About
Type: Extant
Parish: St.Paul
Founding date: 1691
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Current Status
Remains of the house above the mill still show a beautiful red bricked hexagonal entrance. The mill is still in good shape. Several estates were named “Folly” or had Folly in the name, sometimes making it difficult to know which estate was being referred to when just the name of Folly was used. There is a lot of information on this estate due to Byam records, but very little pertaining to recent times.
Estate Related History/Timeline
Indenture 3 Dec. 1691. “by indenture of same date I let my Plantations of Cobb’s Cross, Savanna and Folly to ——- for 99 years in trust ——-.” Vere Oliver Vol.III p.190
1714: “Division of the Folly Plantation between Henry Warner, Gent., and Edward Warner, Esq., 197 acres, surveyed March 26, 1714.” Vere Oliver Vol.III p.197
1714: Henry Warner Gent, and Arilles his wife, sell 100 acres called the Folly to William Codrington Esq., for 110 pounds, part of a greater sum.” Vere Oliver Vol.III p.200.
1715: Hon. Edward Warner of Antigua, Esq., and his wife Elizabeth, sell to Mr. Henry Blizard of Antigua, planter, 112 acres in St. Paul’s for 784 pounds.”
1780: Godschall Johnson for £18,361 purchased the plantations owned by Edward Byam, being the moiety of Folly of 385 acres, and that of the Savannah and Picadilly of 1559 acres. Vere Oliver Vol.II p.13
Edward Byam was the Governor of Leeward Islands in 1715 and Lieutenant Governor of Antigua between 1715 – 4 December 1741. He was born in 1662, in Suriname. He was the youngest son of William Byam, a Lieutenant General, and Dorothy Knollys.[1]In 1707 he was president of Counsil of Antigua. In 1715, Byam was appointed Governor of Leeward Islands and, in the same year, he also was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Antigua, office he occupied until 4 December 1741,[2] day of his death. [3][1]
He married Mary Winthrope and they had two children: Edward Byam, (b. Abt. 1685, Antigua) and Mary Byam (b. 13 October 1690, Antigua). Later, he married, again, with Lydia Thomas on 22 July 1703 in Antigua and they had five children: George Byam (b. 24 April 1704, Antigua – d. 12 November 1734), William Byam (b. 3 July 1706, Antigua – d. 26 September 1755, Antigua), Francis Byam (b. 3 May 1709, Antigua – d. July 1757, Antigua), Alice Byam (b. 19 May 1711, in St. Vincent Island – d. date unknown) and Lydia Byam (b. 14 August 1713, Antigua).[1]
1778: Appraisement in 1778. Papers held by Nick Warner of Australia (ancestor).
“An estimate of the value of the Lands, Slaves, Livestock, Buildings and Plantation Utensils of and belonging to the Folly and Savanna plantations (including Picadilly) of Edward Byam and Godschall Johnson Esq. in Antigua as made by Bertie Enhuisle, Samuel Eliot and John Horsford Esquires in the Year 1778”.
1778: Folly contained 385 acres; 260 of which was Cane land (value £13,500), 125 in pasture, Negro Grounds, etc. (value £1,750).
LANDS – Folly: 385 acres; 260 of which Cane land: Value: 13,500
125 in pasture, Negro Grounds etc.: Value: 1,750
Savanna; 1559 acres (including 149-3-37 in Piccadilly) with Cobb’s Cross House, the Rangers, and free Tenants’ houses and the Cattle Penn: Value: 16,000
Total value: 31,250.
Slaves: Males 99, Females 119
Livestock:
Buildings at the Folly – a servant’s house, built of pine and hardboard, body clapboard, roof shingles, a small cellar underneath; Length 28 feet, Breadth 16 feet, height 10 feet, divided in two rooms – Pounds 170.
A Corn Mill House with a Belfry over it, on a foundation of stone built with love, the body of the House made of hardwood boarded and shingled. Supports of the Belfry of hardwood 11 feet from the ground; plate and Gills of the house, pitch pine; Roof of white pine boarded and shingled; the Belfry of hardwood and pine boarded and shingled; Length of the house 18 feet; Breadth 15 feet, Height at the plate 5 feet – Pounds 100.
A dwelling House of hardwood and Bricks, and 10 and a half feet in height at the plate, the Roof of hardwood boarded and shingled, in the House are the following rooms, viz. a porch 10 feet long, 9 and a half feet broad, a Hall 17 and a half feet by 16 and a half feet, two Chambers @ 15 and a half by 13 and a half; 2 shed Chambers @ 12 and a half feet by 10 and a half feet, passage between them 10 and a half feet long by 3 and a half feet wide; the whole out of repair. Pounds 300.
A stove kitchen built with lime, with pine roof boarded and shingled, Length 24 feet, Breadth 12 feet; Wall 6 and a half feet high. Pounds 250.
