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Archiver > USVI > 2001-01 > 0978915598
From:
Subject: Re: [USVI] Heuck and Bagagoine - St Thomas
Date: Sun, 7 Jan 2001 19:59:58 EST
In a message dated 1/7/2001 9:13:39 AM Pacific Standard Time,
writes:
<< The story in my family is that John said he was born on St Thomas, the son
of a Dutch plantation
owner and his wife who had formerly been a slave.
However according to the USVI 1857 Census record which Jerry kindly found
for me, the family were living at 53a Kronprindsens Gade, Charlotte Amalie,
St. Thomas. >>
Hurray for the progess you have made - that's terrific. A couple of
comments from one who lived six years in St. Thomas some time ago and has
continued an interest in that part of the world:
1. for what it's worth, Kronprindens Gade [Crown Prince Street] is the main
commercial street in town and probably was in 1857 (and earlier) as well.
The address does not sound like a residence, but maybe where the
cigar-rolling took place. Or, they lived above the workplace.
2. Any plantation owner in St. Thomas was a lot more likely to have been
Danish than Dutch.
3. St. Thomas was an important commercial center for West Indies trade and
many kinds of goods were sent there for transhipment elsewhere. It makes
good sense that tobacco arrived in St. Thomas from other Caribbean ports, was
made into cigars in St. Thomas, and thereafter sent on to the States or maybe
to Europe.
If you comment or respond, please do so to the list - otherwise, I will feel
that I am shouting down a well. Feedback is our friend and encourages more
list participation. Thanks.
Ginny Crawford
California
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