"From 1736 to 1755 (around the time of the Leeward Maroon treaty), Aberdeen slave plantation was leased by Alexander Forbes of Scotland from Alexander McFarlane's Island Estates in St Elizabeth, and in 1772 still belonged to an Alexander Forbes as a sugar-and-slave estate. The Aberdonian slave community was missionized by the English Moravians and the Moravian Church is a central focus of contemporary Aberdeen, which was founded as a free village by emancipated slaves who moved off Aberdeen estate around 1845, in association with the Moravian missionaries, to live on the southern foothills of the Cockpit Country nearer to the plains."
Aberdeen first appears in the Accounts Produce in 1772, the property of Alexander Forbes with William Harvie and Hugh Wallace as trustees. At some point between 1782 and 1786 it was aquired by William Mitchell, then afterwards by Dr James Rowe. Rowe had died by 1799. His daughter Deborah Margaret Rowe was the owner in trust in 1801.
Aberdeen appears in the almanac of 1811 registered to James Rowe, deceased. In the almanac of 1816 it was registered to the estate of James Rowe with the note: "Negroes sold and removed". The estate is not listed with the name Aberdeen in any subsequent almanacs and has not been identified in the slave registers or the compensation process.
Quote from Jean Besson, 'Euro-Creole, Meso-Creole: Creolization and Identity in West-Cental Jamaica, c. 1660-1999' in Gordon Collier and Ulrich Fleischmann (eds.), A Pepper-pot of Cultures: Aspects of Creolization in the Caribbean (New York, 2003) pp. 169-188, quote from p. 179.
Belonging to Alexander Forbes in the hands of the Hon. William Harvie and the Hon. Hugh Wallace Esqs. Trustees for the same. Account filed by James Harvie.
Belonging to Alexander Forbes Esq. in the hands of the Hon. William Harvie and the executors of Hugh Wallace Esq. deceased trustee for the same. Account filed by James Harvie.
Belonging to Alexander Forbes in the hands of William Harvie Esq. trustee for the same. Account filed by James Harvie.
Belonging to Alexander Forbes in the hands of William Harvie Esquire, Trustee for the same. Account filed by James Harvie.
In possession and under the care and management of John Vanheelen for William Mitchell. Account filed by John Corran as overseer.
Under the care and direction of John Vanheelen Esquire. Account filed by John Corran as overseer.
Registered in St Elizabeth to Ab. James Rowe, dec. with 49 enslaved people in Balcarres's dispatch, dated 22/03/1800.
Belonging to Miss Deborah Margaret Rowe under the care and direction of Charles Rowe and Isaac Allen Exors of the late Doctor James Rowe deceased. Account filed by John Rankin as overseer.
Account filed by John Hill as overseer.
Account filed by John Hill as overseer or attorney.
Under the care and direction of Phillip Levys and John Racker Webb Esqs. Account filed by William McCleod as overseer.
Under the care and direction of Philip Levy's and John R. Webb Esqs. Account filed by William McLeod as late overseer for the period 1st Jan-20th April 1808. He was succeeded by Isaac Ward who took over as overseer for the period 20th April-31st Dec 1808.
Registered to the estate of James Rowe with the comment "Negroes sold and removed".
Jamaica Almanac (1816) transcribed at http://www.jamaicanfamilysearch.com/Members/a/AL15eliz.htm. The almanac was based on the givings-in of the previous March Quarter.
'Aberdeen [ Jamaica | St Elizabeth ]', Legacies of British Slave-ownership database, http://wwwdepts-live.ucl.ac.uk/lbs/estate/view/14579 [accessed 29th May 2020].