Emilio Wilson Estate & Park

Source: http://www.discover-stmaarten.com/images/emiliobust.jpg

The Wilson Family

Cinda Wilson, also know as Cinda Rink, was born into slavery in Cul-de-Sac around 1798 and gave birth to a daugther, Trace, in 1818. Trace Wilson expierenced the transition from slavery to freedom on the Cul-de-Sac plantation of Judith Rink Tielenius van Romondt-Kruythoff "Golden Rock Retreat"( formerly ownen by Hendrik Rink, the commander ( 1790-1795) of the Dutch Side of Sint Maarten, N.A. The three sugarcane plantations were sold to Judith and her husband Johannes Willem van Romondt who was employed by the Dutch Kingdom chartered West India Company in Surinan (W.I.C.).


The children of Trace Wilson (Jinny, Sam, Margareth and Mary Jane) were Cul-de-Sac laborers and cultivators on the plantation of Judith van Romondt-Kruythoff. Trace Wilson died in Cul-de-Sac in 1896, and she could not have imagined that her great grandson Emilio Wilson would come to own the plantation were she had been enslaved.


In 1929 Leonara van Romondt Rodenhuis ( branch Diederik Christiaan) wife of Gerrit Rodenhuis, employed Emilio as the watchman at her industry and Golden Rock Estates. Emilio soon started delivering milk, butter, beef and mutton to buyers in Philipsburg for Leonara van Romondt-Rodenhuis who left the island in 1954. On August 10, 1954, Leonora sold Industry and Golden Rock to her trusted employee Emilio wilson for 15,000 guilders.


In 2001, Emilio Wilson signed a long-lease agreement, grandting the Emilio Wilson Historical and Cultural Foundation.the right to develop the part of this property called the "Doctor's yard", into a historical, cultural, educational and recreational park.


In juy 2002, a week before the official opening of the Emilio Wilson Park, the generous land-owner and patron of the arts died at the age of 90.

(Source: Book: Cul-de Sac People, A St. Martin Family Series by Mathias S. Voges, 2006)

St. Maarten--An Emancipation Day, July 1, 2006 St. Maarten Commissioner of Culture Louie Laveist and Chance represented a bust of Emilio Wilson will be presented at Emilio Wilson Historical and Cultural Park. (http://www.thedailyherald.com/news/daily/j031/mural031.html, http://www.antillenhuis.nl/web/images/nieuwsbrief/AN%20jan-feb%202007.pdf)


View the website of SXM Private Eye to get to know Emilio Wilson & the Emilio Wilson Estate & Park at http://sxmprivateeye.com/node/1263 where you can browse through the many articles & photos, history, documents and news. Also the video-interview with Emilio at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VaDBrfir4Sw.

(http://sxmconservationfoundations.org/ewef/index.php)