| Notes |
- wife is a first cousin, Mary Walter is their grandmother
MARRIAGE ACT of 1695
The Government passed an Act of 1694, for taxing burials, births, marriages, bachelors of 25 years of age and upwards and childless widowers, to raise additional money to finance the war against France. (source: 6 & 7 William and Mary , c.6, "An Act for granting to his Majesty rates and duties upon Marriages, Births and Burials and upon Batchelors (sic) and Widowers for the terme of Five yeares, for carrying on the Warr against France with Vigour"). This Act became commonly known as the Marriage Act. This Act came into force on 1st May 1695 for a period of five years and was extended until 1st August 1706.
The records for Bristol are complete and a transcription of the 1696 assessment exists. In St. Stephen Parish in an area called "Head of the Key" were a family: Joseph Comerbatch & Ann wf. [wife] with ch. [children] Joseph, Ann & Abraham. They were assesed for 4 shillings for Burials, 2shillings for Births and 2 shillings and 6 pence for Marriages.
These are the Bristolian Cumberbatchs who went to Barbados, Joshua Cumberbatch, Ann his wife and his children Joshua, Ann and Abraham.
Went from Bristol to Barbados in 1705 (Lloyds of Harley Street SoG FH/LLO Volume 2 Page 8 and (Lloyds of Harley Street SoG FH/LLO Volume 3 Page 83).
ARMS: Gules, an eagle displayed between three trefoils, two in chief and one in base, Or.
CREST: An eagle's head couped.
MOTTO of Abraham Cumberbatch - Ne Tentes Aut Perfice [Attempt Not, or Accomplish - Pine L.G. A Dictionary of Mottoes Routledge & Kegan Paul: London 1983 pp 146 AND Urdang L. & Dame Robbins C. Mottoes 1st Edition Gale Research Company USA: 1986 pp 44]. Authority for the Arms were his book-plate. I have also found these listed in West Indian Bookplates SOG/WI 37 pp 21 by Vere Langford: as above but also with : 179. "ABRAHAM CUMBERBATCH" (F., 7545.) Arm. spade shield...There were three generations of these names. The first died 1753, the second 1785, and the third 1786 (ANTE, II., 84). (source: Caribbeana Volume III pp21)
THE MERCHANT
The merchant is a person who buys and sells almost every thing; and as merchandize includes all goods and wares exposed to sale in fairs or markets, so the name merchant formerly extended to every kind of traders. In France and Holland all buyers and sellers, whether in the wholesale or retail way, are called merchants. But in this country the term is appropriated to those who carry on commerce by importation and exportation, or by way of barter or exchange. To carry on the business of a merchant with a high degree of credit a man should possess a large stock of general knowledge, and a considerable capital; the one will prevent him from falling into errors, and the other will enable him to give credit to his customers both at home and abroad.
The merchant should be perfectly acquainted with all the departments of writing, arithmetic, and the keeping of books, He should be expert in the forms of invoices, account of sales, policies of insurances, in the nature of charters, bills of lading, and bills of exchange. He should understand the agreement and difference which subsist between the monies, weights, and measures of different countries, or of different counties in his own country. He ought to have a general and accurate knowledge of all the different manufactures in which he deals, at least of the places where they are best made, and of the materials of which they are composed. He should know the best season for bringing his own goods to market, and be well acquainted with the nature of exchange, according to the course of different places, and with the causes of its rise and fall. He should know what merchandizes are permitted or prohibited, as well on entering as in going out of the kingdoms or states where they are manufactured. He should know the customs due on the importation or exportation of goods, according to the usage and regulations of the places to which he trades. He should understand the best methods of packing merchandizes, either to preserve them in warehouses or to adapt them for short or long voyages. He should know the price and condition of freighting and insuring ships and goods; and if the vessels, or any part of them, are his own property, he should be acquainted with their value; the expense of first building and subsequent repairs; the wages given to the several officers and sailors who work them, and the best method of engaging them in his service. He ought to be able to write letters with ease and elegance, and to understand as many foreign languages as he can. The following are, however, the most important for him to know: the Spanish, which is used not only in Spain, but on the coast of Africa, from the Canaries to the Cape of Good Hope; the Italian, which is understood on all the coasts of the Mediterranean, and in many parts of the Levant; the German, which is understood in almost all the northern countries; and the French, which is current in most parts of Europe. Finally, the merchant should be well acquainted with the laws, customs, and regulations of the countries to which he does or may trade.
Such are the branches of knowledge necessary to a person carrying on an extensive commerce, as a merchant to foreign parts; of course, any young man intended for that business should lay the foundation by a good education, and should be very diligent during the years which he spends as clerk, to prepare himself either for business of his own, or as a partner in a house already established.
