Alexander Anderson - Caretaker of Botanic Garden
Posted on February 18, 2007
Posted UnderFamily Pages |
Alexander Anderson (abt. 1760 - 1811) - Contact Anderson family researcher
The portrait of Dr. Alexander ANDERSON is the work of his nephew, also named Alexander ANDERSON, of New York City, who visited him on the island in 1798. Used here by permission, the portrait is described as “watercolor, black ink and graphite on paper,” and is part of the Henry Luce III Center for the Study of American Culture Collection of the New York Historical Society in New York City, item number 1912.10 (Gift of Daniel Parish, Jr.)
NOTE: If you save the above image for anything other than personal use, please contact the New York Historical Society for publication rights: URL: http://luceweb.nyhistory.org/
Alexander ANDERSON served as the second director of “His Majesty’s Botanic Gardens” on the island of St. Vincent from about 1784 until just before his death in 1811. While he wrote several published articles on plants during his lifetime, he left several unpublished manuscripts. Today they are housed in the Library of the Linnean Society of London. Richard A. and Elizabeth S. Howard have edited and transcribed one of those manuscripts. A copy of their work on ANDERSON can be obtained from Biblio.com.
Alexander ANDERSON was married on 09 June 1789 at Kingstown, St. Vincent to Elizabeth ALEXANDER, daughter of the Honorable Harry ALEXANDER. The marriage was entered in the records of St. George’s Anglican Cathedral in Kingstown. ANDERSON is listed as “Esquire, Director of His Majesty’s Botanic Gardens” and Elizabeth ALEXANDER is listed as “Spinster”.
ANDERSON was also a surgeon and Medical Officer on St. Vincent. He is credited with climbing the island’s La Soufrière volcano in 1804 to obtain a specimen of a Soufrière tree, today’s national flower of St. Vincent.
Details of ANDERSON’s life can be found in the 1825 book by Rev. Lansdown GUILDING titled “An Account of the Botanic Garden in the Island of St Vincent”. ANDERSON received his medical training in Edinburgh, Scotland. He is also said to have served on both sides during the American Revolutionary War before moving on to the West Indies.
Alexander ANDERSON and Elizabeth ALEXANDER had at least one daughter, namely Eliza/Elizabeth ANDERSON, who was born about 1795 in St. Vincent. She married John Pemberton ROSS about 1812 in St. Vincent. John Pemberton ROSS was the son of Andrew ROSS and Bridget PEMBERTON. He served as Solicitor-General of St. Vincent, and is also said to have served as Attorney-General in Demerara.
Eliza/Elizabeth ANDERSON and John Pemberton ROSS had the following children:
Edward Charles ROSS, born about 1813 in St. Vincent. He was christened in Kingstown’s St. George’s Anglican Cathedral on 20 August 1813.
Emily Caroline ROSS, born about 1815 in St. Vincent. She was christened in Kingstown’s St. George’s Anglican Cathedral on 10 February 1815. She married William Gemmell ALVES on 09 March 1844 in St. Vincent. Their marriage was noted in the Times of London newspaper for 16 March 1844, which stated that they were married by the Rev. John CHECKLEY at St. Vincent. William Gemmell ALVES‘ father was named in the newspaper notice as William ALVES, Esq., of Enham-house, Hants. William Gemmell ALVES was born about 1810 and died 22 April 1860 in Brighton, England. His death was noted in the Times of London newspaper, which stated that he was formerly Captain of H. M.’s 29th Regiment.
William Andrew ROSS was born about 1817 in St. Vincent. He was christened in Kingstown’s St. George’s Anglican Cathedral on 18 June 1817.
John Wilson ROSS was born 29 January 1818 in Belmont, St. Vincent. He was christened in Kingstown’s St. George’s Anglican Cathedral on 15 October 1819. He was a writer who was well published in England, most notably for the 1878 book “Tacitus and Bracciolini, The Annals Forged in the XVth Century” John Wilson ROSS died on 27 May 1887 in Holburn, England. His death was noted in the Times of London newspaper for 01 June 1887, which stated that “he was after he was educated at King’s College, London, he proceeded to the West Indies, and was for some time Secretary to the Vendue Master of Berbice, but he ultimately left British Guiana, and returned to England, where for many years before his death he had been engaged in literary pursuits. In the year 1871 he contributed to the Edinburgh Review an article on “The Doctrine of the Chorizontes,” in which he endeavoured to show that the “Odyssey” must have been written at least three centuries after the “Iliad.” Mr. ROSS was at one time a voluminous contributor to periodical literature, articles from his pen having appeared in Douglas Jerrold’s Shilling Magazine, the Monthly Magazine, Bentley’s Miscellany, London Journal, Sharpe’s Magazine, Eliza Cook’s Journal, &c. He also contributed novelettes to the Family Herald, and in Paper and Print published the lives of distinguished printers, especially French and Flemish, of the 15th and 16th centuries. While acting as editor of the Decorator he wrote the memoirs of eminent decorative artists in that journal. In his most important work, “Tacitus and Bracciolini,” deceased brought forward
evidence tending to prove that Poggio Bracciolini wrote the Annals of Tacitus. While only in his 20th year Mr. ROSS wrote a poem in three cantos entitled “Ninian,” which was published in Edinburgh in 1839, and more than 40 years later he was the author of a drama, The Earl’s Revenge, founded on the tragedy of Lady Jane Grey.”
Pemberton ROSS was born about 1825 in St. Vincent. He was christened in Kingstown’s St. George’s Anglican Cathedral on 23 April 1825. He married unknown and had at least one daughter; Louisa Frances Pemberton ROSS, who was born about 1845. She married on 14 October 1869 in St. Vincent to James William HAYNES, who was born about 1843.
Henry Alexander ROSS was born on 01 October 1825 in St. Vincent. He was christened in Kingstown’s St. George’s Anglican Cathedral on 21 July 1826. He married Victoria, maiden name unknown, and they had at least one daughter, Eleanor Liberta ROSS, born 02 February 1867 in St. Vincent and christened 11 April 1867 at Belmont, St. Vincent.
Julia Frances ROSS was born about 1827 in St. Vincent. She was christened in at Belmont, St. Vincent on 24 December 1827.
Robert Dalrymple ROSS was born about 1828 in St. Vincent. He was christened at Belmont, St. Vincent on 22 May 1829. He was married in 1864 to Mary Anstice BAKER, daughter of John BAKER of Highercombe Estate in South Australia. Robert D. ROSS served in the British Army, and emigrated to Australia in 1871 where he was Speaker of the South Australian House of Assembly in 1886 - 1887. He died on 27 December 1887 in Adelaide, Australia, leaving his wife, and one son and daughter. More about his life can be found on the Electric Scotland website at this URL: http://www.electricscotland.com/history/australia/ross_robert.htm
Reginald ROSS was born on 08 July 1829 in St. Vincent. He was christened at Belmont, St. Vincent on 17 April 1834.
Charles ROSS was born about 1833 in St. Vincent. He was christened at Belmont, St. Vincent on 17 April 1834.
George Kern ROSS was born on 10 December 1834 in St. Vincent. He was christened at Belmont, St. Vincent on 11 February 1837.
Comments
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.