Estate Petronella

Petronella is estate 30 in St. Croix’s East End A Quarter. The name does not appear to derived from owners identified on historic maps. A windmill appears on Oxholm’s 1799 map and Parsons’ 1856 map. This mill was blocked to store water at some point and sits idled in good condition.

Petronella was not apparently inhabited during the French period. By 1750, Thomas Danael was cultivating cotton. None of the Beck printed maps, annotated prints, or manuscript copies indicate sugar cultivation. Interestingly, ownership indicated by William Stridiron’s heirs on all the other Beck versions is indicated by Stridiron with no heirs on the 1770 annotated print and Colbiornsen and Stridron on the 1790s copies. This may indicate a single Stridiron emerged from the heirs to take over the estate.

The 1799 Oxholm map indicates a windmill at Petronella with other structures to the south and an indication of cotton cultivation. In 1856, Parsons also indicates a windmill at Petronella with structures surrounding it except to the northeast.

The US topographical maps all indicate the ruins of a windmill at the southern end of a ridge at an elevation of approximately 160 feet. Other structures appear down the hill to the south and west.

The McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p. 146) indicates that Petronella stretched southward to have a landing on Great Pond Bay. The mill description on a ridge extending from Carina mountain, place it 5/8 mile northwest of Great Pond.

Historic Maps of Petronella

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The 1958 USGS map 1982 photorevision show the ruins of a windmill at Petronella.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The 1919 USCGS topographic map shows the Petronella Mill at an elevation of 159 feet. Other structures lie to the southwest.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The 1907 map indicates a circle at Petronella.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill at the end of a ridge with structures to the northwest and south of it at Petronella.
Snippets of the Oxholm map of 1799 and 1820 update featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
Oxholm’s 1799 map and the 1820 update shows a windmill on a ridge at the southeastern corner of estate 30. Other structures lie to the south in estate 29a plus the icon for a cotton plantation.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill on a ridge at the southeastern corner of estate 30. Other structures lie to the south in estate 29a plus the icon for a cotton plantation.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen both attribute ownership to Colbiornsen and Stridiron.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement in the area of Petronella without attribution of ownership.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of c.1770 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The annotated Beck map from c.1770 indicates no structures in Petronella and provides no ownership attribution.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of 1770 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The 1770 annotated Beck map indicates no structures and attributes ownership to Stridiron. The name not underlined in red indicates this estate was not planted in sugar.
Snippet of the unsigned manuscript copy of Beck from 1766 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The unsigned 1766 manuscript copy of Beck indicates no structures and attribute ownership to William Stridiron’s heirs, placing this information after the annotated map dated 1770.
Snippet of the 1766 manuscript copy of Beck by Zöllner featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The 1766 Zöllner manuscript copy of Beck indicates no structures in Petronella and attributes ownership to William Stridiron’s heirs.
Snippets of 3 annotated Beck maps made from 1766 to 1767 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The 1766, 1767, and c.1767 annotated Beck maps indicate no structures and attribute ownership to William Stridiron’s heirs, placing this information after the annotated map dated 1770.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The Beck printings with data from 1752 and c.1755 show no structures in Petronella.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
The Cronenberg and von Jægersberg map of 1750 indicates several structures, cultivation of cotton plus provisions, and attributes property ownership to Thomas Danael.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 30, currently named Petronella.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Petronella.