About

Type: Ruin
Parish: St.John
Founding date: 1700s
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An image showing the plan of Drew’s Hill estate

Current Status

Drew’s Hill (aka “Drew’s Gift”) combined with the Gamble’s Estate (#14) when Gamble’s converted its sugar mill from wind to steam power in the mid-1800s.  There is no mill left on this site, but there is an undated map of Drew’s Hill which identifies its borders as the Belmont Estate (#19) on the north, the Potter’s Estate (#47) and Potter’s Village on the west, the Briggin’s Estate (#22) on the east, and the Otto’s Estate (#16) on the south.

Estate Related History/Timeline

The first mention of the last name Morgan appears when a Rice Morgan, an Antiguan planter, was given a grant of 180 acres in Bermudian Valley on April 17, 1667 (registered in 1672).  Samuel Morgan, obviously a relative, sold “Morgan’s” (more often called the Villa Estate, #15) to William Lindsey in 1742.                               Vere Oliver, Vol. II.

Mary Elizabeth Murray, wife of Andrew Murray, held a moiety by the will of a John Drew in 1716.  In that same year, Andrew and Elizabeth sold, for 7 shillings, “150 acres and a boiling house” to Archibald Cochran, Esq., and Frances Delap, merchant, both of Antigua.  Then in 1724, Andrew Murray is listed as possessing 175 acres “of Drew’s Gift”.

By 1752, Captain-General William Mathews, of the Leeward Islands, “charged with 1,500 pounds for my grandson William payable at the termination of Colonel Gilbert’s lease of Drew’s Hill . . . whereas I own 5 rocks called the 5 islands (Five Islands, #31) close by Antigua and Crabb Island and the 2 little islands near by called the Great and Little Passage.  I give the 5 islands to go with Drew’s Hill and the other to go with Peitenny and Cupid’s Garden” in St. Kitts.  “The schedule of Negroes on Drew’s Hill: 97 men, 17 boys, 75 women, 6 girls, 32 infants.” Vere Oliver, Vol. II.

Then in 1761, a John Murray, obviously a relative of Andrew and Elizabeth, is identified as the occupant of Drew’s Hill, “bounded North by the land now or late of His Excellency William Mathew, Esq, East by the lands now or late of Thomas Nicholls, Esq., and John Williams, Esq., and  West by the lands now or late of the said Edward Chester.”     Vere Oliver, Vol. II. It is clear that the Murray clan occupied Drew’s Hill Estate for many years, but never actually owned the property.

    William Lindsey, who owned the estate as of 1742, noted in his will dated 1811 that he had sold his two plantations in Antigua and Dominica to Thomas Daniel, Esq., the father of Earl Lindsey Daniel, Esq., and was still owed £1,500.  Ms. Lindsey, the only daughter of John Lindsey, married Thomas Daniel of the Villa’s Estate (#15) in 1788.  He was the Attorney General of Dominica, and died in 1806. Vere Oliver, Vol. I.

Anthony Musgrave, MD, was born in Antigua in November 1793, educated in Edinburgh, Scotland, and became a doctor in 1814.  He married Mary Harris Sheriff and they had thirteen children.  Dr. Musgrave served as an Assemblyman of Antigua in 1817, the same year he published a book about the history of yellow fever, which was regularly prevalent on the island.  He also authored many articles for medical journals abroad.   He also served as Treasurer of the Island’s government from 1824 to 1852 and passed away in Antigua on February 24 of that year.

In 1852, when Burnthorn Musgrave, a descendent of Dr. and Mrs. Musgrave, assumed ownership of Drew’s Hill, with 253 acres in St. John’s Parish, he also owned Gaynor’s (#108) with 67 acres, Wickham’s (#105) with 216 acres, both in St. Philip’s Parish.  Burnthorn Musgrave was first a sugar planter in Antigua, and then became a clergyman of the Reformed Episcopal Church of America.  He was born on the island on March 11, 1823, and married Frances Albony on June 30, 1847.  Frances was the daughter of John Adams and Margaret (Albony) Wood.  They had six children.  Burnthorn settled in “Holworth” at Auburn, King’s County in May 1870, and died there on July 19, 1894.  Frances died there is 1893. 

Fanny Wood Musgrave (1850 – 1947) another descendant of Dr. Anthony and Mrs. Musgrave’s, spent her early years on Antigua, where her grandfather and great-grandfather had held public office.

The Stapleton-Cotton family held the title of Viscount Combermere.  Further information on the Combermere-Cotton family may be found at Bangor University, Great Britain, 0222 STAP Manuscripts 1701-1884.

The Drew’s Hill Estate was awarded by the British Parliament (Antigua 114) £2,159. 13s. 1p. as a Legacy payment for granting freedom to 144 enslaved in 1833.  Robert Grant was attorney; Joseph Weston (deceased) and Mary Weston were the awardees.

In 1860, Drew’s Estate was involved in a legal petition by a Charles John Manning, Petitioner:  “In the Court of the Commissioner for sale of encumbered estates in the West Indies (Antigua).  In the matter of the Estate of [Mrs.] Emma Purvis and Other Owners.  Exparte Charles John Manning, Petitioner.  Mrs. Purvis is listed as the owner of Drew’s Hill in  1872.

There is a map of the Drew’s Hill Estate which shows the boundaries as Belmont’s Estate (#19) on the north, Potter’s (#47) and Potter’s Village on the east, Otto’s Estate (#16) on the south and also on the west, with Briggin’s Estate (#22).

Enslaved People’s History

Based on contemporary research, we have little information to share about the enslaved peoples from this plantation at this time. They probably had at maximum 144 people working at that plantation. The Drew’s Hill Estate was awarded by the British Parliament (Antigua 114) £2,159. 13s. 1p. as a Legacy payment for granting freedom to 144 enslaved in 1833. We will continue our quest for more information about these vital individuals.

Ownership Chronology

  • 1700’s: Samuel Morgan. b. 1711.
  • 1742: William Lindsey. Will, 1811; d. 1748
  • 1748: Reverend William Lindsey. Baptized: 1758. d. 1812. A Daniel and the Lindsey family
  • 1750: Captain William Mathew. (1684c-1752)
  • 1777: John Conyers (1777/78 map by cartographer John Luffman.)
  • 1811: Thomas Daniel. Will, 1806
  • 1829: Heirs of Thomas Blackburn. The estate contained 290 acres and 42 slaves
  • 1840: Thomas Blackburn
  • 1852: Honorable Burnthorn Musgrave (1823-1894) 253 acres.
  • 1872: Mrs. Emma Purvis. She also owned Belmont (#19) and Herbert’s (#20); total acreage, 788. The mills had converted to steam
  • 1878: Lord Combermere. (Stapleton-Cotton family, UK)
  • 1891: Lord Combermere & C. I. Thomas
  • 1921: Colonel R.S. Cotton
  • 1933: I. E. Dyett
  • 1940’s: Millie Este or Brysons