This is my Island in the Sun
where my people have toiled since time begun
I may sail on many seas
her shores will always be home to me
Oh Island in the Sun
willed to me by my father's hand
all my days I will sing in praise
of your forests, waters your shining sand

Dad (left) with his brothers Bruce and "Billy" ca 1950

This is the story of my Jamaican ancestry--a story that has no beginning and no ending. I begin with myself and tell the story backwards. I was born Cheryl O’Connor on October 25, 1958 to Edsel Delores and Reginald Glenn O’Connor in New York City.

My father Reginald Glynn O’Connor, was born on November 9, 1932. His birth certificate shows that his mother was Gertrude O’Connor nee Moorman (23 Nov 1897-7 Aug 1950) and his father was Steadman O’Connor.

My Dad, has three brothers Floyd (26 Apr 1928-1 Aug 1999), Bruce O’Connor b. 15 Sep 1930, Wilfred "Billy" O’Connor (25 Nov 1933—1989). Dad also has a brother James Smith and two sisters, Margaret and Shirley, from his mothers previous marriage to G. Emory Smith.

On the Social Security record that Steadman filled out on December 7, 1950 he lists his mother’s name as Alberta Neatly and his father as Amos O’Connor. He lists his date of birth as November 27, 1902. His barber shop was located at 2713 8^th Ave. in New York City. Dad remembers that a picture of Steadman’s father hung in the back of the barber shop. Steadman died of natural causes on August 4, 1959 at a hospital in the Bronx. He is buried at Woodlawn cemetery also in the Bronx. On Steadman’s death certificate, where the information was given by his second wife Carmen, his date of birth is listed as November 27, 1905. His parents are also listed as Albertha Neetley and Amos O’Connor.

Steadman O’Connor

I located the birth record of Steadman Silvester O’Connor among the records of births in the district of Point Hill, Parish of St. Catherine. His father was indeed Amos O’Connor, a shoemaker and his mother Albertha formerly Neatly. The birth was recorded on Sixth of December 1900 and the date of birth is recorded as 28 November 1900. It is signed by Amos O’Connor. Amos also signed the birth record of his son David born 27 October 1902.

Amos Uriah Connor and Rachel Albertha Neatly (b. 21 Jan 1873) were married at St. George’s in Point Hill on the second day of February 1897. Their marriage certificate names David Connor as the father of Amos who was a shoemaker age 26 and Thomas Neatly as the father of the bride. Amos signed is name Amos U. Connor and Rachel made her mark –an X.

Amos had earlier signed the birth record of his and Rachel’s oldest child their son Wilfred born 23 April 1893. The only difference in the signature is the "O" which must have been added between 1897 and 1902.

Rachel Albertha O’Connor nee Neatly with baby Jack

Amos and Albertha many children. Aside from those already mentioned I found records for Herman, Irene, Ralph, Carmen, Jocelyn, David and Lucille who at 86 years old is still living in Jamaica.

Prior to the recording of births in 1875 baptismal records may be used to ascertain birth dates and parentage. I found these baptismal records to be the most interesting records I have used primarily because they use an intricate system for recording the "complexion" of the child and whether the birth was "legitimate" or "illegitimate." The baptismal record of Rachel Albertha denotes her color as "black."

Search of the Baptismal records of Point Hill Church in the Parish of Saint Catherine, County of Middlesex year 1871 reveals a baptismal record for "Amos Uriah Connor an illegitimate brown son born 2 March 1870 to David Connor and Emily Nicholson (b. 17 Oct. 1840) of Snake Hill."

David Connor married Ellen Francis Morrison 28 August 1878 at Point Hill Church in the presence of Alexander Connor and Mary Elizabeth Penghilly(?). Of that union Amos has a half brother David Nathaniel (b. 2 Jul 1879) and three half sisters: Ellen Francis (b. 16 Oct 1887), Cleopatra (b. 1889), and Cynthia Estella b. 1893. All of these births were recorded in Point Hill. David Connor like his son Amos lists his occupation as shoemaker.

The baptismal record of David Connor shows that he was born 30 Jan. 1851 and baptized May 4 of the same year. His father, Alexander Connor, lived in Snake Hill, St John’s Parish as a Mason. His mother’s name was Sarah. Other children of Alexander and Sarah are, Charles Taws (b. 7 August 1835) in Dafow, Jamaica Alexander Jr. (b. 4. November 1838) the family lived at Comfort Hall and Joseph (b. 27 May 1853).

The marriage record of Alexander Connor to Sarah Taws is dated 12 October 1834. They were married in the parish of St. John’s.

Sarah Duckenfield Taws was born in Puscy, Parish of Saint John. She was baptized on 3 Mar 1833 when she was 15 years old. Her record does not give her birth date but it does give her parents as Charles Taws, a planter and Mary Taws his wife. I found a burial record of Charles Taws dated April 9 1796. He was buried at Mexico, St. John’s "about 48 years old."

While searching for the baptismal record of Sarah Taws I came across a record for Ellen Duckenfield Taws. I was interested that two sisters would have the same middle name. I first thought it must be their mother’s maiden name. I noticed that Sarah had named her eldest son after her father. Ellen’s baptismal record gives her mother’s maiden name as Mary Ann Gordon. (It also says Ellen’s "color" is Mulatto.)

I queried the Jamaican surname list and found that there was a Thomas Duckenfield living in Washington D.C. who was searching for his Duckenfield family in Jamaica. I e-mailed Thomas and he called me back and eventually visited me in San Francisco. Thomas Duckenfield has traced a Duckenfield family from Jamaica back to Thirteenth century England. Thomas’ problem is that he cannot find a solid connection between his family, who are from Jamaica and the one that goes back to England. I asked Thomas what he thought about my great great-grandmother and great-great aunt having the same middle name. He had no answer for me until he returned from a trip to Jamaica. This is an except of what he wrote:

I find it exhilarating that Thomas has documented my family tree. If only I could do the same for the O’Connor/Connor branch. Alexander Connor The only baptismal record I could locate that might belong to Alexander Connor is one dated 1812. On 12 July of that year six Connor’s were baptized the record is reproduced here:

If Ellick is the Alexander Connor I am searching for and he was three in 1812 in 1834 when he married Sarah Taws he would have been 25.