The trade carried on by merchants in this country may be divided into inland and foreign. The inland trade consists in transporting the commodities of one part of the kingdom to another. The chief articles imported into London from other parts of the island are, corn, coals, hops, woollens, cottons, and linen; corn and hops are sold by persons called factors. Woollen goods are sent up by the clothiers, and sold by the factors of Blackwell hall. Linen cloth, from Ireland and Scotland, and printed Cottons, &c. from Manchester, are consigned to the factors for those commodities.
The factors are a species of merchants who deal by commission, and sell the goods of other people consigned to them for a certain premium. Thus, a farmer in the country has a thousand quarters of wheat to sell at the London market; he cannot come conveniently to town, therefore he sends his wheat to a corn-factor, who sells it to the best advantage, receives the money, and remits it to the farmer, after having deducted his commission-money for trouble and expence.
There are also factors who deal in foreign commodities in the same manner. These are distinguished either by the countries they deal with, or by the goods usually assigned to them. Merchants export the goods of his kingdom to the proper markets, and import the commodities of other countries in exchange. They are distinguished from one another either by the goods they traffic in, or by the countries with which they have their chief correspondence. Thus a merchant who deals chiefly in tobacco is called a tobacco-merchant; a dealer in wines is a wine- merchant.
West-India merchants export all manner of materials for wearing apparel, household furniture, cutlery, and haberdashery wares, watches, jewels, and toys, likewise some goods previously obtained from the East Indies, French wines, porter, linen cloths, &c; and our ships generally touch at Ireland and take in provisions. The returns from the West-India islands are, rum, coffee, sugar, cotton, indigo, mahogany, logwood, and other woods for dyeing.
From the states of North America our merchants import tobacco, rice, indigo, timber, hemp, flax, iron, pitch, tar, turpentine, sending in return the same articles as to the West-India islands.
From the East Indies and China they import tea, rice, drugs, colours, thrown, organzine or manufactured, and raw silk, salt-petre, cotton, shawls, muslins, calicoes, and some silken pieces, but the chief export to those countries is silver bullion, tin, lead, woollens, &c. and the ships touch at Madeira and the Cape of Good Hope, for wines on their way out.
Merchants have in their dealings much business with the Custom-house, which may be readily explained. Rum, sugar, and almost all articles imported from abroad, pay certain duties to government before they can be taken away: these duties are to be accounted for at the Custom house. Many articles manufactured here, as glass, leather, &c. pay very heavy taxes: now to encourage trade, these taxes, or part of them, are returned when the same articles are exported into foreign countries. These returns are called drawbacks. Merchants, therefore, or their clerks, must go to the Custom- house, and take oath as to the quantity and quality of goods exported, in order to obtain the customary draw-backs. Merchants are frequently ships owners.
Ships are also entered inwards and outwards, when they bring or proceed with cargoes, they also pay tonnage duty in this country on their arrival, the master is required to bring an account of his cargo to the custom house, which is called a manifest or report. Bankers, though not properly merchants, are so connected with commerce as to claim notice here. A banker is a trustee to other people, and his house the repositary for their money. The business and gains of a banker may be thus described and explained:- A merchant, or gentleman, possessed of a large sum of money, not chusing to keep it in his own hands, places it for security in the custody of a banker, from whom he draws it at such times, and in such sums, as may suit his convenience. The banker, who is, or ought to be, a man of large property, knows that the several persons who have lodged money in his hands cannot have occasion for it at once; he therefore lends out upon good security, such sums as he thinks he can spare from his current demands; and from these loans, upon which he receives 5 per cent, arise his profits.
The banker deals also in exchange, that is, in remitting money from one place to another. If, for instance, I owe a man in Holland a thousand guilders, which I have promised to pay at certain period, I must apply to a banker, to whom I pay the guilders, or their equivalent in pounds sterling, and he gives me a draft for the same sum upon his correspondent in Holland, which I remit to my creditor.
Insurers, or Underwriters, are a species of merchants who insure goods from one port to another for a certain premium. If I have a ship bound with goods for the East Indies, there is a risk of its being lost at sea, or, in time of war, of being taken by an enemy; I therefore go to an under-writer and pay him 5 per cent. more or less, upon condition that he pay me as many hundred pounds as I have insured in case the vessel should be lost, or captured by the enemy. (source: The Book of Trade or Library of Useful Arts 1811 Volume II, Beryl Hurley)
Abraham Cumberbatch was a subscriber to the William Mayo Map of Barbados published in 1722 and based on surveys taken between 1717 &1721 (Genealogists' Magazine, March 1974 Vol. 17 No. 9 pp.494-496; article by C.J. Stanford citing the work of G.. Stewart Taitt). His subscription was £3 and his plantation is located in St. Andrew adjacent to the Cleland Plantation which he later bought in 1928.
