Will of Samuel Gibbs Hinkson (Document in Department of Archives, Bridgetown, Barbados; transcribed from a copy by Stevan J. Arnold and Laura A. Leibman on 11 May 2010)
No. 63
Entered 23 August 1872
$2.80
Barbados. 14th June 1872. I
Samuel Gibbs Hinkson of the Parish of Saint George and Island abovesaid. … do make/publish ordain and declare this to be my last will and Testament in
manner and form following. That is to say – I direct all my just debts, funeral and … expenses to be fully paid and satisfied as soon as possible after my death. I give and bequeath unto my wife,
Mary Jane Hinkson, all and every my household furniture Plate and Phaeton; for the term of her life. And at her death to be for the use and benefit of my unmarried daughters. And it is my desire, she shall have a horse from the Estate when ever Convenient, for her own private use and my unmarried daughters. I give and bequeath to my Son
Samuel Gibbs Hinkson my silver watch and gold chain and key, and it is my desire that the said watch and chain and key shall not be given over to him until the death of his mother. Whereas I hold a judgment and execution bearing date 22nd March 1862 – Against one Eliza Busby of the Parish of Christ Church for the Sum of Eighty Three Pounds Six Shillings, and nine
pence sterling16 … It is my express wish and desire that this sum be kept in reserve at interest for the benefit of my four youngest children to wit:
Isadore Gertrude May Hinkson,
Evaline Blanche Theodore Hinkson,
Lilian Louisa Hinkson and
Ethel Rosalie Hinkson one fourth of said principal sum to be paid to each of my said four children on her attaining the age of twenty one years – but should either of my said four children die under age – leaving lawful issue, then and in such case, Such Issue shall stand in the place of his her or their respective parent or parents and be entitled to and take that part – share or proportion, To which Such parent of parents would if living have been entitled, And should either of the above named four children die under the age of Twenty one years without leaving lawful Issue, her or their share, part or proportion to be equally di
vided between the Survivor or Survivors share and share alike. Whereas my expectancy or expectancies under the will of my deceased Brother,
George Brereton Hinkson, I direct such money or monies to be kept in reserve and placed at interest by my executix or executors hereinafter named to be dealt with, as the before named account eighty three pounds Six Shillings and nine pence sterling for the benefit of my herein before named four youngest children
Isadore Gertrude May Hinkson,
Evaline Blanche Theodore Hinkson,
Lilian Louisa Hinkson and
Ethel Rosalie Hinkson, share and share alike, and the receipt of such child or children though under age shall be an sufficient discharge for the payment of the said Interest and should either of the above named four children die before the division of such money, his or their share part or proportion to be equally divided between the Survivor or Survivors Share and Share alike, the Interest accruing from such money, and not Required for Immediate use I direct it to be collected by my Executrix or Executors herein after named, and dealt with in such manner and to such extent as may appear to them to be the best. I direct that all the monies due and owing to use at the time of my death, be collected as soon as possible by my Executrix or Executors herein after named or either of them and be applied by them to the payment of such debts as I may be owing at my decease, in Such manner and to such extent as may to them appear best. Whereas I am the owner of a small Sugar Plantation, in the Parish and Island
aforesaid, called “
Market Hill”, it is my wish and desire the said plantation be kept in due cultivation and proper order, and be a house for my wife during her life, and for my unmarried daughters, and should my wife die before my youngest daughter, Surviving her, shall attain the age of eighteen years, then the said Plantation shall remain as a house for my unmarried daughters, and should my youngest daughter die before attaining the age of eighteen years, I direct my Estate to be kept in due and proper cultivation until this latter period but should by executrix or Executors think it necessary – for the Estate to be sold before
this latter period it is my will and desire to do so, and give a free discharge to the purchases and proceeds thereof after payment of such debts, as may there be accruing from my estate shall be divided equally share and share alike between my children
Selina Caroline Hinkson,
George Brereton Hinkson,
Mary Elizabeth Hinkson,
Charles Theodore Hinkson,
Anna Julia Hinkson,
Francis Frederick Hinkson, Laura Lizette Hinkson,
Samuel Gibbs Hinkson,
Helen Alberta Hinkson,
Isadore Gertrude May Hinkson,
Evaline Blanche Theodore Hinkson,
Lilian Louisa Hinkson and
Ethel Rosalie Hinkson. And should either of these my said children have died before the period of such sale and division, leaving lawful issue, then such Issue shall stand in the place of such deceased parent or parents and shall be entitled to and take, share and share alike, the share or part or proportion to my said Estate to which his her or their such parent or parents would if living have been entitled, and should either of the above named children die without leaving lawful Issue, Their share part or proportion to be equally divided between the survivor or survivors.
