10 Feb 1826

Clare Hall Feby 10^th 1826

Sir,

  I am sorry to say the first part of this letter is the most pleasant part for me to communicate, which is that surplus ??? for this year are good and that I shall be enable to send you at least 250 Hhds ??? They have cut fifteen Acres plant canes with a ….

 

It is very difficult to read first page and mostly seems to be minor estate news of sugar production. I will continue with the next readable page.

 

Accounts with for this Estate and Barbuda were sent by the Topaz, I hope they are correct I have had a good deal of trouble to get them arranged they are voluminous from the number of debts due when I came here.  I have now given directions that a regular Receipt book shall be kept, and every transaction entered in it, which I can if you wish it send annually with the accounts which I hope will be more simple than they now are.

  Now comes the most unpleasant part of this Letter, Mr Osborn went with me to Barbuda with the Hope of inducing some of the Negroes to come to your Estates, I had ordered them to be mustered, it went on pretty well certainly with some murmuring till we got nearly through the Women when they all declared they would not leave the Island unless compelled by force.  However I have got all the Tradesmen such as Masons and Carpenters to come with me to assist in their trades, but with a promise that they may return when this work is done, on these conditions they will at any time come over, and I trust that some of the young People will occasionally do the same.  I have offered to send back a certain number as often as they are replaced by others; I cannot depend on them, but I think I shall succeed.  I have now thirteen men with me five others have promised to come over to raise stones; by degrees perhaps they may be induced to remain after they have formed connections here; The rapid increase on that Island is very great, at giving out the Xtmas allowance there were one hundred and ten children, under those whose employment was merely to pick grass for the stable we have many more since the first is that they have formed an idea as most other Island have that after a certain time the Island will be given up to the King, and that will be at liberty to do just as they please and they think I am deceiving them when I tell them to the contrary, at the same time they are extremely obedient to any orders I give, except that of quitting the Island.

  I am much hurt and mortified at not being able to send you the proceeds of the wrecked sugar, which I had flattered myself to do.  The Manager on this Estate sold them for me unfortunately when I was in Barbuda the payment became due, he received the money, appropriated a large proportion of it for the care of the Estate, part of it paying the last two years to the Doctor for his attendance.  He was not aware that you had forbid me making use of the monies of one place for the other.  He is a most active young man and a good planter, and I think has the interest of the Estate at Heart, a thing of this kind will never happen again and must be replaced by this Estate as soon as possible  I am sure he did it from the best of motives as a large sum has been due many years to the Doctors, it is the first thing he has done without my order I am sure will be the last he is a valuable man to this Estate and I should be sorry to part to part with him.  I have as yet received no accounts from St. Vincents.  I shall return to Barbuda in a few days to get the Corn in, We have had a good deal of rain there which has prevented me taking up as many cattle as I would with a great mortality has taken place in Cattle lately your Windward Estates after they have had a good many are much in want of some at this moment I feel extremely obliged by your informing me of the plan of Mr. Garland I certainly had been very unwell but never had an idea of leaving this Country rely on it that you will be the first to hear of such a thing and as I can give you satisfaction I shall be happy to remain here My health is now perfectly restored which was occasioned principally from fatigue, the statement of the decrease of the value of Barbuda will soon be sent you I am enabled to go back many years

I remain

Sir Your Most Obedient Servant

(signed) John James

Reference: Gloucestershire Records Office, Microfilm no.351, Section no.6, D1610 C24
Accessed through Simon Fraser University library

30 July 1825

 

Clare Hall July 30th 1825 

Sir, 

  Since I had last the pleasure of writing to you I have had a smart attack of Illness which confined me to my Bed nearly two weeks, since which I have been to Barbuda from whence I am just returned; I had there a relapse in consequence of sleeping two nights on the sand attending a French ship from Guadeloupe which got on shore on the 25th of last month, but got off after my taking out part of her Cargo.  She was injured, and obliged to run for St Thomas;  leaving what I had landed in my possession (viz) twenty nine Hhds Sugar & 13 Puncheons of Rum these I retain as a compensation for the assistance rendered the ship.  I have had some correspondence with the French Consul, particulars of which you shall have by the first vessel for England, if possible by the Schilling bank which sails tomorrow. 