WILL (source: Ernest M. Wiltshire): Will dated 22 November 1750. Abraham Cumberbatch of St. Andrew, Barbados.
Mr. Edward Clarke Parish of Great Britain, Col. Wm. Gibbons, Col. Edmund Jenkins, Wm. Sturge Esq, my grandson Abraham Carleton, and Wm: Ross to be executors and trustees.
My plantation to be kept stocked with 250 negro slaves, 100 head of cattle.
To my kinswoman Ann Sandiford £500, Mary Sandiford £200. To my sister Ann Cumberbatch £25. To my kinswomen Mary Mors wife of John Mors of Bristol £200, and Ann Cumberbatch sister of Mary Mors £100. To each of my kinsan, Dr. George Mission's children which he has by the daughter of Joseph Leacock £150 at 21. To my Godson Abel Collier £100 at 21. To my friend Edward Jones who lives with me £100. To my kinsman Dr. John Mission an annuity of £12. To my kinsman Mr. Alexander Cumberbatch £10 stlg. per an. To my granddaughter Sarah Sober £3000 cy. at 18. To my grandson Abraham Sober £300 cy. at 21. To my grandaughter Mary Sober £3000 at 18. To My grandson Cumberbatch Sober £3000 at 21 in satisfaction of an agreement made between me and their father John Sober dated 1 February 1742. To my grandson John Sober who is unprovided for by said articles £1000 at 23. £50 to each of my trustees. Residue to my grandson Abraham Carleton for life and then to his heirs in tail male, failing him to my grandson John Sober and his heirs in tail male, failing him to my grandson Abraham Sober and failing him to my grandson Cumberbatch Sober. sd A. Cumberbatch.
Wit: Isaac Skinner, George Alleyne, Tho: Sullivan, Jno. Moseley.
Proved 8 January 1751.
Abr. Cumberbatch of St. Andrew's Esq. Will dated 22 Nov 1750; proved 1753 (8, Searle). (Ante II.,84.) Names his grandchildren Sober (Brandow J.C. Genealogies of Barbados Families page 510)
Transcribed Will: Abraham Cumberbatch - Barbados
Abraham Cumberbatch Esquire
Barbados
In The Name Of God Amen
I Abraham Cumberbatch of the Parish of St. Andrews in the island of Barbados being of sound mind and perfect memory do this twenty second day of November in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty make and publish this my last Will and Testament in manner following. I give and devise all my Estate Real and personal to my good ffriends (sic) Mr. Edward Clarke Parish of Great Briton Colonel William Gibbons Colonel Edmund Jenkins William Sturge Esquire my grandson Abraham Carlton and William Kofs their heirs and executors. In trust and to enable and Authorise them to order pay and dispose of the same for the uses Intents and purposes and to such persons as are herein after named under such Restrictions and Limitations as are hereafter particularly expressed and appointed.
And to the end my Real Estate or Plantation may be kept stock'd and Improved to the best advantage my desire and Directions are that my Trustees do hire an able manager of good reputation and well skill'd (sic) in the businefs (sic) of making Sugar and Rum and kept at least the following quantity of stock that is to say two hundred and fifty Negro Slaves and one hundred head of Cattle and from time to time supply the Decrease and Deficiency by Mortality or accidents as occasion may require and I do desire and impower (sic) my said Trustees to purchase any Lands Built or without Buildings Neighbouring or adjoining to my Estate and to stock the same with Negroes and Cattle from time to time as occasion may require which new purchase shall be in Trust for the uses of this my last Will and subject to the same Management restrictions and limitations as my other Estate devised to them and 'tis my Will that such purchase may be made and maintain'd out of the profits of my Real Estate or out of the principal or interest of my personal at the discretion of my Trustees.
