John Smith of Salisbury Plain

Owner of Salisbury Plain estate in St Andrew, Jamaica. Died c. 1830 of Bath.

1. Will of John Smith [of Salisbury Plain estate St Andrew but now of the City] of Bath] [made in 1828] proved 22/11/1831. He left his wife Eliza £500 as compensation for disposing of her plate and furniture in Jersey some time since; £240 which was a legacy to her from her uncle John Colley and which he [the testator] had placed with Henry Frost of London; and two sums of £200 from him, one for her own use and the other for mourning. He left to his cousin Anna Maria Brooks all the pictures done by Joseph Smith at Salisbury Plain, being some nineteen in number, and £200; and he left author £900 to his brother and nephew and nieces. He left his grandson Joseph Piercey Smith the pen called Salisbury Cottage at Liguanea in St Andrew which was then tenanted. He left his wife an annuity of £400 p.a. and his mother Biddy Smith an annuity of £70 p.a., and £30 p.a. to his sister Mary Botsford, all secured on his Jamaican property [including enslaved people]. He left his wife an additional annuity of £50 p.a. for the support and education of his [and presumably her] grandson Joseph Piercey Smith, and £1000 to him at 21. He left to each of the children of his natural son John Smith of Rentcombe in St Thomas-in-the-Vale by Anne Piercey his present or any future wife £1000 each. He left his residuary estate in trust to be sold and the proceeds divided between the children of his natural son John Smith. In codicil of 1829 when he appears to have been back in Jamaica he added Joseph Gordon as an executor and trustee, left a further £1000 currency to his cousin Anna Maria Brooks and her sister Charlotte, and manumitted two enslaved people, John Lindo and Mary Morson. In a further codicil of 1830 he redenominated William Linwood as executor in Britain rather than trustee of his whole property.

1. PROB 11/1792/134.