  I write this in here in order to give you an account of a very heavy Gale which took place on the 26th Inst. And which I fear has been very fatal to the Southern Islands.  The Eight day Boat to follow the Packet which has just arrived and which sails immediately report the sea to leeward of Dominica & Guadeloupe to be covered with wrecks of Houses and at Barbuda we had more rain than wind.  This Island has suffered little some Mills blown down, and about twelve Negroes but in Boats.  This Estate has not suffered in the least. 

In haste as the Mail Boat is now detained for (???)

I am 

Sir 

Your Most Obedient  

Servant 

(signed) John James 

 

<<The Ship that was grounded was “Amerique” >>

Reference: Gloucestershire Records Office, Microfilm no.351, Section no.6, D1610 C24
Accessed through Simon Fraser University library

10 December 1823

 

Antigua Dec 10th 1823 

Sir. 

I left Barbuda with the intension of answering your letter of the third of Sept. but from want of wind, & a strong currant I was three days on my passage, & this is the sailing day for the Boat to follow the packet, having been anxious to put all the information I could I have not now sufficient time to answer it to my satisfaction, but will do so immediately on my return to Barbuda in as to be ready for the next opportunity for England & which I hope will be in time. 

By the brig John Troughton for Liverpool I inclosed to Mr Trattle your Bills in chanary against Mr Blackburn, with his answer, and shall hope for further instructions to settling(?) it, I am much fear you will have to pay it, but of that your law advisers will be the best judges, Mr Ick was requested to bid but merely the nominal sum, say from 50 to 100 £ as that was more than it was worth to anyone but yourself; and it applies unfortunately that Mr Blackburn’s claim should have finished first in the Marshalls book altho on the same day with yours which I understand gives him a priority. 

It gives me much pleasure to say that the weather in this Estate has been uniformly good I therefore think I may assure you that we shall make about 200 Hhds the whole of the land having been will manured we shall be late as I had any thing to do when I took possession of it last year than about 90 acres of plant canes, I expect very little from the Rattoons in part I am now cutting them down for plants, my first piece I began yesterday I have this year taken in about 26 acres of new land near the marks eighteen of which will be in canes the remainder in Eddoes. For the crop 1825 I shall have 124 acres of Plant Canes every bit of which will be well manured, added to which I will have as much Provisions as I can possibly get on. I have for this year sixty acres of provisions which I shall soon begin to reap. I regret that I have been oblige to draw on Mr Trattle for £93.18.32 for corn & a statement of which you have the low as well as on the margin of this Bill. 

I am sorry to say that the Cattle are in no demand I have now thirty five Oxen and some Asses on this Estate from Barbuda which I have offered for 25 £ per head but no buyers perhaps as there is a prospect of a large Crop on the Island they may sell by & by, American Beef is now retailing at one shilling currency per pound I think they will soon be sick of such prices, I hope to be enabled to send a good quantity of yams from Barbuda to this Estate as our Negro Grounds are in good order, tho this weather came rather too late corn, I have a good deal of last year’s crop still in store, this Island has for some time been extremely unhealthy several dying daily entirely amongst the white inhabitants, I have one Overseer as Ill as a person can be; I shall return immediately to Barbuda where I shall remain till after Xmas. I remain 

Sir 

 

Your Most Obedient Humble 

   Servant 

(signed) John James 

 

 

Land in Provisions for 1824 

Yams_____16 

Eddoes____24 

Potatoes__20 

                     60 

Out of the whole of which has been reaped a crop of Corn 

 

Land cultivated for Crop 1825 

64 Acres ready holed for planting 17 of which is now land all well manured. 

60 acres in provisions which will be put ready as part as the provisions are taken out 

124 acres for crop 1825 

 

 

Reference: JJ278 Robson Lowe collection on microfilm 24995, University of Texas at Austin, Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.