Estate Judith’s Fancy

Judith’s Fancy is estate 1 in St. Croix’s Northside B Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1750s. The estate was likely named for Judith Aletta Kenney, whose gravestone rests on the site. The windmill was blocked to store water after decommissioning and is in good condition.

While in Northside B quarter, Judith’s Fancy is far more accessible to Company quarter immediately to the south, also facilitated by Salt River Bay to the west. This accessibility placed Judiths Fancy as the estate cultivating sugar sooner than other Northside B estates, very possibly during the French period.

Judith’s Fancy is the only estate in Northside B quarter with an animal mill indicated on the 1750 map and the first printed Beck map and the only estate in Northside B quarter with a windmill on the second printing of the Beck map. The c.1770 annotated Beck maps indicates an animal mill working in conjunction with the windmill, something confirmed on the 1778 Oxholm map.

At an elevation of about 25 feet for the base of the windmill, this represents one of the lowest elevations for any mill on St. Croix. That being said, the winds constantly blow on the eastern shore of Judith’s Fancy, likely enough to justifying a windmill in that location. The windmill and a steam chimney along with other structures are easily located at Judith’s Fancy.

Maps indicate ownership transferred from Gouverneur Jens Hansen in 1750 to Jens Peter Hemmer in the 1760s. By 1778, ownership transferred to Benners and stayed as such through at least 1791. At various points, the plantation extended ownership to estate 34 of Company quarter and estate 1 Queen quarter. McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.102) makes the point that Oldendorp referred to the area as Hemers Plantage and was home to the Governor’s Castle.

The 1799 Oxholm map makes the first reference to the name Judith’s Fancy. Hinting at the basis for the name given to the estate, a gravestone with the name Judith Aletta Kenney can be found at the estate near the other ruins, with the date of death in 1790 sufficient time before the 1799 Oxholm map to have the name come into common usage. Ryberg’s list of inhabitants of the Danish West Indian Islands includes mention of Judith Aletta Heyliger married to Johannes Benner with a child baptized in the Dutch church in 1779.

Photos of Judith’s Fancy, 2020s

Judith's Fancy windmill and steam chimney from a distance.
Judith’s Fancy windmill exterior from the east including the windmill and steam chimney.
Closeup of the Judith's Fancy Windmill next to the steam chimney.
Judith’s Fancy windmill exterior from the south featuring the main entrance, bagasse opening, and machine slot. This image shows the proximity of the steam chimney to the windmill.
Highlight of the main entrance of the Judith's Fancy windmill with the steam chimney only a couple of feet away. The opening is outlined with red bricks.
Judith’s Fancy windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance. This image underlines how close the steam chimney was built to the windmill.
Closeup of the east exterior wall of the Judith's Fancy windmill.
Judith’s Fancy windmill exterior from the east highlighting the plaster that had covered the mill. The black color is likely due to weathering and pollution absorbed by the limestone base.
Highlight of the Judith's Fancy windmill bagasse opening blocked to store water. The opening is outlined with yellow bricks.
Judith’s Fancy windmill exterior from the southwest featuring the bagasse opening. At the lower extreme of the photo is the structure to drain water from the windmill.
Closeup of the stone recess with a pipe coming through it.
Closeup of the structure created to drain water from the mill after it had been decommissioned and converted to storing water.

Historic Maps of Judith’s Fancy

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
The 1958 and its 1982 photorevision USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a windmill at Judith Fancy.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
The 1921 USGS topographic map shows a MILL and Judith Fancy Chimney at Judith Fancy with an elevation at the base approximately 25 feet.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Judiths Fancy.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill with structures in all directions at an unnamed location recognizable as Judith’s Fancy.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill at Judith’s Fancy and several structures to the west.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Benners.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of Christiansted from 1778 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
Oxholm 1778 indicates both a windmill and an animal mill just to the west of it along with other plantation structures. Ownership attributed to Benners and heir.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement but not a sugar mill.
Snippets of both manuscript copies of Beck made in 1766 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
Both manuscript copies of Beck’s map from 1766 indicate a windmill and attribute ownership to Jens Peter Hemmer, with varied spellings
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
The 5 annotated Beck maps all reflect the underlying map, with an animal mill on the annotations dated 1766 and windmills on the other 4. The c.1770 annotation adds a hand drawn windmill and hand highlighting of the windmill. On all 5 maps, ownership attributed to Jens Peter Hemmer, with a variety of spellings.
Snippets of the second Beck map printed in circa 1757 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
By around 1757, the second Beck printing shows a windmill at Judith’s Fancy estate. This windmill, unlike other locations, appears to not fully incorporate the animal mill from the previous map.
Snippet of the first Beck map printed in 1754 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
By 1752, the first Beck printing shows an animal mill at Judith’s Fancy estate.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
By 1750, Gouverneur Jens Hansen was cultivating sugar cane and an animal mill was depicted to the west of a house and slave village.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 1, currently named Judith's Fancy.
During the French period, settlement by Rouere in the south and Breuet along Salt River Bay is indicated in the vicinity of current Judith’s Fancy.