Willem Willemsen
Willem Willemsen, the Long Island ancestor, was born in Holland in 1637, came to New Amsterdam in the ship Concorde in 1657, and settled at Gravesend, L.L., where his name appears on the tax list of 1683, and on the census of Gravesend in 1698. He took the oath of allegiance to England in 1687.
In the allotment of lands, 1670, he drew lot 32, and received another portion in 1700.
In his will dated Dec.1, 1721, recorded in the surrogate’s office, New York (p. 288, liber 9), and other contemporaneous documents he signs his name Willem Willemsen. In 1715 he and his son Nicholas were subscribers to a fund for the support of Dominies Freeman and Antonides, who presided over the churches of Breuckelen, Flatlands, Jamaica, Gravesend and New Utrecht. He married probably in 1678, Marye Peterse Wyckoff, of Gravesend, born Oct. 17, 1653, daughter of Pieter Classy Wyckoff, who emigrated to this country in 1636, and married Greitze, daughter of Hendrick Van Ness. They had issue, Nicholas, born 1680, Pieter, bap. April 16, 1682; Jacobus, Cornelis, Marretie, bap. April 12, 1685 (married Abm. Emans of Gravesend); Ann, bap. May 29, 1695 (married John Griggs, Jr., of Gravesend.
Nicholas Williamson
Nicholas Williamson, eldest child of Willem and Mary Peterse (Wyckoff) Willemsen, was born at Gravesend, L. I., in 1680. He was an industrious and successful farmer. He married 1st in 1715, Lucrecy Voorheese, daughter of Steven Corte Voorheese of Gravesend, and his wife, Agatha Egge Janse, who (Voorheese) was of Flatlands, 1699, and of Gravesend, 1725, son of Steven Corte Voorheese, who emigrated in 1660 from Ruinen in Drenthe, and from in front of the hamlet of Hees, which indicates the name. They had issue: Stephen, born July 1, 1716; Eva, bap. July 13, 1718; Garret born March 15, 1728. He married 2d Ida Remsen, daughter of Jeremias Remsen, and had Nicholas, bap. May 13, 1733; Johannes, bap. May 13, 1733; Rem., born April 17, 1738; Cornelis, bap. July 18, 1739; Antic, married Jacob Stillwill. The Williamsons of Flatbush, Flatlands, Gravesend and New Utrecht are descendants of Nicholas by his second wife.
Garret Williamson
Garret Williamson youngest child of Nicholas and Lucrecy (Voorhees) Williamson, was born at Gravesend, L. I., March 15, 1728, died at Neshanic, N. J., Jan. 17, 1790. He was an Elder in the Reformed Dutch Church at Neshanic. He married Aug. 18, 1761, Charity Bennett (born April 30, 1731, died Oct. 27, 1783). They had issue: Nicholas, born Oct. 8, 1762, Cornelis, born March 28, 1764, Jacobus, July 10, 1768, Anne, April 3, 1767, Lucrecy, Dec. 25, 1768. He married 2d Jan. 14. 1787. Alche Patterson; no issue.
Nicholas Williamson
Nicholas Williamson, Patriot of the Revolution, son of Gerret and Charity (Bennett) Williamson, was born Oct. 8, 1762, died Aug. 18, 1856. He served in the Revolution as a Minute Man, and was stationed for a time at Perth Amboy. and was under fire from the British ships in Raritan Bay. He was a farmer and storekeper at Neshanic, N. J. He was an Elder in the Reformed Dutch church of that place, and a man of some influence. He married June 10, 1788. Alche Ditmars (born Sept. 6, 1754, died April 15, 1846), daughter of Douwe Ditmars and Seytie Suydam, son of Douwe Jansen Ditmars and Catharine Lott, son of Jan Jansen Ditmars, the ancestor, who married Altie Douwe of Douwsen. Nicholas Williamson, by his wife, Alche Ditmars, had Douw Ditmars, born Jan. 4, 1789, and Garret, born March 7, 1798.
Douw Ditmars Williamson
Douw Ditmars Williamson son of Nicholas and Alche (Ditmars) Williamson, was born at Neshanick, N. J., Jan. 4, 1789. He served in the War of 1812-15, and was stationed at Paulus Hook, now Jersey City. He was Comptroller of New York, and served under several administrations. He was connected with the Western railroads, and some little time before his death (Aug. 4 1869), was President of the Farmers’ Loan and Trust Co. In religion he followed in the footsteps of his ancestors. He was long a member and Elder of the Collegiate Reformed Dutch church of New York.
He married Nov. 1, 1810, Mary Ann Abeel, daughter of Capt. David Abeel and his wife, Jane Hassert, son of Col. James Abeel, son of David, son of Johannes, son of Christopher Janse Abeel, the ancestor.
By this marriage he had issue:
- Nicholas, born Sept. 17, 1811;
- John Neilson Abeel, Feb. 13, 1814;
- James Abeel, April 12, 1816;
- Jane Hassert, June 23, 1818;
- David Abeel, Feb. 8, 1821;
- George Rogers, May 17, 1823;
- Leonard Bleeker, Feb. 4, 1826;
- Douw Ditmars, born Nov. 15, 1830; Edwin, March 9, 1829.