Whereas I am the owner of two horses two Carts and two Cattle, it is my will and desire that the said Horses, Carts and Cattle, shall be kept on the Estate in proper working condition for the use of the Estate. I nominate and appoint my wife
Mary Jane Hinkson my Brother in Law, the Reverend
Benjamin Collins Norville ,
George Brereton Hinkson, and
Charles Theodore Hinkson, Executrix and Executors, to this, my Will, hereby revoking all other wills by use heretofore made, and giving to my said Executrix and Executors Singly or Jointly to do, perform, and execute whatever maybe necessary to carry into execution, the provisions of said will, Whatever powers may by this document be required, for use to confer upon said Executrix and Executors, Singly or Jointly, As may to them appear best. In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal this 14th day of June In the year one thousand and eight hundred and seventy two.
Signed sealed published and declared
By the Testator the said
Samuel Gibbs Hinkson and as for his last
Will and testament in the presence
of us – the undersigned, who in his
presence at this request and in the
presence of each other, have hereunto
set our witnesses thereto
Robert B. Toyer
John E. Wiles
Barbados In the Court of the Ordinary
This 23rd day of August, 1872
In the matter of the Will of Samuel Gibbs Hinkson deceased. Personally appeareth Robert Benjamin Toyer, and as living … saith I knew Samuel Gibbs Hinkson, he is dead I witness his Will and saw him execute it, the Will shown to use is the one I witnessed and the signature to it as one of the witnesses is my signature, at the time the Testator executed his Will, he as in a sound state of mind and fit to make a Will.
Robt. B. Toyer
--
R. Lawbert Greaves
Registrar
The above deposition sworn before use … letters testamentary issue
R. Bowther Clarke …
Sale of “Market Hill” in St George Parish and “Abingdon” in Christ Church Parish, 1874-6 (Documents in the Department of Archives, Bridgetown, Barbados; notes made by Stevan J. Arnold, 11 May 2010)
The sale of ‘Market Hill’ was conducted in two transactions. In the first, described in Deeds 350: 465, 1874, the estate is sold for 2400 Pounds to Joseph Thomas King. Two liens on the property; one for 541 Pounds + interest to Louisa Howard Evanson and a second for 416 Pounds + interest to a second party. The upshot of these liens is that King pays 1200 Pounds to Mary Jane Hinkson and Chas. T. Hinkson. The second transaction occurs in 1875 for reasons that I was unable to deduce by scanning the several page document, Deeds 354: 757. The transaction does describe ‘Market Hill’ as ’17 acres’ with buildings and ‘bounding on Groves Plantation, on White Cottage Plantation’ and also bounding on the lands of Mr. Shepard, Mr. Conney, Mr Thomas Walton, Mr. Thomas Parris and on a Public Road. The consequence of this transaction with J. T. King is that he paid an additional 212 Pounds to Mary Jane Hinkson and Chas. T. Hinkson.
Deeds 356: 7 describes the 1876 sale of “Abingdon” Estate, Christ Church Parish, which formerly belonged to George Brereton Hinkson, brother of SGH. The estate was ’14 acres and 3 rods of land’ and sold for 474 Pounds, the proceeds going to MJH and CTH and perhaps other parties as well.
In 1988, Stevan Arnold recorded his grandmother, Mary Eslie Hill (1899-1996) talking about her family photographs and her memories of her family history. Mary was not the youngest of her siblings, but she lived the longest. I remember visiting her house in Iowa with my father the summer before I began graduate school (1990), and Mary was remarkably independent and a wonderful storyteller. She was still making quilts, and while they weren't as elaborate as the ones she had made in years past, they were better than any quilt I ever made. She also had a vast collection of hand bells and owl figurines, both of which she claimed she had started collecting by accident, almost as a joke. The apex of the collection was a small hand bell in the shape of an owl.
