In my research I couldn’t find much on Jane. The only information I have on her is that she had a sister named Susan and that their mother was a maid from Mustique with the surname Bacchus. Perhaps this could be a starting point for you. Was she married? Because if so, maybe her marriage certificate could have some Infirmation as to who her parents were. She was definitely born before 1855 because her father died in that year. William’s first wife. Eleanor Elizabeth Hazell died in 1845 then he remarried in 1849 to Sarahann Stodard Warner who was originally from Bermuda. He and Sarah apparently didn’t have any children. She had three small children from her first marriage and he had his two sons from his first marriage. Jane was a half sister to these sons, Moshe and Old Bill.

Did you know that Moshe was married to your great grandfather Donald’s sister, Eliza, in 1860 on Bequia? That would have made Jane and Eliza sisters in law technically. Do you have the birth date for William C because all I have is that he died in 1967.

That’s all I have for now. Please let me know if this was helpful.

Robin from upstate New York.

You would need to put a call out to folks so that people know that this is being done and so that they can contribute whatever phrases they know. I know a couple of phrases and I think that my mom would know some, too.

Perhaps the help of a masters student studying linguistics would help us even further. Just some thoughts.

Great idea!!!

As for French creole, I remember when we were kids (growing up in Canada) my mom would use creole phrases such as “toute moun bagay” when she wanted us kids to get together and clean up or just gather together for some reason, or finish sentences with “oui, papa”. There were quotes such as “crapaud smoke your pipe” and things like that.

There are other French surnames such as Ollivierre from Bequia and perhaps Bonadie is a French name, too. They are also from St Vincent/Bequia. They are my family and I’ve been doing research on them, too. I suspect that just because someone carries a French surname, doesn’t necessarily mean that they still speak some remnant of the old French creole language. Cordice is another name, that could be French, but I’m not sure if it is.

There was/is also a French Creole culture in Trinidad. I know that many Vincentians populated Trinidad, so there could be a connection. There was a film I viewed a few years ago and it included some of that French culture and the language that still exists today. The film was called, Jab! The Blue Devils of Paramin.

Here is a link to more on Dr. LePage…maybe it could be of help to you. http://benjamins.com/series/jpcl/23-1/art/08chr.pdf

All the best,

Cheryl

You gave some great tips for researchers, Vincent. Hope you can be of help to those of us who aren’t on island.

As a matter of fact, maybe you can start with me. I haven’t done too much research on my mom’s side. Her surnames would be Jacobs, Smart, McDonald, Saunders. From Georgetown and Colonarie. Years would span from 1850-1950 for starters.

This site is dear to me, i have found the information to be very stirring and awakes a sence of love for family in me. recently i have done some research for someone from Jamaica who was trying to find out about her great grand father, who left St Vincent in the very early 1900s maybe even that exact year. To make this story short, i just put my (hound) nose to the ground and i was able to find out a lot about that Great Grand Father.

If you wish to find your ancestry in St Vincent with only a little information, it pays to get the name of a village or area as a point to start, going to that location can reveal a lot or very little depending on how well the social life of that particular area developed over the years.

Having a name or names to work with is also very helpful, but remember “”nicknames”" might be even more inportant than official names. Remember names disappear over time, and all that might be remembered may be a story or mannerism or manner of dress or habits.

I live in St Vincent, and i know the Island like no other, i am willing to help where possible.

To the site developers, please seperate request from comments so that people can get some help, you are doing a great job so far , and i have been harping about this site to everyone.

A few years ago i found a request on this site (through tonyoldies.homestead.com) where someone was seeking info about a REID, i have tried to find it for the last few weeks , but i have been unable to

I am currently researching the Davis ancestry and any help will be welcome,

Thank you

http://svgancestry.com/index.php/military-records/ – that is a link on this very site where it gives a list of men and the year they served in the West Indies Regiment in St Vincent.

Wouldn’t you just love to see what these people looked like?

Please see comments that I have posted to Cheryl.
Very interesting indeed.

I have been looking for some information of this kind as well. I am from SVG and is likely to be the great great great grand daughter of JOHN WISEMAN

This same JOHN WISEMAN is most likely to be from SCOTLAND originally.
Through oral history and corroborated by information found in Mr.Charles Sheppard’s book: Historical Account of the island of St. Vincent this man had the same name. He was listed as part of the Regiment in 1821. He was a Lieutenant. It was told to us that John Wiseman was part of the Regiment that fought against the Caribs. The similarities were too close not to have drawn a conclusion that this was the same individual.

The WISEMAN’s are known to have settled in the parish of St. Andrew. Co-incidence Cheryl?

I will like to explore this curiousK and you can email me at drs_charles@yahoo.com

Cheryl Hazell

BAPTISMS

I have some information on George Wiseman who was the son of James Wiseman, a planter, and his wife Mary Ballard of St Andrew’s parish.

Angelique Wiseman was the coloured child of Mr. Wiseman (perhaps her owner), who was baptised on November 19, 1798.

JAMES WISEMAN December 1824 BAPTISED JAN 3 1826 LISTED AS SON OF JOHN WISEMAN AND FRANCES FRENCH

JAMES WISEMAN BAPTISED MAR 4 1799 LISTED AS A COLOURED CHILD — father or owner was a man named WILLIAM

James Wiseman, listed as a merchant, no birth date

JANE WISEMAN BAPTISED SEP 7 1793 LISTED AS THE DAUGHTER OF JAMES, A MERCHANT, AND ELISABETH DICKSON

NANCY WISEMAN BAPTISED MAY 10 1795 LISTED AS THE MUSTEE DAUGHTER OF JAS, A MERCHANT. (note: Mustee is the offspring of a Caucasian and a Quadroon (a person with ¼ Negro blood. Slave owners used to often breed the black out of their slaves by having children with their own slave children and grand children. Jas. is probably an abbreviation for James)

POLLY WISEMAN BAPTISED APR 19 1802 LISTED AS A COLOURED CHILD — JAS AND BELLA HADEN

DEATHS

JAMES WISEMAN December 18, 1838

JANE WISEMAN March 19, 1797

MARY WISEMAN September 13, 1803

NANCY WISEMAN May 13, 1795

SAMUEL WISEMAN July 12, 1795

WILLIAM WISEMAN July 21, 1806

I also encourage you to share whatever information you feel comfortable sharing, here on this site. Who knows? Maybe if you do, someone could possibly have a gem to share with you in turn or point you in the right direction. I see your surname is John and Baptiste. I know a lot of Johns from SVG. Perhaps they’re related to you. The SVG records office is a mess, but connect with fellow researchers and they will assist you. That’s how I got as far as I did with a 5000+ name database. And all I started out with was as far back as my great grands. I was ultimately able to reach back into the late 1700s.

Ancestral research is also a lesson in sociology and history. It pays to learn a little of both to understand the research that you’re undertaking. Read books on Vincentian history and its people. Check the Ellis Island website, the Ancestry.com slave registers.

Please let me know which names you’re researching and I’ll see what information I have.

Cheryl