base this on details in the slave census of 1828. He left a Will but I guess this will be not available for public viwing at the Kingstown archives. This info comes from the slave census info where he is mentioned in successive censuses Aug 1817, Jan 1822, Jan 1826 & Jan 1828 at his Gomia Estate. He died before emancipation of the Carribean slaves in British territories in 1834. There is a mention of a Matilda Cotton in the 1834 census who buys a couple of his slaves after his death. Don't know who she is.

He is listed in 1797 as one of the property owners requesting compensation after the creole/french rebellion of 1796-7. By the way this rebellion seems to have been utterly brutal for both sides with women and children killed as well as combatants.

He was also Quarter Master of the militia in 1815. Look up Charles Shephard 1831 book on St. Vincent island history. There is a copy at the British Library which i'll try to get to see.

No knowledge of his birthplace or wife, though she may have predeceased him because he set free the slave Amelia in his will (I gather it was customary to set your "squeeze" free in your will). He may have had at least 2 children (but I've not proved this link):

John Andrew Cotton born c. 1789 He found his way back to London at the following censuses:
1841 Tile Kiln cottage, St. Leonard, Shoreditch
1851 Queen Street, Marlyebone
1861 Church Street, Bethnal Green
1871 Bethnal Green, Hackney
He died on 20 Jan 1874 age 85 at Dowry Square, Hotwells, Clifton, Bristol and is buried in the Greenbank cemetery at Easton, Bristol. No idea why he ended up in Bristol.
He married Jane Mary Ann smith at Christchurch, Blackfriers in 1813. She died 1856Q4 in Shoreditch.

Possibly his sister Elisabeth (my direct ancestor) was living in Homerton, Hackney in 1841 and in Camberwell, surrey in 1851 age 53. So far I'vefailed to find her in the 1861 census, or where she died. She married William Chapman in Jan 1816 at Christchurch, Blackfriers (same church, but these records were destroyed in 1941 so only have limited transcript to go on and no witness info).

I might have a chance of visiting St.Vincent island to try some research during October or November this year, thoughh I've read that many records are locked away and are too fragile to be open to the public. I've been trying to find out where the Gomia Estate was but no luck so far.

Hope this is of interest. What is your news?
Regards Jonathan

Gomea Estate is North of E. T. Joshua AirPort.
From The AirPort heading North and Central towards Belair, the Next Village over from Belair is Gomea.

Hello Anne
Good news. The IGI have a transcript of the baptisms in St. George parish (which includes Kingstown)and I've found some definite matches here. All baptisms, weddings and burials below were at St. Geaorge parish:

William Cotton had 3 children who survived infancy. He was buried on 26 June 1830 age 69, so was born 1760 to 1761 but I don't know where.

First 2 children were illegitimate sons from Frances Greathead (described as free coloured)but importantly William Cotton's name does appear as father.
1. Andrew Cotton baptised 26 July 1790.
2. Thomas Richard Cotton baptised 10 March 1792.

William Cotton then married Elizabeth Ward in Jan 1793 and had a daugher Elizabeth baptised on 31 May 1795. But morhter was buried on 1 Jan 1795, and daughter buried on 14 July 1795.

William Cotton then married again to a widow Mary Fraser on 10 Dec 1796. Mary's maiden name may have been Abbott.
They had two daughters:
3. Elizabeth Cotton baptised 30 Dec 1799 (she was my gggg grandmother)
4. Susannah Cotton bapt 13 Sept 1800 but buried 21 Nov 1800.
Mother Mary was buried 9 Feb 1801.

My email is grisenjon1@yahoo.co.uk if you want to correspond directly, or ask me to get a photo of any of the above entries in the parish registers (I can send this by email to you).

I am visiting St. Vincent during the second half of September 2009 and will spend a day or two at the archives to confirm these dates and see if there is anything more.
Let me know if there is anything specific I can look up for you.

I'll try to find William's grave, his will and his plantation Gomea.

Regards Jonathan

Thank you for the info about Gomia.
I'm visiting St. Vincent Island later this month and will fit in a couple of days research starting at the archives. I've heard rumours there are plenty of records but they are closed to public view because they are too fragile to be used, so I'm prepared for my research effort to yield nothing.
Do you have any tips on research on the Island?
Regards Jonathan

Jonathan,

I'm excited that you are going to the island.

You may want to visit St. Georges Cathedral, Kingstown. Link to photo of it: http://www.flickr.com/photos/stowegarth/2200829251/

They may have baptismal and marriage records, plus I believe they have a graveyard.

We are seeking to know the parentage of our ancestor, Samuel Edward SPENCER, possibly born 1828, St. George parish, St. Vincent (IGI record: http://www.familysearch.org/ENG/search/igi/individual_record...=); believe he died 1896, Kingstown, Saint Vincent, British West Indies.

If you report any detail of his parents, especially the identity of his father, my family and I would be deeply grateful.

Also the Botanical garden is beautiful and the oldest in the Americas. Enjoy!

Best regards,
Jim Edwardson