Nicholas Williamson
Nicholas Williamson, son of Douw Ditmars and Mary Ann (Abeel) Williamson, was born in New Brunswick, N. J., Sept. 17, 1811. He was educated at the schools of his native town and came to New York about as clerk in a commercial house, and later was appointed teller in the Butchers’ and Drovers’ Bank, and when the Bank of the State of New York was organized he left his old place and accepted the position of assistant teller in the new bank and afterwards became teller. The business training acquired in these financial institutions laid the foundation for his subsequent success. In 1850 he organized the Novelty Rubber Company, originally of Connecticut and later of New Brunswick, one of the earliest companies to introduce certain hard rubber goods of the Goodyear patents. The Rubber business was then in its infancy, and through the skillful management of Mr. Williamson and his associates, it became one of the largest concerns in this line in the United States, its annual output reaching several hundred thousand dollars.
It was chiefly through Mr. Williamson’s instrumentality that the works were established at New Brunswick, and he thus contributed materially to the growth and prosperity of his native town. He was President of the company for many years, until his death.
While a resident of New York, he became interested in the movement for the improvement of young men by providing additional means for reading and study, and assisted in the organization of the Mercantile Library of New York, of which he was for several years Secretary. He was an officer of the Reformed Church of New Brunswick. He died Nov. 15, 1862.
He married 1st Mary Rebecca Burlock, daughter of David Burlock, and Agnes Maria Codwise, born Nov. 3, 1819, on the Island of St. Croix, W. I.
They had issue:
- Agnes M., born New York, June 14, 1839 died in infancy;
- David Abeel, born New York, Sept. 18, 1840, died Sept. 22, 1862;
- Marianna, born in New York, March 3, 1843, died June 11, 1871;
- Nicholas, born New York March 9, 1845;
- Agnes Burlock, born in Jersey City, Jan. 16, 1848, deceased;
- Douw Ditmars, born in Bound Brook, N. J., Jan. 21, 1851;
- George Norman, born in Bound Brook, N.J.; March 12, 1853;
- Martha Codwise, born in Bound Brook, May 3, 1855.
Mr. Williamson’s first wife died Jan. 22, 1857.
He married 2d July 24, 1858, Augusta M. Storer (born March 10, 1833), daughter of William Storer and Delia Ann Moulthrop of West Hartford, Conn. No issue.
George Norman Williamson
George Norman Williamson, New York State Society Sons of the Revolution, son of Nicholas and Mary Rebecca (Burlock) Williamson, was born at Bound Brook, N. J., March 12, 1853. After the death of his mother he was adopted by his uncle, Douw Ditmars Williamson. He went abroad with him and resided for some years at Edinborough, Scotland, where he was partly educated. On his return to this country he took a preparatory course and entered Columbia College, from which he was graduated in 1873, and later at Columbia College Law School. He was admitted to the bar in 1876 and practiced for a short time and then became associated with his uncle in the chemical business, succeeding him in 1897, after the latter’s death.
His inherited taste for military affairs led him in 1875 to join Company K, Seventh Regiment, N. G. S. N. Y., and after completing his term of service became a member of the Seventh Regiment Veteran Association. Of a quiet and reserved nature, characteristic of his Holland ancestors, Mr. Williamson has taken no part in public affairs, giving his whole attention to business.
He married Katrina Margaritha Heink, born April 3, 1851, daughter of Frederick Augustus Heink Regierungsrath, of Dresden, Saxony, and his wife, Augusta Rebecca Dursthof.
They have issue:
- Elsa Rebecca
- Hildegard
- Margaritha Fanny, born in Dresden, Germany
- George Norman, born Sept. 28, 1881, in Colorado
- Katrina
Nicholas Williamson
Nicholas Williamson (2), M. D., eldest son of Nicholas (1) and Mary Rebecca (Burlock) Williamson, was born in New York City, March 9, 1845.
He was educated in New Brunswick and New York, and prepared for Rutgers’ College. After the death of his father he became connected with the Novelty Rubber Company as Secretary. On the graduation of the class at Rutgers, of which he would have been a member had he remained, he was given an honorary degree by the faculty.
Having a great desire to become a physician while still in active business, he studied medicine and received the degree of M. D. from Bellevue and the College of Physicians and Surgeons of New York.
He entered into active practice at New Brunswick, N. J., where he is one of the leading physicians. He has also been active in political life, and has been county physician, Alderman, and is now (1899) in his third term as Mayor of New Brunswick.
On April 9, 1874, he married Sarah, daughter of Prof. Geo. H. Cook of Rutgers College. She died, leaving no children.
He married 21 on June 2, 1881, Clara A., daughter of William and Maria Gurley of Troy. N. Y.
Issue:
- Clara Christian?
- Ruth Alice
- Charles Gurley
- Mary Agnes
- Burloch
