A tortoise shell comb case dated 1690 and bearing the Chamberlain coat of arms was located at a museum in Jamaica. Peter Lang, who was researching its fascinating history, read the following data in Chapter 3 of The Chamberlain Story: Thomas Hewetson & Butler Chamberlain married 5 Mar 1690.
Tortoise Comb Case Inscribed “Port Royal in Jamaica 1690” and “Butler Hewetson” (Institute of Jamaica)
Butler’s married name “Butler Hewetson” was engraved on the case along with the inscription “Port Royal in Jamaica 1690”. Butler was the daughter of Edward Chamberlaine who came from the county of Leicester in England.1 The comb case may have been a wedding gift from her family or her husband Thomas Hewetson.
Chamberlain Coat of Arms on Tortoise Shell Comb Case
One Variation of the Chamberlain Coat of Arms
On the back of the case was both the Hewetson and the Chamberlain Coat of Arms. The inscribed version of the Chamberlain Coat of arms displayed the head of a donkey on the crest.
In 1690, Port Royal in Jamaica was a wealthy, thriving city of about 7000 inhabitants. Approximately 2000 buildings were built into a compact 51 acres. Its bustling economy was built on the slave trade, sugar exporting and privateering. On June 7, 1692, Port Royal was struck by an gigantic earthquake and literally sunk into the sea.2
The marriage of Thomas Hewetson and Butler Chamberlain was recorded in the parish records of Barbados. Their story, researched and written by Peter Lang, is told below.
Butler Chamberlain and her father are not descendants of Francis Chamberlain. However, some of the other Chamberlain’s listed in the parish records of Barbados may be.
Francis Chamberlain emigrated to Virginia on the Marmaduke in 1621. His wife Rebecca and their new baby Francis followed a few months later. Francis is believed to be the father of the three brothers, Thomas, Edmond and William Chamberlain. It is unknown what became of their mother, Agnes Hayden, but Thomas and William left England and arrived in Virginia in 1635. (See Chapter 1 of The Chamberlain Story)
Thomas and William, apparently fleeing religious persecution, left Virginia and sailed to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1644. (See Chapter 2).
There is strong evidence that Francis, Rebecca and Francis Jr. moved with their four servants, Richard Burton, John Forth, William Worlidge or Woolridge, and Sionell Rolston to the island of Barbados. The surnames for all five of these families are found in early Parrish records in Barbados. (See Chapter 3).
© Dennis D. Chamberlain, The Chamberlain Story, 2017. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of the written content of this site without express and written permission from the author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that credit is given to Dennis D. Chamberlain and direction to www.thechamberlainstory.com.
References:
1- Vere Langford Oliver, Monumental Incriptions in the Churches and Churchyards of the Island of Barbados, Sidewinder Press, Glendale California, MCMLXXXIX.
2- The Underwater City of Port Royal, http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5430/
Captain Thomas Hewetson and Butler Chamberlaine
By Peter Lang
Butler Hewetson nee Chamberlayne was the daughter of Edward Chamberlayne of Barbados. We know that she was sent to England to be educated and then returned to Barbados where in 1690, the date on her case in the Institute of Jamaica, she married a ships commander, Captain Thomas Hewetson.
Hewetson’s star was soaring when he married Butler. Following an ignominious start to his adventures in The Americas during which he lost one of the five ships he was commanding on the shores of Chile, and another when it exploded outside Barbados, he was soon employed by Governor Charles Codrington to rout some French adventurers on the island of Marie Galante., which he achieved with some degree of success.
Hewetson Coat of Arms inscribed on 1690 Tortoise Shell Comb Case
Hewetson is an immensely colourful character. He was soon pursued by his investors in London to the tune of £42,000, an incredible amount at that time, for embezzlement. Also, he traded on his own account using his employers ships, in one example trading sugar both to New York and Lisbon, without the assent of his backers, and, at the point where we lose track of him in 169? he had recently entered into a contract with Sir James Castillo (Santiago del Castillo) the Spanish agent in Port Royal, to allow “his” ship, The Lion, to be used for the Asiento, a clandestine arrangement for England to supply African slaves to the Spanish West Indies. Perhaps he ended his days in this dangerous trade.
This contract may have been semi-official in the sense that TH was endeavouring to pay back his considerable debts, and had entered into this contract with Castillo, with the approval of the Crown. Hewetsons backers were very rich and powerful men, and it may have affected the bigamy trial to in order to let him off in order that he could claw back as much of his debts as possible. It simply was not practical to imprison him, in which event he would have no chance of paying anything back.
