Robert Hotchkin

It is probable that he was Robert Hotchkin, the son and heir under entail of Rev. John Hotchkin (q.v.). Given as Robert Hotchkins when listed in the Jamaican Quit Rent books for 1754 as the owner of 615 acres of land in St Catherine, 425 acres in St Andrew, 600 acres in St James and 150 acres in St Elizabeth, total 1790 acres.

1. Robert Hotchkin of Uppingham was Sheriff of Rutland in 1749 (and Robert Hotchkin of Luffingham was one of three nominated for Rutland in 1779). The will of Robert Hotchkin of Uppingham was proved in 1776. In it, he confirmed his marriage settlement with his late wife, under which all his real estate was settled in trust. He left land at Uppingham he had bought from Thomas Medlicott (and enclosed) to his daughter Mary. He provided £300 and an annuity of £20 p.a. for William Langham, the son of Jane Langham of Uppingham, presumably his natural son. The will is silent on Jamaica property or enslaved people, but this is consistent with the status of Robert Hotchkin the son of Rev. John Hotchkin as tenant-for-life. In the will of Thomas Hotchkin of Alexton, the grandson of Rev. John Hotchkin, proved in 1774, he left an annuity to his aunt that was to be revoked if his uncle Joseph succeeded to the Jamaica property under the entail in his grandfather's will.

'A List of landholders in the Island of Jamaica together with the number of acres each person possessed taken from the quit rent books in the year 1754', TNA CO 142/31 transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Samples2/1754lead.htm.

1. London Gazette 8920 16 January 1749 p.1; ibid., 11508 8 November 1774 p. 1; PROB 11/1020/190; PROB 11/1000/262.