Brief History
Saint Thomas was densely populated by the Taínos/Arawaks when Christopher Columbus first came to the island in 1494. The Spaniards established cattle ranches at Morant Bay and Yallahs. In 1655, when the English captured Jamaica, residents from other British colonies were invited to settle here. About 1600 colonists, mainly from Nevis —including the Governor of Nevis, his wife, children — settled there. In a short time, however, two-thirds of them died of fevers.
In 1674, the French Admiral Du Casse, sailed from Santo Domingo landing at Morant Bay on June 17. For a month, he wrought havoc on local settlers, killing many and carrying off their slaves. Later, bands of Maroons settled in the mountains of St Thomas and they eventually joined with the Maroons in Portland to form the Windward Maroons.
Read more about this topic: Saint Thomas Parish, Jamaica
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