A little history of Barbados:

1637 - sugarcane was first brought to Barbados by the Dutch.

1650 - Barbados was described as the richest spot in the New World.

1684 - there were 60,000 slaves in Barbados, outnumbering whites 3 to 1.

1703 - Yellow fever outbreak killed many people.

1731 - a hurricane caused widespread damage, followed 2 years later by a drought.

1751 - George Washington visited Barbados with his brother Lawrence who was sick with TB.  George contracted smallpox while there which left his face permanently scarred.  It was the only overseas trip George ever made.

During the later 1700's Barbados suffered economic problems.  The price of sugar fell because of competition from other Islands, such as Jamaica.  The American War of Independence devastated trade.  At one point food shortages were so severe that the poor died in the streets. 

1780  - a destructive hurricane killed over 2,000 people and destroyed crops.

1790 - Robert Mapp was born

1805 - Lord Horatio Nelson sailed into Barbados just a few months before he died in the Battle of Trafalgar.

1820 - Buccaneer, Sam Lord, built his castle in Barbados.

1821 - John Thomas Mapp was born

1838 - slaves were emancipated.

Early Mapps

It's not known who Robert's father was, but this interesting will was found:

"Mapp, Samuel - St. Philips parish. Oct. 1715. [RB6/35 p. 487]

My daus Elizabeth, Sarah, and Mary each at 21, Elizabeth Bainsfield, spinster; sons Thomas and ROBERT, both at 21 - xtrs. My wife Eliza Mapp and brother Thomas Mapp xtrs.  - Jan 5, 1715."

[The Robert in this will is too old to be the Robert on this page, however, he might be a grandfather or something.]

This family was also probably related:

Thomas A. & Margaret C. Mapp.  Child: James Henry, baptized Oct 8, 1837, living at St. Michael, Barbados.

James Henry Mapp (schoolmaster) & Martha Jane Haynes.  Child: Charles Higgins, born March 4, 1862, baptized June 11, 1862, living at Wr. Hothersal Turning

[Source: baptismal records of the Parish Church of St. Michael]

[With this Thomas A. Mapp being born around 1810, perhaps he was a younger brother of Robert Mapp???]

Charles Higgins Mapp, b 1862 St. Michael, Barbados, moved to England about 1880's and had children in the East end of London.  His son Charles Mapp Jr. (1900-1968) went to Australia during the early 1920's, AWOL from the British Indian army.  When he arrived in Australia, he changed his name to Ennever (the name of a brother-in-law in England), to keep the army from finding him.  It was not until after his death in 1968 that the family knew of his real name and the story behind it.

Robert Mapp

1st known generation

Robert Mapp was born about 1790 (we assume in Barbados).  He married Mary Harriett Reed, Sept 22, 1814 in St. Michael's.  His children were all baptized in St. Philip's:

1815 - Mary Elizabeth Mapp, bapt. Aug 9 - of St. Philip [Vol 7, p 13]

1817 - Louisa Harriett Mapp, bapt Mar 3 - of St. Philip [Vol 7, p 63]

1818 - Robert Mapp, bapt Feb 18 - of St. Philip [Vol 7, p 95]

1821 - John Thomas Mapp, bapt July 29 - of St. Philip [Vol 7, p 214]

1824 - Joseph Henry (3 years old), bapt Nov 1 - of St. Philip [Vol 7, p 330]

1824 - Thomas Golding (8 months old), bapt Nov 1 - of St. Philip [Vol 7, p 330]

John Thomas Mapp

2nd generation

John Thomas Mapp was the son of Robert and Mary Harriett Mapp. He was born July 29, 1821 in St. Michael, Barbados (christened July 29, 1821). He had 3 brothers, Robert, Joseph Henry & Thomas Golding, and 2 sisters, Mary Elizabeth and Louisa Harriett.

The Barbados settlements grew up as a result of the sugar and rum trade. Pirates also lived there. In fact, John Thomas was born the year after a locally-famous buccaneer, Sam Lord, built his castle there.

John Thomas married Mary Catherine Carter, June 5, 1845 in Saint Michael, Barbados.

John Thomas had several jobs, as listed when his children were baptised:

In 1846 he was a merchant and clerk

In 1848, he was a provisions vendor

In 1849 He was a provisions store keeper

In 1851 & 1853 he was clerk of St. Mary's chapel

In 1855 & 1857 he was a liquor seller

An interesting note: There is a Mapps College (a boys school) in Barbados which in on the original Mapp plantation, located in the parish of St. Phillip on the southeast plateau of the island. Not sure of the exact connection to the family of John Thomas Mapp.  There is also a Mapp Hill in St. Michael's parish.

John Thomas died about 1875 in Georgetown, Barbados at which point the two youngest boys, twins, James Chapman Mapp and Lewis Young Mapp (aged about 19), emigrated to Canada. There's a family story that they came to Canada because it was too hot in Barbados.  These two may have been the only ones in the family to go to Canada, however maybe the mother and a sister also went.

The boys had inherited a substantial amount of money after the death of their father and mother. Apparently being young and inexperienced they went through the money rather quickly. As long as they had money they had plenty of friends but when it ran out the only one that was around to help or be their friend was Henry Morgan, Jr. When the money ran out Henry Morgan, Sr. sent the boys to a lumber camp in the region of Lake Papineau formerly called Lake Commandant. This was where they met their wives and married. [from descendant Randall Boa]

Lake Papineau is located north of the Ottawa River between Ottawa and Montreal.

They evidently kept up a connection with their family in Barbados. There is a picture of a cricket team in Barbados in 1907 with 2 children of their sister Mary Catherine Reece that was sent to Uncle James Chapman in Canada.  (see below)

Children:

1.  Mary Augusta, b abt 1846 in St. Michael, Barbados

2.  Helen Augustine MAPP b: abt 1847 in St Michael, Barbados

3.  Mary Catherine "Kate" MAPP b: abt 1849 in St Michael, Barbados; m Abraham Arnold Reece; children: Nellie (m Wakeford Elliot) & Lewis (at left), Arnold, Katie

4.  Louisa Harriett MAPP b: abt 1851 in St Michael, Barbados

5.  Sarah Elizabeth MAPP b: abt 1853

6.  John Thomas Jr. MAPP b: abt 1854

7.  James Chapman "Chappie" MAPP b: 1856 in St Michael, Barbados (see below)

8. 8.  Nathan Lewis Young MAPP b: 1856
   

Picture at left:  on back is written,

"to Uncle Chapman with love from your affectionate niece Nellie Reece. 1906." Top picture is Nellie, daughter of Mary Catherine Reece.

Middle picture is Nellie's brother, Lewis Chapman Reece, 1907.

Bottom picture is Arthur Wakeford Elliot, Barbados 1907.  (who married Nellie)

According to family members on Barbados, Nellie was a very independent woman. She had no children with Wakeford. They moved to St. Kitts at some point where Nellie worked as a contractor building houses. She earned the money and Wakeford, as one relative said, “was a bloody old smuggler” -- not uncommon between the small, close islands. Wakeford got involved with a woman there and had some children with her. Nellie then left him and returned to Barbados where she lived out her life.

Below is a cricket team in Barbados in 1907:  #1-Nellie Reece, #2-Lewis Reece (children of Mary Catherine Mapp Reece), the arrow on the left points to Wakeford Elliot.

Descendants of Robert Mapp