George Atkinson of Montego Bay, St James

Merchant of Montego Bay, Jamaica, formerly in partnership with Charles Morton. His will gave rise to the suit of Atkinson v Bartrum, still running in 1848.

1. Will of George Atkinson of the parish of St James Jamaica proved 24/11/1802. He left £2500 currency to Mary Morton, the widow of his late partner, as his best estimate of what would be owed to Morton's estate from the settlement of the firm's accounts. He identified several debts due to him including £1200 from John Lawrence Bowen; and £300 from James Binns; he ordered his executors to remit the proceeds of his estate to his brother-in-law Charles Bartrum in London, with £1500 to be placed in trust for his sisters Sophia Burrell and Mary Ann Atkinson for life. He said he owned no land 'in this country' and only two 'negro slaves', Daphne a field negro and Billy a cooper, both hired to Samuel Vaughan the younger: 'Daphne I wish to be sold', but Billy 'being the first negro I ever had and he having been very faithful I wish his gray hairs call him free'. However, he left the hire of Billy for a further 12 years to Mary Morton, wife of his late partner, only after which was Billy to be free.

TNA TS 11/460/1543.

1. PROB 11/1382/329.