My name is Sandra Levien and I was told years ago by my ancestors that I am a descendant of Gotchal Levien. I have had people from Germany, Australia and New Zealand also enquiring if my family of Levien's is related to Gotchal. It was believed at first that we were descendants of his grandson Sidney. I recently received the family tree of Sydney Levien showing current photos of all his descendants. His lineage has been well tracked and it confirms that we are not descendants of Sidney Levien. This is what I know of him and his family:
Gottschalk Levien was a famous wealthy merchant who migrated from Germany to Jamaica. His grandson Sidney Lindo Levien is written about in many Jamaican history books because of his actions during the Morant Bay Rebellion in Jamaica.
SIDNEY LINDO LEVIEN
Born 7 Feb 1809, Portsea, UK - Died 26 Sep 1895, Jamaica. On 11 May 1830 in Hambro Synagogue, England; Sidney Levien married Cecilia Phillips, born 1809, England - Died Jun 1865, Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Sidney's surname was spelled "Levien". He was a prominent editor and strong critic of Edward John Eyre (Governor of Jamaica) and his handling of the Morant Bay Rebellion in Oct 11 1865. Sidney remarks got him arrested, brought to trial and almost executed before being pardoned and released from prison.
SOLOMON LEVIEN
Sidney's father was Solomon Levien. The Hambro Marriage Synagogue Record lists his surname as "Lavien". Born 1777 in Jamaica - Died 09 Nov 1851 Sydney, Australia.
ELIAKIM GOTCHALK LEVIEN aka "Gotchal" and "Gottschalk"
Sidney's grandfather was Gotchalk Levien. The Hambro Marriage Synagogue Record lists his surname as "Levehn". Born 1743 in Hanover Germany - Died 11 Apr 1825 in London, UK. On 23 July 1765 he married Abigail (no surname or place of birth) Born 1748 - Died 07 May 1778 Jamaica. They had 11 children over 13 years. Gotchalk was a famous merchant in 1795 and a Stock Broker 1802, at 4 Haydon Sq., Minories. His family portraits are in a United Kingdom Jewish museum.
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I was told by the Jamaican Registrar that my great,great,great grandfather was Lewis Levien. He was married to Mary Ann Elson. I have attained copies of his childrens marriage certificates. Gottschalk Levien was a famous wealthy merchant who migrated from Germany to Jamaica. His grandson Sidney Lindo Levien is written about in many Jamaican history books because of his actions during the Morant Bay Rebellion in Jamaica.
SIDNEY LINDO LEVIEN
Born 7 Feb 1809, Portsea, UK - Died 26 Sep 1895, Jamaica. On 11 May 1830 in Hambro Synagogue, England; Sidney Levien married Cecilia Phillips, born 1809, England - Died Jun 1865, Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Sidney's surname was spelled "Levien". He was a prominent editor and strong critic of Edward John Eyre (Governor of Jamaica) and his handling of the Morant Bay Rebellion in Oct 11 1865. Sidney remarks got him arrested, brought to trial and almost executed before being pardoned and released from prison.
SOLOMON LEVIEN
Sidney's father was Solomon Levien. The Hambro Marriage Synagogue Record lists his surname as "Lavien". Born 1777 in Jamaica - Died 09 Nov 1851 Sydney, Australia.
ELIAKIM GOTCHALK LEVIEN aka "Gotchal" and "Gottschalk"
Sidney's grandfather was Gotchalk Levien. The Hambro Marriage Synagogue Record lists his surname as "Levehn". Born 1743 in Hanover Germany - Died 11 Apr 1825 in London, UK. On 23 July 1765 he married Abigail (no surname or place of birth) Born 1748 - Died 07 May 1778 Jamaica. They had 11 children over 13 years. Gotchalk was a famous merchant in 1795 and a Stock Broker 1802, at 4 Haydon Sq., Minories. His family portraits are in a United Kingdom Jewish museum.
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Lewis Levien and Mary Ann Elson's children were:
1. Thomas Elliot Levien I
2. Elizabeth Francis Levien
3. Robert Henry Levien
4. John Levien
5. James Levien
1. Thomas Elliot Levien I
2. Elizabeth Francis Levien
3. Robert Henry Levien
4. John Levien
5. James Levien
I was on www.ancestry.com and found 7 slave register manuscripts stating that Lewis Levien and his mother, Penny Sergeant were slave owners in Kingston, Jamaica. I then did a search and found Lewis Levien's birth records. Found here:
It says that Lewis was born Sept 4 1801 in Kingston, Jamaica and his parents were Israel Levien and Penny Sergeant. I did a further search and found that Penny Sergeant also had a child named Rebecca Levien born Feb 25 1805 but it says her father's name is Joseph Levien. Found here:
I am assuming that Penny did not have children with two different Levien's. It is common for people in the Caribbean to have more than one name or nickname. I believe they had the same father and the name is actually Joseph Israel Levien.
In one of the children's birth records, it referred to Penny Sergeant as a "mulatto woman" while the other record referred her as a "quadroon".
Mulatto – a person with one black parent and one white parent.
Quadroon - the child of a white person and a mulatto so one quarter black. In other words, one black grandparent and three white grandparents.
I found this other site that confirms that Lewis Levien and Joseph Levien were slave owners:
I just realized that Gotchal (Gottschalk) Levien had a son born in Jamaica named Joseph Levien born May 18 1768 and died 1823 circa.
When I checked for birth records in www.familysearch.org, there is only one Joseph Levien born in that era. He is Joseph Edwards Levien born Feb 6 1818, parents Sarah Hemsley and Joseph Levien. Of course, this Joseph Edwards Levien could not be my ancestor since Lewis and Rebecca were born 1801 and 1805...unless he had his first child at 17. It is looking more likely to be Gotchal's son. That would mean he had Lewis at the age of 33 and Rebecca at the age of 37.
I will verify with the registrar but I would also like to see some wills/letters connected to the slaves, properties/plantations, etc.
Sandra Levien
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