We also know that he was being pursued by Mary (nee Palgrave????), his former wife in England for bigamy, (presumably with Butler), and it was not long (17++), before we find Butler described as the wife of Manuel Manassas Gilligan. Hugh Thomas in his book “The Slave Trade” describes him as “the mysterious”.
Gilligan was the equivalent of a modern day secret agent, shuttling between the Caribbean, London and Madrid, negotiating deals between England and Spain. We hear of a Butler Hewetson just once more, when in 17?? she married a local man Robert Allen from a long established Barbados family, however, since Manuel Gilligan describes himself in his will as a widower in 17xx, it is more likely that this other Butler is a daughter of Thomas Hewetson And Butler Chamberlayne.
The comb case dated 1690 is not only inscribed with her name, Butler Hewetson, presumably a wedding gift either from her ships commander husband Thomas, or possibly from her family. The Coat of Arms from both families are faithfully engraved on the case.
Initials EI on comb
The comb, although it fits well, may not be original due to the presence of some incongruous initials. A closer inspection has revealed the comb to be of the first period, although it is always possible that these initials “EI” (or “EJ”), were added later by a subsequent custodian. However on closer inspection it is thought that the comb is from the first period, and the case clearly from the second being dated 1690. One can only imagine the logistics in 1690 in the Caribbean, not only of the commissioning and customising with the 2 Coats of Arms, but also ensuring that the wedding gift arrived in Bridgetown on time!
When did Hewetson arrive in Caribbean?
Edward Chamberlaine purchased land in 1655 presumably soon after his arrival in Barbados. This became Chamberlaines Plantation (q.v.). From his will he leaves huge quantities of sugar either in one off amounts or in an annual legacy implying that he was a planter. Yes he was!
Although we know little of Butler herself, we know that her two husbands were both “colourful” characters. The will of Manuel Gilligan dated 17– states that he was a widower, although it does not mention his wife by name. Thus far can find no mention of their marriage or death of Butler. Perhaps these events happened in Spain where Gilligan was employed to negotiate a 30?? year Asiento contract with the Spanish King?? It would appear that he was in Madrid for some considerable time whilst these negotiations were progressing. He also visited many Spanish Caribbean ports, including Havana, Vera Cruz, Cartagena, and Campeche, presumably mainly on Asiento business. He does return to Barbados’ however, where his will was made in 17–.
More thoughts and confusing facts:
October 2016
In Edward Chamberlain’s will he asks to be buried “near my daughter Butler”. He then leaves money to his daughters Butler and Tanquerville, as well as to his sons Willoughby and Seagrave. Have now discovered that there were 2 Butlers. One (baptized 23 December 1662) and another baptised 8 May 1666. Presumably the first died in infancy and this would explain the entry in Edwards will. It was a custom to keep a “maiden” name and then to use it as a First name in order to preserve it within the family. This is why his second daughter was also named Butler.
Edward came from Leics. there is a Willoughby and a Seagrave very close to each other in Leics near Loughborough. And in East Norton, the Church had a lot of money lavished on it (albeit in the 19thC), by one Tankerville Chamberlaine a politician, who owned lands in Leics. it is tempting to link these unusual names although there is a gap of 200 years.
Did Edward come from East Norton near Uppingham?
Willoughby and a Seagrave were both educated at Merchant Taylor’s school then in the City of London. Willoughby was later knighted (why??) and ended his days in Chelsey (Chelsea), he died of distemper in 1697 and had recently converted to The Catholic faith, where a sermon by John King was read at his funeral service. He was buried in St James Garlickhythe in the City, why?
There is also a strange plaque in this church referring (wrongly I feel) to Seagrave. But I think Seagrave died and was buried in Barbados.
Of Tanquerville little is known, other than Edward asked that she and Butler be sent to “some school in England.”
Of Butler we know more, she was left money by Lady Willoughby of Parham in Suffolk. Lord Willoughby was at some point Governor of Barbados. She married Capt Thomas Hewetson in 1690, she was still married to TH in 1694 when her brother Willoughby brought a case in the Court of Chancery against Butler and Thomas H as well as the Wyndhams. Don’t understand but it will be about £££!!
How long she was married to Thomas Hewetson we don’t know. But in 17– she is married to Manuel M. Gilligan. That’s another story. Can find no record of her death but when MMG makes his will in 17– he is a widower.
