James Cranstoun of Antigua

David Cranstoun, Antigua, British West IndiesJames Cranstoun of Antigua, British West Indies was the father of David Cranstoun. For the longest time I didn't have a paper trail of his birth until a 2017 search revealed something extemely interesting.

John Cranstoun (1664-1748) was minister at Crailing and was transferred to Ancrum, Scotland. It was customery back in the day for children who were not next in the line of succession to enter the militaty or the priesthood.

John had a son named John (1714-1790) who took over for his father as Minister of Ancrum. His name was in the registry of Crailing marking the birth of James 8th Lord Cranstoun's birth in 1755. John was minister to the Cranstoun family of Crailing and related to the family but I can not at this time show how. In 1780 there is an entry in the Ancrum Church records which reads as follows:

"1780, 23 January last. Christian Hunter daughter to Thomas Hunter herder in Ancrum had a son born James, born in fornication between her and James Cranstoun, now in the West Indies."

The only Cranstoun's in the West Indies were the family of James 8th Lord Cranstoun and the only James Cranstoun who fits the dates is James 8th Lord Cranstoun, his family had a sugar plantation on St. Kitts. The only Cranstoun's in Antigua were my family, the family of David Cranstoun and I knew James Cranstoun was the name of David's father.

I know my thinking goes against the traditional line and some would say I just want to be royalty but, let's use some common sense here, plus I can trace my Cranstoun line to the Lord Cranstoun's through other means from Antigua. All my research suggests that James 8th Lord Cranstoun had an unbleamished reputation however, are we supposed to believe that after everything this man went through he was a saint above all saints and never laid down with a woman, especially during the times he lived? (see James 8th Lord Cranstoun)

The main question I had to answer was how did he get to Antigua? I found my answer. In 1776 at the age of 21 James 8th Lord Cranstoun becomes a Lieutenant in Royal Navy. Two years later in 1778 he succeeds his brother William 7th Lord Cranstoun at the age of 23. Two years later in 1780, James 8th Lord Cranstoun becomes a Captain in the Royal Navy. In January 1782 at 27 years old James 8th Lord Cranstoun becomes Captain of the HMS Belliqueux of 64 canons, in the engagements between Admiral Sir Samuel Hood and the Count de Grasse off St. Christopher’s, January 25 and 26, 1782.

In April 1782 Admiral Lord Rodney picked up James 8th Lord Cranstoun up in Antigua for another battle with De Grasse on April 12, 1782, James 8th Lord Cranstoun was sent home with the dispatches announcing it, in which his lordship, Admiral Lord Rodney declared that Lord Cranstoun had acted as one of the captains of the Formidable during both actions, and that he was much indebted to his gallant behaviour, on both occasions. This puts James 8th Lord Cranstoun in the vicinity (Battle took place January 25 and 26, 1772) and he is of the age to be the father of James, David's father. According to The United Service Magazine - “Will the reader believe that Lord Cranstoun was not on board either at the earlier or any part of the voyage the Admiral having with great kindness invited him on board of the flag ship only three or four days before the battle having found him unemployed at Antigua.”

Admiral Lord Rodney picked up James Lord 8th Cranstoun, who had been without a ship for 3 months, on his way to battle, on the Island of Antigua. Proof of a Cranstoun on the Island of Antigua! It also just so happens that a man named John Duer was on the Island of Antigua in 1782 and he resigned from the Antigua Council in September 1782 due to ill health, and his family owned plantations on Antigua called Big Duers and Little Duers, (David Cranstoun was also the attorney for John Duer) does the name John Duer mean anything to the Cranstoun family?

There's just to much coincidental evidence to ignore the truth. James 8th Lord Cranstoun was the father of James Cranstoun of Antigua. How else can one explain the life of David Cranstoun?

