John Johnson of Demerary and Essequebo

'Of Demerary and Essequebo', but dying in England in 1815. Brother of Sarah Elizabeth Johnson (q.v.) of Barbados. Probably the man who had been in partnership in Underwood, Johnson & Co., which was active as a slave-factor in Demerara, and who was an executor of Henry Iles Underwood (in the transcript of whose will he also appears as Johnson Johnson).

1. Will of John Johnson of Demerary and Essequebo (made 21/06/1814 on the eve of a voyage to Britain) was proved 12/03/1818. The preamble by Charles Wilday shows that a letter of 14/06/1815 from Henry Dyett of London to Mark Dyett of Demerara had carried the news of John Johnson's death at Burford [?] on 25th May last. John Johnson left £3000 to his sister Sarah Elizabeth Johnson of Barbados; £3000 to his sister Susan Johnson; £5000 to the children of his sister Mrs Mary Spencer; and £1500 to the 'free girl of colour Eliza Chapman' with the request that her father Dr John Chapman MD become her guardian. The residuary legatee was John Johnson's brother Richard Johnson of Barbados. No real property or enslaved people are specified in the will, suggesting perhaps that John Johnson had sold out before his journey to Britain.

Data on slave factors suppled to LBS by Nick Radburn, University of Lancaster, for whose help LBS is grateful.

1. PROB 11/1602/186.