John Sinclair (Halkirk)

John Sinclair, writing his will in Berbice in 1801 [Prob 11/1434], described himself as ‘John Sinclair of New Amsterdam . . . a co-partner in the firm of Fraser, Ross & Sinclair’. He made provision, should funds allow, for the purchase of an annuity for his parents, Alexander Sinclair and Janet Campbell in Halkirk, Caithness, and divided the remainder between his brothers and sisters.

He was also involved, with his partners John Ross and James Fraser, in plantation Nigg on the east sea coast of the colony. After Fraser's death in 1800 the partnership was known as Ross & Sinclair. ‘John Sinclair Esq late of Berbice’ died in Banff , Scotland, in July 1805 (Scots Magazine) and the will was proved in November 1806.

Sinclair named his brother Alexander as one of his executors and when his affairs in Berbice were finally settled in 1814 (London Gazette, Feb 1814), the curator of his estate was James Sinclair, possibly another brother.