James Cranstoun was born about 1780 in Ancrum, Scotland and died on 13 February, 1815 in St. Paul's, Antigua British West Indies. He was a planter, and in 1808 he signed a 14 year lease for Picart Estate, St. Mary Parish, containing 131 acres for 1450 pounds per year. James was educated as he signed the lease in his own name (I have the document). As the only mention of a Cranstoun in Oliver's History Of The Island Of Antigua is David and George Cranstoun. I suspect that the James Cranston in Oliver's History Of The Island Of Antigua is our James Cranston (Cranstoun). Look at the birth record of Langford Selly Cranstoun in the John Duer Cranstoun section for common misspelling of our family name which was common back then.

James fathered five children with Jane Spencer who died in 1832.

It is my belief the two were never married. My reasoning behind this is:

    1) David bought property from Jane Spencer, 31 March 1820 an Indenture between Jane Spencer a free coloured woman and David Cranstoun for the sum of 500 pounds paid to Jane Spencer in September 1818 for the purchase of the property at Nevis and Cross Street, suggesting his parents were not married.

    2) David's brother George filed a Slave Report for Jane Spencer and took control of her slave "Cibby".

There are other Cranstoun's I have found on Antigua who I can't account for and I know there is a realtionship due to the papers I have acquired from the Antigua National Archives.

There is a few years difference in ages with Ann and David and their brother George which leads me to believe James and Jane had another daughter Frances Cranstoun who died 29 August, 1838 at Winthorpes Estate, Antigua, British West Indies and had a child with Richard Hoiser, a daughter Margaret "Elisa" Cranstoun (1821 - 1880).

Margaret married Robert Carlisle and had two daughters and a son. One daughter was named Mary Spencer Carlisle.

The name Mary Spencer rings a bell as David Cranstoun had a daughter named Mary Spencer Cranstoun.

Further research revealed a James Cranston mentioned in the History Of The Island Of Antigua in Volume 1 page 232 where he is witness to the Will of Thomas Edwards in 1798, guess who he was married to...Margaret Spencer who was heiress to Spencer Hall. Is it possible that David Cranstoun’s mother Jane Spencer was a former slave of this Spencer family? Or is she a descendant of the Spencer family which owned Fryes. There is only four mentions of a Cranstoun in the History Of Antigua, 2 for David, 1 for George and 1 for James Cranston.

  • Wife - Jane Spencer

    • James Cranstoun had five children with Jane Spencer who died in 1832 in St. John's, Antigua. It is my belief the two were never married.

      My reasoning behind this is:

          1) David bought property from Jane Spencer, 31 March 1820 an Indenture between Jane Spencer a free coloured woman and David Cranstoun for the sum of 500 pounds paid to Jane Spencer in September 1818 for the purchase of the property at Nevis and Cross Street, suggesting his parents were not married.

          2) David's brother George filed a Slave Report for Jane Spencer and took control of her slave "Cibby".

       

  • Children

    • David Cranstoun (1795-1865)

    • George Cranstoun (1803-1842)

      George Cranstoun was the brother of David Cranstoun in 1823 hey were part of the "Committee of Correspondence" who signed the the free colored petition prior to the emancipation of the slaves in 1834.

      Will Of George Cranstoun 1842

      "In the name of God I George Cranstoun of the Island of Antigua being of sound mind and disposing mind memory and understanding but at present very sick and weak in body and knowing the uncertainty of life do make this my Will and Testament in manner and form follow is to say I commit my Soul to the Almighty humbly hoping for salvation through the merits of Christ and desire that my body may be decently buried at the discretion of my Executors and Executrix hereinafter named and as it had pleased the Lord for his providence to give me some portion of the worlds goods it is my wish to bequeath the same after the following manner to my dear friends and relatives who shall survive me.

      I will and desire that the sum of one hundred pounds currency be given to each of my brother David Cranstoun’s children, that is to say, John Duer Cranstoun, the sum of one hundred pounds currency, to James Edmund Cranstoun, the sum of one hundred pounds currency, to George Augustus Cranstoun, the sum of one hundred pounds currency, to David Anderdon Cranstoun, the sum of one hundred pounds currency, to Jane Ann Cranstoun, the sum of one hundred pounds currency, to Elizabeth Margaret Cranstoun, the sum of one hundred pounds currency, to Mary Spencer Cranstoun, the sum of one hundred pounds currency, and to Sarah Rigg Cranstoun, the sum of one hundred pounds currency.

