John Brown merchant of St Vincent

Part owner of the Belleaire estate on St Vincent prior to his death c.1828.

1. The will of John Brown merchant late in Glasgow now in St Vincent (made in 1826) was proved 24/03/1829. Under the will he appointed Messrs John Ryburn and William Smith of Glasgow merchants, Francis Brown and Robert Brown 'my brothers German', Robert Brown junior., William Brown and John Buchanan 'my nephews' and David Johnston colourman in Glasgow as trustees for his whole estate other than some real property in Glasgow and debts due to him from the former partnership of James and John Brown, which he had previously conveyed to William Brown should William Brown prefer them to the £2000 otherwise left to him under the will. He left legacies of £2000 each to his brother Robert Brown senior, nephews Robert Brown junior, William Brown, and John Buchanan; and £1000 each to his sister Jean Buchanan or Brown, his niece Janet Buchanan or McIndoe wife of Charles McIndoe late in Saint Croix but now of Glasgow, his niece Frances Buchanan, his niece Jean Buchanan or Johnston wife of David Johnston [above]; £500 to Jane Ewing or Brown widow of my brother James Brown and to Mrs Grizel Renfrew wife of Robert Brown senior. He also gave charitable gifts of £50-150 to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, the Lunatic Asylum, and the Magdalene Hospital. He left £2000 to his reputed natural son William by the mulatto woman Frances belonging to Elizabeth Moran in St Vincents; £1000 to Mary Brown the daughter of my deceased nephew Francis Brown. He directed that his share of the Belleaire estate in the parish of St George be offered to the other two pro diviso or joint proprietors at a ten per cent discount to the value appraised by two qualified 'apperators'.

1. PROB 11/1752/307.

NB the details in John Brown's will allow corroboration that his nephews Robert Brown jun. and William Brown are the same men as those appearing in the award for the Jordanhill estate in Trinidad (q.v.), where the Francis Brown who died in 1826 has been inferred to be the same man as John Brown refers to in his will as his deceased nephew.