Famous Jamaicans

Francis Williams (b. c. 1690, d. 1770) a Jamaican scholar, writer, poet, teacher, and land-owner in 18th century Jamaica. He was was one of the most notable free black people in Jamaica.  Born in Kingston, Jamaica into a slaveholding family. His parents: John and Dorothy Williams, both of whom were free people of color. John had been emancipated in 1699 through the will and testament of his former enslaver. John Williams accumulated significant wealth through savvy business deals, leaving an estate worth £12,000 sterling upon his death in 1723. Around 1710, Williams journeyed to Britain for an education. Accounts vary, but he certainly studied law at Lincoln’s Inn, London Back in Jamaica, Williams became a local celebrity, attracting fans and critics alike. He apparently sought a seat in the House of Assembly, but was rejected because of his ethnicity. He ran a school for free black students, teaching reading, writing, Latin, and mathematics. Williams challenged everything th...