And I do Authorize my said Trustees to sell ship off or dispose of any Rum aways (sic) or Disorderly Negroes and also to ship the produce of my Estate either to England or other Markets or to dispose of the same in this Island as they shall think fitt (sic) and as to the Moneys which shall arise from the Annual produce of my Real Estate or which may come to their Hands by Receipt of Principal Sums or Interest due to me or may hereafter become due to them and Received as Trustees after payment of my debts ffuneral (sic) Charges and Legacies hereby given and and (sic) the purchase made as Directed or until (sic) the same are paid or can be made my Will and desire is that such Moneys be put out at Interest either in the publick (sic) ffunds (sic) in England or on Judgment (sic) or Mortgage in this Island at such reasonable Interest as my said Trustees can procure tho' (sic) the same shou'd (sic) be lefs (sic) than the Currant (sic) Interest of this Island and 'tis (sic) my Will that my said Trustees shall not be personally answerable by reason of their purchasing any bad or defeezable Title in any of the particulars before mentioned or by the Insolvency of any person or by Defect of them to stay forbear or Compound with and Debtor to my Estate or to them as Trustees and to sell any Estate or effects which may come to their Islands in satisfaction for any Debt for such price as they can procure tho' (sic) the same should be lefs (sic) than the value they received it at. And to prevent the Trouble my said Trustees may be apprehensive of from long Accounts in my Affairs 'tis my Will and desire they bring a Bill in the Honourable Court of Chancery for this Island established for leave to Account Annually before a Master of the said Court, concerning their Transactions in this trust and therein exhibit a true Inventory of my Estate as they shall receive it at my death the Chargo (sic Cargo) of which proceedings as also all other exposures in all matters relating to this Trust and their Transactions therein is to be defrayed and born by my Estate.
I give and bequeath unto my Kinswoman Ann Sandiford the sum of five hundred pounds Currant (sic) Money that is to say two hundred and fifty pounds thereof that day twelve months after my decease, and the remaining sum of two hundred and fifty pounds that day twelve months after the first payment. Also the sum of twenty five pounds to buy her Mourning.
I give and bequeath unto my Kinswoman Mary Sandiford the sum of two hundred pounds Current Money that is to say one hundred pounds thereof that day twelve months after my decease and the remaining sum of one hundred pounds that day twelve months after the first payment also the sum of twenty five pounds Current Money to buy her Mourning.
I also give unto my sister Ann Cumberbatch the sum of twenty five pounds Current Money to buy her Mourning. I give and bequeath unto my Kinswoman Mary Mors the Wife of John Mors of Bristol in the Kingdom of Great Britain the sum of two hundred pounds Sterling Money of Great Britain that is to say one hundred pounds thereof that day twelve months after my decease and the remaining sum of one hundred pounds that day twelve months after the first payment.
I also give and bequeath unto my Kinswoman Ann Cumberbatch sister to the said Mary Mors the sum of one hundred pounds Sterling Money of Great Britain that is to say fifty pounds thereof that day twelve months after my decease and the remaining sum of fifty pounds that day twelve months after the first payment I also give and bequeath unto each of my Kinsman Doctor George Missons Children which he had by the Daughter of Mr Joseph Seacock (Leacock?) the sum of one hundred and fifty pounds Current Money to be paid when they respectively attain the Age of twenty one years and if either of them should die before he or she attain the Age aforesaid his or her Legacy so dying is to be equally divided amongst the survivors at the time aforesaid. And I do give each of them one Annuity of six pounds Current Money per Annum for their better support and maintenance untill (sic) their Legacys become due and no longer.
I give and bequeath unto my Godson Abel Coller the sum of one hundred pounds Currant (sic) Money to be paid him when he shall attain the Age of twenty one years and I do also give him one Annuity of six pounds Currant Money per Annum to be paid towards his better support and maintenance untill (sic) his Legacy become due and no longer.
I give and bequeath unto my good ffriend (sic) Mr. Edward Jones who now lives with me the sum of one hundred pounds Currant (sic) Money to be paid him that day twelve months after my decease.
I also give unto my Kinswoman Doctor John Misson one Annuity of twelve pounds Currant Money per Annum during his natural life and to commence from my decease.
I also give to my Kinsman Mr Alexander Cumberbatch one Annuity of ten pounds Sterling Money of Great Britain per Annum during his natural life and to commence from my decease.
I give and bequeath my [inserted] to my Grand Daughter Sarah Sober the sum of three thousand pounds Currant Money to be paid her when she shall attain the Age of eighteen years.
I give and bequeath unto my Grand Son Abraham Sober the sum of three thousand pounds Currant Money to be paid him when he shall attain the Age of twenty one years old.
I give and bequeath unto my Grand Daughter Mary Sober the sum of three thousand pounds Currant (sic) Money to be paid her when she shall attain the Age of eighteen years.
I give and bequeath unto my Grandson Cumberbatch Sober the sum of three thousand pounds Currant (sic) Money to be paid him when he shall attain the Age of twenty one which said Legacies are in full satisfaction of the Moneys by me agreed to be paid and settled in Arcticles of Agreement between myself and their ffather (sic) John Sober bearing date ffeb 1 1742 and of all other Demands by them or the said Sober or any other person on their behalf against my said Estate should one or more of my said Grand Children die before he or she attain the Ages aforesaid the said Legacies of such Grand Child so dying shall go to and be equally divided between the survivor or survivors.
