GenealogyForum.com Irish Genealogy

[ Read Responses | Return to the Index (Use 'Back' if from a search list) ]
[ Previous | Previous in Thread | Next in Thread | Next ]

Nembhards of Jamaica

Posted by Harold Moores <harold.moores@gmail.com> on Wed, 20 Apr 2005, in response to Nembhards of Jamaica, posted by Jay Nembhard on Tue, 01 Mar 2005

I have collected a considerable amount of information about the Nembhards.The principal source is a series of articles written by Mabel Nembhard in the publication 'Caribbeana', published around 1914-16. A few major libraries like the British Library have copies.The original Jamaican Nembhard was Dr John Nembhard (1711-1777).I quote Mabel: 'according to family tradition Dr. Nembhard was Dutch and descended from a famous general; some say he was a natural son of Prince Eugene of Savoy, who certainly was at The Hague from Nov. 1710 to Jan. 1711....' Dr John developed the Konigsberg estate in St Mary's, Jamaica, and made a considerable fortune. The Jamaican estates stayed in the family until the 1830's, but were then sold at low prices as sugar prices collapsed and the use of slave labour became illegal.The Nembhards mostly returned to England, and members of the next generation had distinguished military careers particularly in India around the time of the great Mutiny (1857).For those who wish to explore this genealogy futher, Mabel's articles gives references for wills and the like. The family name has largely died out amongst white descendants, though I have strong research reasons for tracing anyone descended from or related to Mabel(1861-1920). I am researching a related British family with Jamaica connections called Hibbert, and in particular the merchant/ politician George Hibbert (1757-1837).Obviously there are many people of black Jamaican origin with the Nembhard (and Hibbert) name, but it will be very difficult to establish whether there is a blood connection, or whether the name was taken from the slave owner or employer around the time of emancipation. Occasionally, clues are found in wills to illegitimate offspring.There are no marriages of white Nembhards or Hibberts to black Jamaicans that I know of, and these white families had returned to Britain by the 1840's. I hope the above information and comments prove useful to someone.

Responses

Display message for printing | Print Entire Thread

The GenealogyForum.com Irish Genealogy is maintained by GenealogyForum@aol.com, using GenBBS 1.14.

CPU seconds used 0.009998