 Minard
Estate in Brown’s Town St. Ann served as a vacation
home for the Stiebel family.
He
built a lavish home at Minard, which became the family’s
favourite vacation getaway. In 1881 he commissioned the services
of contractor Charles P. Lazarus to build the magnificent
Devon House. The house boasted a library, gaming room, ballroom,
sitting rooms, a sewing room, dining room, and bedrooms. The
kitchen (now occupied by the Brick Oven) was located towards
the back away from the House. In addition to investing in
property in Jamaica, Stiebel was a philanthropist, assisting
the poor and disadvantaged, as well as exhibiting continuous
interest in the socio-economic state of the country. Several
civic authorities and local groups invited Stiebel to sit
on their Boards including the Jamaica Permanent Benefit Society,
the Jamaica Co-operative Fruit Insurance Company, the Board
of Education and the Kingston and St. Andrew Union Poorhouse.
Stiebel’s most noted civic duty came when he was named
a Justice of the Peace (JP) and later Custos of St. Andrew.
It was during his tenure as Custos that the Great Exhibition
of 1891 was staged in Kingston. The Exhibition, which sought
to introduce tourism to the island, required extensive financing
which the government was unable to undertake. Stiebel was
among a small group of entrepreneurs who loaned the Government
funds to stage the exhibition. In recognition of his services
in the interest of the island, Her Majesty the Queen bestowed
on Stiebel the honour of Companion of the Most Distinguished
Order (C.M.G.). |
