Estate Prosperity

Prosperity is estate 36 in St. Croix’s West End Quarter. The windmill was likely built in the 1760s based on appearances on historic maps, when the estate was part of a 6-estate plantation. This windmill has been reduced to a foundation. Sugar cane is currently being cultivated on this estate.

The estate now known as Prosperity does not appear to have been settled in the French period. By 1750 sugar cultivation in the northeast quadrant of the estate also included an animal mill and other structures on either side of the road.

Both of the Beck printed maps of the 1750s include an animal mill in the northern extreme of estate 36, west of the road. All the annotated Beck maps and the manuscript copies of the 1760s depict the printed animal mill plus a hand-drawn windmill in the center of the estate. Similarly, Oxholm’s 1778 map of Frederiksted includes a windmill in the center of estate 36 with an animal mill north of it.

All of the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies include Prosperity in a 6-estate block owned by John or Augustine Boyd or Isaac Markoe. The Kuffner map of 1767 also attributes ownership to John Boyd, an unusual use of familiar and surname to identify ownership on this map. The 1778 Oxholm map of Frederiksted indicates the same combination of estates owned by Isaac Markoe’s heirs.

The 1799 Oxholm map includes a windmill in the center of estate 36 to the west of a house at the end of a row of trees heading south to Mahogany Road, naming the area Prosperity. The 1856 Parsons map indicates a windmill and drive leading to a house in a similar location at Prosperity, and including a slave village and other structures to the west of the windmill.

The 1920s topographic map locates structures at Prosperity in a similar configuration to Parsons. Legibility limits the identification of a windmill. The 1958 and 1982 topographic maps indicate ruins but none suggesting a windmill at Prosperity. Field reconnaissance found a windmill foundation.

As the McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p. 151) describes, sugar cane was still cultivated here in the 1920s with a mahogany grove to the east. The chimney and house were considered prominent objects on the Hydrographic Office chart 1409.

Photos of Prosperity, West End, 2020s

Prosperity West End windmill exterior from the south featuring a timber slot.
Prosperity West End windmill exterior from the south featuring a timber slot. The hole in the cut stone facing of the windmill’s exterior would have held a timber used to tie off ropes used to move the mill cap and secure sails when the mill was not operating. The plantation’s bell tower sits in the background.
Prosperity West End windmill exterior from the east featuring the foundation compared to the small remaining portion of the cone.
Prosperity West End windmill exterior from the east featuring the foundation compared to the small remaining portion of the cone. The level portion on the right side of the image would have been at the level of the working floor of the mill while the higher portion to the left is what remains of the windmill tower. The mill was built faced with cut stone blocks. The boiling house ruins appear in the back right of this image, to the west of the windmill.

Historic Maps of Prosperity, West End, 2020s

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map 1982 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The 1982 photorevision has no additional information from the 1958 version.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The 1958 USGS topographic map reflects the information on the maps from the previous century and a half. Ruins are indicated with a drive from the south. However, no windmill ruin is clearly indicated.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The 1920 USGS topographic map reflects structures from the Oxholm and Parsons maps. A drive from the south ends at a structure. Other structures lie to the west, ending in a village. A mill may be indicated, although legibility is limited.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill ruin at Estate Prosperity.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill in a similar position to Oxholm’s 1799 map at Estate Prosperity. Also similar is a drive from the south ending at a structure. Reflecting Oxholm’s 1778 map, structures including plantation structures and a slave village lie to the east of the windmill.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows Estate Prosperity with a windmill in the center of estate 36 and a double row of trees leading up to the estate house from the south. Dotted lines between estates 34, 35, and 36 suggest common ownership of the 3 estates. The lack of a solid line joining the dots on the quarter boundary to the north, adjoining the William, also suggests the 6 estates continued to have a single owner.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The 6-estate area, with estate Prosperity in the southwest corner, has ownership attributed to Markoes Arvinger, or heirs, on the 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of Frederiksted from 1778 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
Oxholm’s 1778 map of Frederiksted shows an extensive area attributing ownership to Isaac Markoes arvinger, or heirs. This area includes the equivalent to the 6 estates shown on the Beck variations. Specific to Estate Prosperity, a windmill is shown in roughly the center of the estate and an animal mill directly to the north (note that north is to the left on this map). Plantation structures are expected to the east, south, and west. A slave village is depicted to the northwest of the other structures.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
Küffner’s 1767 Beck replica includes an indication of settlement in the area of Estate Prosperity, with ownership attributed to John Boyd.
Snippet of the Zöllner manuscript copy of Beck from 1766 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
Zöllner’s 1766 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a windmill in the south of what is now Estate Prosperity and an animal mill in the neighboring estate to the east. Six neighboring estates attribute ownership to Augustine Boyd.
Snippet of the 1766 unsigned Beck manuscript copy featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The 1766 unsigned manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts an animal mill in the northeast corner of the estate and a windmill in the center of what today is Estate Prosperity. Six neighboring estates attribute ownership to Augustine Boyd, indicating this map draws on the 1766 Beck revision.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of c.1770 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The c.1770 annotated Beck map illustrates an animal mill in the northeast corner of what is now Estate Prosperity and a hand-drawn windmill in the center. Six neighboring estates attribute ownership to Isaac Markoe.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of 1770 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The 1770 annotated Beck map shows an animal mill in the northeast corner of what is now Estate Prosperity with no windmill. Six neighboring estates attribute ownership to Isaac = Markoe. The name underlined in red indicates a sugar plantation.
Snippets of the annotated Beck maps of 1767 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The 1767 and c.1767 annotated Beck maps illustrate an animal mill in the northeast corner of what is now Estate Prosperity and a hand-drawn windmill in the center. Six neighboring estates attribute ownership to John Boyd.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of 1766 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The 1766 annotated Beck map illustrates the printed animal mill in the northeast corner of what is now Estate Prosperity and a hand-drawn red windmill in the southeast quadrant. Six neighboring estates attribute ownership to Augustine Boyd.
Snippet of the Beck map printed in 1754 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
In the 1750s, the first and second printings of the Beck map show an animal mill in the northeast corner of the estate.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
By 1749, sugar cane is being grown in the estate, evidenced by the yellow coloring. Plantation structures and an animal mill are in the northern portion of the estate and southeast of a pond depicted in the northwest corner of the estate. A slave village is depicted across the road near the northern border of the estate.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring West End Quarter estate # 36, currently named Prosperity.
The area of Estate Prosperity is shown vacant during the French period. The shore is to the west, on the right of this map.