      I give to my brother, David Cranstoun, my gold watch. I give to John Duer Cranstoun my horse gig and harness. I give to Patrick Lenaghan (business partner) and Edward Wesston (sister Jane’s husband) my two gold rings, one to each of them.

      I give to my old servant Cibby 10 pounds currency to be paid to her as soon as possible after my decease.

      I give to my sister Ann Cranstoun for life my half of the house and lot on High Street, purchased from Miss Greenway in the names of both of us and at her death to my sister Jane Wesston for her and heirs and assigns forever, but in case my sister Ann Cranstoun shall survive my sister Jane Wesston then the said half belonging to me in the said house and lot shall be and remain the property of my sister Ann Cranstoun for her and her heirs forever.

      The next residue and remainder of my property both real and personal and of what nature or kind I charge with the foregoing legacies as well as the payment of all my just debts and funeral expenses and whatever remains whether of landed property, personal estate, monies, debts, dues and demands coming or belonging to me in any way whatever.

      It is my will and desire that the same shall be equally divided among my two dear sisters Ann Cranstoun and Jane Wesston equally share and share alike as tenants in common and not as joint tenants.

      And, lastly I do hereby nominate, constitute and appoint my brother David Cranstoun and Edward Wesston Executors and my sister Ann Cranstoun Executrix to this my last Will and Testament hereby revoking and making null and void all or any other Will or Wills by me at anytime heretofore made. In witness whereof I have hereinto set and subscribed my hand and seal this seventh day of May 1842.

      Signed sealed and delivered by the Testor George Cranstoun as and for his last Will and Testament in the precence of us who at his request have subscribed our names as witnesses this seventh day of May one thousand and eight hundred and forty two.

      Thomas Ward, John Keightley, William S Nibbs"

      George signed the will Geo Cranstoun which was his standard signature as witnessed by the Slave Record Return for Jane Spencer in 1832.

      Cibby mentioned in his Will is one of the two slaves named in the Slave Record Return for Jane Spencer. I am not sure what happened to Betsy who was the second slave on the return. Cibby and Betsy may even have been married due to their respective ages, 50 for Betsy and 48 for Cibby in 1832.

      George was a merchant who ran a company called George Cranstoun & Company, his partner was Patrick Lenaghan and in November 1839 the company was dissolved as Patrick was about to leave Antigua for Ireland.

      George died in May 1842, David appoligized, in his letter to Robert Sutton, for not writing earlier due to the death of his brother, George. I found on http://www.stjohnthedivineantigua.com (see Churchyard) that George Cranstoun is buried there. In January 2013, I went to the St. John’s Cathedral Churchyard to see for myself, unfortunately they were renovating the Cathedral and there were wooden walls surrounding the Cathedral so I could not find George’s grave. I was assured at the gate that his grave was behind the walls.

      George was David’s brother and he died in May 1842 from drinking bad water, according to the “Letter’s Of David Cranstoun”.

      In David’s letter to Robert Sutton dated May 21, 1842 David Cranstoun describes the conditons in Antigua as being very hot and dry and the water supply in the cisterns had turned bad and “many sudden unexpected deaths” occurred in St. John’s, “puzzling the medical men”.

      George unfortunately drank some of the water and was confined to his bed for a few days and David was by his side when he died.

      David decribes George as a “kind and affectionate brother”. He says. “it pleased God to summon him from me” which shows, I think, that David was somewhat of a religious man. George’s Will also shows George to be a religious man as well.

      We know that David was a prominent Anglican and both of his wives were Methodist’s and according to his Will he requested, “It is my desire that my body may be decently and economically buried where the other part of my family are buried”. We have seen the stone for his first wife and Sarah Sawcolt Cranstoun was still alive, so I feel quite confident in believing David Cranstoun is buried with his brother George at the St. John’s Cathedral.

    • James Cranstoun (1802-died young)
      James Cranstoun (1802-died young). There is no mention of him in any papers I have found from George or David.

    • Jane Cranstoun (1805-?) who married a Wesston

    • Anne Cranstoun (1794-1874) never married
  • Parents