I give and bequeath unto my Grand Son John Sober who is now unprovided for in the said Articles the sum of one thousand pounds Currant (sic) Money to be paid him when he shall attain the Age of twenty three years but to be paid and allowed Legal Interest from the Age of twenty one years.
I give unto each of my aforesaid Trustees the sum of fifty pounds Currant (sic) Money as an acknowledgement for their trouble.
All the rest and residue of my Estate with the Improvements Additions and Interest I give and appoint and order to be and remain to and for the use of my Grandson Abraham Carlton to be received by him under the Trustees aforesaid during the term of his natural life only and from and after his decease the same to be and remain to the use of the first son of the said Abraham Carleton and the Heirs of the body of such first son lawfully begotten and for default of such Ifsue (sic) then to remain to the use and behoof? of the second third fourth fifth and all and every other Son and Sons of my said Grand Son Abraham Carleton lawfully begotten provided that my said Grandson Abraham Carleton take upon him the Sirname (sic) of Cumberbatch it being my Intentions that my Estate should continue thro' all the Limitations thereof in the name of Cumberbatch.
And I so further appoint that in default of Male Ifsue (sic) of the Body of my said Grandson Abraham Carleton lawfully begotten and then to be and remain to my Grandson John Sober during his natural life and after his death to his first second third fourth fifth and all and every other son and sons of my said Grandson John Sober lawfully begotten.
And I so further appoint that in default of Male Ifsue (sic) of the Body of my said Grandson John Sober lawfully begotten and then to be and remain to my Grandson Abraham Sober during his natural life and after his death to his first second third fourth fifth and all and every other son and sons of my said Grandson Abraham Sober lawfully begotten.
And I so further appoint that in default of Male Ifsue (sic) of the Body of my said Grandson Abraham Sober lawfully begotten and then to be and remain to my Grandson Cumberbatch Sober during his natural life and after his death to his first second third fourth fifth and all and every other son and sons of my said Grandson Cumberbatch Sober lawfully begotten.
And I so further appoint that in default of Male Ifsue (sic) of the persons lawfully begotten then to be and remain to my own right Heirs for ever subject and chargeable with the payment of the sum of one thousand pounds Currant (sic) Money to be paid each of the ffemales (sic) lawfully begotten of the Bodys of the said Abraham Carleton Abraham Sober and Cumberbatch Sober (so dying without Male Ifsue as aforesaid) which is to be paid at the Age of twenty one years.
And lastly I do so appoint the said Mr Edward Clarke Parish of the Kingdom of Great Britain Colonel William Gibbons Colonel Emund Jenkins William Sturge Esquire my Grandson Abraham Carleton and William Kofs to be my Executors of this my Will and Testament contained in three sheets of paper.
In Witnefs (sic) whereof I have hereto set my hand and seal to each sheet. A. Cumberbatch sign'd seal'd publish'd and Declared by the said Abraham Cumberbatch as and for his last Will and Testament in the presence of us who were present at the signing and seating thereof Isaac Skinner George Alleyne Thomas Sulevn John Moseley.
MEMO `Tis my desire and order that both my Kinswomen Ann Sandiford and Mary Sandiford be allowed and paid interest at eight per Cent per Annum for their respective Legacys from the time of my death till paid. Witnefs (sic) my Hand this 22nd of November 1750. A Cumberbatch. Isaac Skinner George Alleyne Thomas Suleven John Moseley.
THIS WILL with a codicil was proved at London before the Worshipfull Andrew Coltee Ducarol Doctor of Laws surrogate to the Right Honourable Sir George Lee Knight also Doctor of Laws Master Keeper or Commifsary (sic) of the prerogative Court of Canterbury lawfully constituted on the twenty sixth day of January in the Year of Our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty three [1753] by the Oath of Edward Clarke Parish Esquire one of the Executors named in the said Will to whom Administration was granted of all and singular the goods Chattels and Credits of the deceased being first sworn duly to administer power resources of making the like grant to William Gibbons Edmund Jenkins William Sturge Abraham Carlton and William Kofs Esquires the other Executors named in the said Will when they or either of them shall apply for the same.
Source: Index to PCC Wills 1750 - 1800: 1753 CUMBERBATCH Abraham Esq. Foreign Parts Jan 8: PROB11/799
Will 1753 Abr. Cumberbatch 8 Searle (Caribbeana Volume II pp. 200)
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1685 - 1750 (~ 65 years)