A house built of stone, wall very indifferent, the roof of pine, boarded and shingled; the length of the buildings 43 and a half feet, breadth 15 and a half feet; height 12 and a half feet divided into 2 stories with a wooden portico, and steps on the outside to the upper story which serves as Sich House, the lower part divided into a cellar for provisions, and a place of confinement for offending slaves. Pounds 250.
A boiling house with a Copper Hose Shed built of stone and lime, the wall all good but the back wall which is bad; the roof, door, and window frames all hardwood; east side of the roof boarded and shingled, West side cove with Pantiles; 6 fire places with double chimneys for 10 Coppers, length 71 feet, Breadth 34 feet; height to the plate 11 feet. Pounds 975.
A curing house; a slight building of pine by way of covering the scale beam etc. Pounds 12.
A store windmill in good order, including a spare Bridge Tree, Stock, a point, a side roller, case and gudgeon. Pounds 1800.
A Mule Penn and Shed in it, all of pitch and pine; the roof of the shed boarded and shingled. Pounds 80.
A cattle mill in good order. Pounds 250.
A Mule Penn and Shed in it, all of pitch and pine; the roof of the shed boarded and shingled. Pounds 80
A blacksmith’s shop built of pitch pine, the body and roof boarded and shingled, the forge and chimney of stone and brick; length 29 feet, breadth 13 feet to the plate 7 feet. Pounds 200.
A Still house and rim Cellar under it, the body of the Still House of pitch pine boarded and clapboarded; the roof of Pitch pine boarded shingled, the floor pitch pine; Beams and sleepers the same; Doors and windows white pine, length 50 feet; breadth 24 feet; height to the plate 8 feet 3 inches. The Cellar built of stone and lime; the wall 2 feet thick; the door and window frames of hardwood, Iron bars to the latter, doors and windows of white pine; length 46 feet, breadth 20 feet, height 10 feet. Pounds 880
A trash house 45 feet long, 21 feet wide; a pine roof thatched and supported on hardwood posts within square pillars of mason’s work 6 feet high. Pounds 60.
At Falmouth.
A store with loft over it; built of stone and lime; the roof pitch pine boarded and shingled; door and window frames, floor of the loft, beams, and sleepers all pitch pine; length 47 feet, breadth 18 feet, height to the plate 12 feet. Pounds 500.
Utensils at the Folly.
- 10 Coppers (6 teachers, 4 clarifiers) 320-5-6
- 4 stills and heads 233-15
- 4 worms 250
- 4 worm tubs; one good, 3 indifferent 90
- A large Plantation bell 33
Piccadilly – As taken from the schedule of the lease thereof made by William Maxwell to William Pigott in 1770.
- A dwelling house – 14
- 34 Negro houses, very bad – 15 @ 25-10
- Total – Pounds 60,591-10-10 and a quarter.
- Value of Slaves – Pounds 13,184-14.
ANTIGUA JUNE THE 29TH 1778
At the request of Edward Byam Esq. on behalf of G.J. W., Esq. of London, We whose Names are here to subscribe made the foregoing Estimate of the value of the lands, slaves, livestock, buildings and plantation interests belonging to the Folly and Savanna plantations (including Picadilly) of the said EB and GJ in this island.
Antigua 1788 Slave appraisal from Nick Warner (ancestor)
Males:
Names Employment Value
Sabry Driver 60
Peter Driver 175
Strephon Copper 120
Johno Copper 200
Harry Blacksmith 330
Mingo Cattlekeeper (Folly) 5
Cubbinna Superannuated 6d.
Jeffrey – lost leg 6d.
Frank – very old Watch 6d.
Females:
Names Employment Value
Molly Attends the Servants 60
Sukey – subject to fits Attends sick house 50
Mulatto Betsy – sickly Sempstress 40
Tumbah Field negro 100
Hannah Field negro at present run away
Frances Field negro 100
Charlotte 8
Lame Hannah Superannuated 6d.
Antigua 1789 – List of Godschall Johnson Slaves on Folly & Savannah
FOLLY – Men 54
Stephen 63 (still there)
5 in their 60’s
Mulatto Jeffry – social worker with one leg
Bob and Jerry Grant (38 & 30) received from E. Byam in exchange for Mulatto Sably and Ned.
John – an incurable leg 63
Tommy – only one eye 60
Women
New “Mulatto Nelly (not “Molly”m as in 1778 appraisal) 68 – old woman not able to attend field constantly.
Bridget – watching and lame 43
Minah – very subject to fits 49.
Weaned children – Employed the most able of them, in picking grass for the mules and horses.
Some date of birth in 1780, 1783, 1784, 85 and 86 (two) and 1787.
Sickly children 13
Savannah – 9
Picadilly – 15 plus 6 “weaned children” – these six little negroes belong to the Folly but for the past 12 months constantly employed at Piccadilly.” 3 who were 10, 2 who were 12 and 1 who was 13.
