Benjamin McMahon (Irish: Binimín Mac Mathúna; fl. 1818–1838) was an Irish man of the 19th century. Emigrating to the Americas, he worked as an overseer on a Jamaica slave plantation, and wrote an account of his experiences.[1]

Early life

McMahon was born in Ireland. He moved to South America in 1818 to serve in Simón Bolívar's "British Legions". In 1819 he left and migrated to British Jamaica where he worked as a bookkeeper (accountant) and overseer. He lived there for eighteen years and worked on twenty-four different plantations.[2]

He was unemployed for a period after criticising the treatment of slaves, and served in suppressing the Baptist War, a slave rebellion of 1831–32.

McMahon later became an avowed abolitionist, and wrote an account of his experiences, entitled Jamaica Plantership.[3][4]

References

  1. ↑ Higman, B. W. (20 March 1995). Slave Population and Economy in Jamaica, 1807-1834. Press, University of the West Indies. ISBN 9789766400088 – via Google Books.
  2. ↑ Hogan, Liam (10 October 2019). "An Irish overseer's account of the Jamaican slave revolt (1831-'32)". Medium.
  3. ↑ M'Mahon, Benjamin (20 March 1839). "Jamaica plantership". London, E. Wilson – via Internet Archive.
  4. ↑ "Benjamin McMahon: Jamaica Plantership | Derek Bishton".
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