Mary Point Estate
Encyclopedia
Mary Point Estate is a historic property located on the north coast of Saint John, United States Virgin Islands
on Mary's Point. The plantation was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
on May 22, 1978.
settlement. Not being prime land for planting, the land was held until new settlers needed property. The van Stell family was the first controlling landholding on Mary's Point.
In the aftermath of the 1733 slave insurrection on St. John
, Franz Claasen was deeded the Mary's Point estate for alerting the family of the rebellion and assisting in their escape to St. Thomas, a nearby island. Franz Claasen's land deed was recorded on August 20, 1738 by Jacob van Stell. Claasen was the first "Free Colored" landowner on St. John.
Augustus Kragh and the Grancis family were owners of the Mary Point Estate during the late 18th century. Hans Hendrik Berg, a governor and president of St. John and St. Thomas
, was an owner of the Mary Point Estate during the 19th century. During this time an L-shaped factory and the one-story Great House were constructed on the property. In addition to the Great House, a servant's quarters, farm building, and cemetery remain.
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
on Mary's Point. The plantation was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
on May 22, 1978.
History
The land on which Mary Point Estate sits was originally held by Danish West India and Guinea Company officials during the early years of DanishDenmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
settlement. Not being prime land for planting, the land was held until new settlers needed property. The van Stell family was the first controlling landholding on Mary's Point.
In the aftermath of the 1733 slave insurrection on St. John
1733 slave insurrection on St. John
The 1733 slave insurrection on St. John in the Danish West Indies, started on November 23, 1733 when African slaves from Akwamu revolted against the owners and managers of the island's plantations. The slave rebellion was one of the earliest and longest slave revolts in the Americas...
, Franz Claasen was deeded the Mary's Point estate for alerting the family of the rebellion and assisting in their escape to St. Thomas, a nearby island. Franz Claasen's land deed was recorded on August 20, 1738 by Jacob van Stell. Claasen was the first "Free Colored" landowner on St. John.
Augustus Kragh and the Grancis family were owners of the Mary Point Estate during the late 18th century. Hans Hendrik Berg, a governor and president of St. John and St. Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
, was an owner of the Mary Point Estate during the 19th century. During this time an L-shaped factory and the one-story Great House were constructed on the property. In addition to the Great House, a servant's quarters, farm building, and cemetery remain.