I was doing some more research on my family tree and signed up for the Ancestry.ca world deluxe package that includes international records. I came across a collection that I never thought I would find, Slave Registers of former British Colonial Dependencies, 1813-1834. Thank you to all who helped to decipher the beautiful text.
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Transcription:
Jamaica ss – A Return of Slaves in the Parish of Westmoreland in the possession of Alex James Rankine as Lessee from M. Ja Rankine on the 28th day of June in the year of our Lord 1823
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Transcription:
| Males by last return 10 Females 15 Total by last return 35 | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Names | Colour | Age | African or Creole | Remarks | Increase & cause thereof | Decrease & cause thereof |
| Males | ||||||
| Frederick | Negro | 2 | Creole | Son of Diana | By Birth | |
| Edward | do | 2 | do | Son of Nanny | do | |
| Females | ||||||
| Sydney | do | do | Death | |||
| Increase 2 | Decrease 1 | |||||
|
Number of Slaves on the 28th day of June 1823 Thirty two Births since last return 2 Deaths since last return 1 |
||||||
Do = ditto meaning same as record above
African refers to slaves that came directly from Africa. Creole means that the person was born in Jamaica.
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I Alexander James Rankine do swear that the above list and return is a true, perfect, and complete list and return, to the best of my knowledge and belief, in every particular therein mentioned, of all and every slave and slaves possessed by me as Lessee considered as most permanently settled, worked or employed in the parish of Westmoreland on the 28th day of June in the year of our lord 1823 without fraud deceit or eversion so help me God. – Alex Ja. Rankine
Sworn before me this 18th day of October 1823} John Dobson
Affidavit produced in Vestry according to Law