Deaths since the 1st of May 1782
Mulatto Betsy – distempered Sept. 29, 1782
Old Frank died with pure age March 18,1783
Sabby died on his passage to Grenada – 8 July 1783
June with a fever occasioned by worms – 21 July 1784
Juba, died very Old, having been confined to her bed upwards of 2 years.
Increased by births since 1 May, 1782 – 34 negroes.
Deaths since 1 May, 1782 – 22
54 men
66 Women (very able)
13 boys
7 girls
36 weaned children
13 suckling
11 old women employed on various occupations
5 old watchmen
12 superannuated and distempered
217 negroes on Folly
9 stockmen on Savannah
24 Piccadilly
Total 250 (4 hired from E. Jones – so 254)
1803: Savannah/Folly. Blizard family. A very complicated indenture on 13 May, 1803 where Edward Byam released 1/7 part of the above estates to Stephen Blizard. Vere Oliver Vol.I p.57
1803: Indenture 13th May, 1803. “in consideration of 5/- the former grants to the latter all that are undivided fifth part of all that one undivided moiety, of the sugar plantation called the Folly, in Antigua, containing 385 acres ……And all slaves, etc…etc… Vere Oliver Vol.I p.61
1852 James Athill’s will leaves “the furniture September 1822 in the house on my estate called “Byams” ….” Vere Oliver Vol.III p.122
Combined with Picadilly, Folly Byam’s contained 2,096 acres—243 slaves in 1829.
1852: Folly Byam’s in St. Paul’s Parish in 1852 consisted of 1931 acres and was owned by Godschall Johnson. Vere Oliver
Enslaved People’s History
Based on contemporary research, we have an incredible amount of information to share about the enslaved peoples from this plantation at this time.
We have this appraisal of enslaved peoples at this mill from 1788, written out by ancestor Nick Warren:
“Males:
Names Employment Value
Sabry Driver 60
Peter Driver 175
Strephon Copper 120
Johno Copper 200
Harry Blacksmith 330
Mingo Cattlekeeper (Folly) 5
Cubbinna Superannuated 6d.
Jeffrey – lost leg 6d.
Frank – very old Watch 6d.
Females:
Names Employment Value
Molly Attends the Servants 60
Sukey – subject to fits Attends sick house 50
Mulatto Betsy – sickly Sempstress 40
Tumbah Field negro 100
Hannah Field negro at present run away
Frances Field negro 100
Charlotte 8
Lame Hannah Superannuated 6d.”
We also have this list of “Godschall Johnson Slaves” on Folly and Savannah from 1789:
“FOLLY
Men – 54
Stephen 63 (still there)
5 in their 60’s
Mulatto Jeffry – social worker with one leg
Bob and Jerry Grant (38 & 30) received from E. Byam in exchange for Mulatto Sably and Ned.
John – an incurable leg 63
Tommy – only one eye 60
Women
New “Mulatto Nelly (not “Molly”m as in 1778 appraisal) 68 – old woman not able to attend field constantly.
Bridget – watching and lame 43
Minah – very subject to fits 49.
Weaned children – Employed the most able of them, in picking grass for the mules and horses.
Some date of birth in 1780, 1783, 1784, 85 and 86 (two) and 1787.
Sickly children 13
Savannah – 9
Picadilly – 15 plus 6 “weaned children” – these six little negroes belong to the Folly but for the past 12 months constantly employed at Piccadilly”. 3 who were 10, 2 who were 12 and 1 who was 13.
Deaths since the 1st of May, 1782.
Mulatto Betsy – distempered Sept. 29, 1782
Old Frank died with pure age on March 18, 1783
Sabby died on his passage to Grenada – July 8, 1783
June with a fever occasioned by worms -July 21, 1784
Juba, died very Old, having been confined to her bed for upwards of 2 years.
Increased by births since May 1, 1782 – 34 negroes.
Deaths since May 1, 1782 – 22
54 men
66 Women (very able)
13 boys
7 girls
36 weaned children
13 suckling
11 old women employed on various occupations
5 old watchmen
12 superannuated and distempered
217 negroes on Folly
9 stockmen on Savannah
24 Piccadilly
Total 250 (4 hired from E. Jones – so 254).”
Furthermore, we know that, combined with Picadilly, Folly Byam’s contained 2,096 acres and 243 enslaved peoples in 1829. We will continue our quest for more information about these vital individuals.
We will continue our quest for more information about these vital individuals.
Ownership Chronology
- Ownership from 1691 Thomas Warner (d.1695)
- 1695: Hon. Edward Warner (1729)
- 1730: Edward Byam (1662-1741)
- 1780: Godschal Johnson – 1777/78 Luffman map. Known as “Folly”
- 1829: Godschal Johnson
- 1843: Godschal Johnson
- 1878: Thomas B. Kirwan
- 1921: Thomas Kirwan