Very little information is available about James Rae or members of his family. However, from the material in the collection we know that James Rae of Park, in Dumfries, Scotland, died in 1815, leaving his estate divided equally between his brothers William and John Rae. James Rae named in his will Messrs. Thomas Gordon, John Nair, and John Walker, as trustees to his properties in Scotland. William Rae made Jamaica his home where he resided for over fifty years, until his death in 1837. During this time he amassed a very large fortune. He died intestate, in Kingston, Jamaica in 1837. In his will, dated 1834, William Rae divided equally all of his properties in England, Scotland, and Jamaica; with the services of the "apprenticed labourers attached"; all cash, furniture, and stone utensils, among his nephews and nieces, the sons and daughters of his deceased sister Mrs. Newall. Mrs. Newall's son Adam Newall lived in Bordeaux, France. His brother David Rae Newall was a former Captain with the East India Company Naval service. Mrs. Newall's daughter Catherine, was married to the Rev. Charles Maitland Babington (an executor of William Rae's estate); and her daughter Jane Rae was the wife of John Morin (another executor of the estate). In his will, William Rae assigned Wellwood Hyslop, Maxwell Hyslop, and Andrew Murray, merchants from Kingston, Jamaica, to act as trustees and executors of his estate. Their duties were to manage, conduct, and cultivate the plantations, collect rents, and receive monies from the sale of crops, produce, and other merchandise, until the termination of the "apprenticeship" term; making sure the heirs received their rightful shares. In addition, William Rae stated that all his produce and crops were to be consigned to the Liverpool merchants John Hall and Company.
Jamaica, one of the largest islands in the Caribbean, was occupied by Spain in 1509 who brought the first African slaves to the island in 1517. The British continued slavery after they conquered Jamaica in 1655. By 1800 the slaves outnumbered their white masters by a ratio of 20:1. The cultivation of sugar cane and coffee by African slave labor made Jamaica one of the most valuable possessions in the world for more than 150 years. The British also used Jamaica's free people of color (the Maroons) to keep the enslaved population in check. In December 1831, a large scale slave revolt known as the Baptist War broke out; however, the rebellion was suppressed ten days later. Due to the loss of property and life in the rebellion, the British Parliament held two inquiries. The results of which contributed to the abolition of slavery as of August 1, 1834 throughout the British Empire. However the Jamaican slaves remained bound to their former owners' service, with a guarantee of rights, until 1838 under what was called the "Apprenticeship System".
From the description of Rae family estate collection, 1800-1857 (Princeton University Library). WorldCat record id: 226397073
