Estate Diamond Keturah

Diamond Keturah is estate 31 in St. Croix’s Company’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 19th century. The windmill tower is in good condition.

While the windmill was built in estate 31, the neighboring estate 32 to the west had a sugar mill slightly earlier. The 1750 map indicates estate 32 planted in sugar cane and depicted structures including an animal mill, while estate 31 planted in cotton and provisions. Both Beck printings included an animal mill in estate 32 with no sugar mill icon in estate 31. The annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies retain the animal mill in estate 32 and add an animal mill to estate 31.

The 1799 Oxholm map depicted an animal mill at Diamond. The 1856 Parsons map depicted a windmill at Diamond. All the 20th-century topographic maps depicted ruins identifiable as a windmill.

The 1750 map attributes ownership of estate 32 to Robbelsog De Leon with ownership of the northern half of estate 31 to Robert Allen and southern half to Adam Wallis. The western portion of estate 30, which became incorporated into Diamond Keturah has ownership attributed to Frances Surleinis. From 1766 through 1770, the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies attributed ownership of estate 32 to Laurence Bodkin and estate 31 and the portion of estate 30 to John Peter Richardson. By 1790, ownership transitioned for estate 32 to Christopher McEvoy and estate 31 to Cuttre.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (pp.65, 117) notes Little Diamond Mill on southwest skirt of 80-foot hill overlooking Manchenil Bay.

Historic Maps of Diamond Keturah

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
The 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at Diamond Keturah.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
The 1958 USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at Diamond Keturah.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
The 1919 USCGS topographic sheet shows Little Diamond Mill in the center of Little Diamond.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
The 1907 map identifies no estate at Diamond Keturah.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill at the end of the road with other structures to the south in the center of Diamond.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows an animal mill on the west end of a ridge with other structures to the southeast in the west edge of Diamond.
Snippet of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership of estate 31 to Cuttre and 32 to Christopher McEvoy.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
The 1767 Küffner manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a sugar mill in the estate 32 area of Diamond Keturah with ownership attributed to Bodkin. A settlement with no ownership attribution appears in the estate 31 area.
Snippet of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
The annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies retain the animal mill in estate 32 from the printed map and all but the 1770 annotated map, which only added ownership attributions, added an animal mill in estate 32. Ownership attributed to Laurence Bodkin for estate 32 and to John Peter Richardson, with various spellings, for estate 31.
Snippet of the c1757 Beck mapfeaturing Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
Both Beck printings show an animal mill icon in the center of estate 32 and no sugar mill icon in estate 31.
Snippet of the 1754 Beck map featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
Both Beck printings show an animal mill icon in the center of estate 32 and no sugar mill icon in estate 31.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
The 1750 map by Cronenberg and von Jægersberg indicates sugar cultivation and structures including an animal mill in estates 31 & 32. Ownership attributed to Robless & De Leon, Robert Allen, and Adam Wallis.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Company's Quarter estates # 31-32, currently named Diamond Keturah.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Diamond Keturah.