The Probable Family of Jacobus Williamson (William2, William1 Gerritsen)

The Probable Family of Jacobus³ Williamson (William², William¹ Gerritsen)

Jacobus' wife was probably Mary, daughter of Gerrit Stryker and Wyntje Boomgard.[i] They may have had the following children (not in birth order):

1) Gerrit[ii], husband of Maria Groenendyck as mentioned in her father Samuel’s will[iii].  He was named after his presumed maternal grandfather, Gerrit Stryker.  Children:

      a) Mayke (Maica), named after her maternal grandmother, Mayke Ver Kerk

      b) Jacobus, named after his paternal grandfather

      c) Catherine, named after her paternal great aunt, Catherine Stryker

2) William.  He was previously tentatively identified as the son of Peter³ (William^2-1, Peter¹.)[iv]  However, his father, Jacobus, and he are mentioned in a series of deeds for land near Rocky Hill where William wrote his will in 1776.  The first is a deed dated 16 Jul 1722 from William Harrison to Henry Harrison, both of Rocky Hill, for land bordering land of Jacobus Williamson.[v]  A deed in 1752 mentions land bordering the land of the heirs of Jacobus Williamson, dec.[vi], A deed in 1753 and one in 1755 mention land bordering William and Jacobus Williamson.[vii]  Jacobus’ father had died by 1745 when his mother is listed on the Tax List of Franklin Twp.[viii], instead of Jacobus.  The land they both occupied in 1753 is in the same location as that of the land “of the heirs of Jacobus Williamson”.  The estate was still not settled by 1752, so Mary was probably still alive at the time.  These clearly suggest that he is the brother of Jacobus, son of Jacobus and Mary Williamson, baptized on 17 Apr 1720.[ix]  William would have been named after his paternal grandfather.  His will mentions his wife, Ann, and the children listed below (their naming noted as well):

      a) Peter, naming unknown, possibly his maternal grandfather.

      b) Catherine, possibly named after her paternal great aunt, Catherine Stryker

      c) Sarah, named after her paternal aunt

      d) Ann, named after her mother

      e) Jacob, named after his paternal grandfather

3) Jacobus,[x] husband of Mary, baptized in 1720.  He was named after his father.  His children, in birth order, were named:

      a) James, named after his paternal grandfather

      b) William, named after his paternal uncle

      c) Hendrick

      d) Mary, named after her paternal grandmother

      e) Gerrit, named after his paternal uncle

      f) Annetje

      g) Sarah, named after her paternal aunt

      h) Joseph

      i) Wyntje, named after her paternal great grandmother, Wyntje Boomgard.

      j) Cornelius

4) probably Sarah, wife of Abraham Voorhees.  A Mary Willimse was the witness for her daughter, Mary, in 1752 at the DRC of Harlingen,[xi] possibly Sarah’s mother.  Abraham was the son of Auke Voorhees and his probable wife, Barentje Prall (she was not Catherine Sebring as the Voorhees Association has her)[xii].  Their children, in order of birth[xiii], were named

      a) Ouke, after his paternal grandfather

      b) Mary, after her maternal grandmother

      c) James, after his maternal grandfather

      d) Barentje, after her paternal grandmother

      e) Gerrit, after his maternal uncle

      g) Abraham, after his father

      h) Roelof

5) possibly Mayke, wife of Denys Hegeman, named after her paternal grandmother.  I don’t have any information to support her maiden name as Williamson, so the identification of her parents is speculative.  Her children included:

      a) Jacobus, baptized 4 Feb 1741[xiv] named after his maternal grandfather

      b) Sarah, baptized 29 Jan 1749[xv] named after her maternal aunt

      c) Gerrit, baptized 12 Jan 1752,[xvi] named after his maternal uncle

      d) Johannes, baptized 20 Mar 1757[xvii]

A Note Concerning the Second Wife of Peter³ Williamson (William^2-1)

“The Williamson Family of Gravesend”[xviii] suggests that Peter’s first wife, Cornelia Johnson, may have died young and Peter remarried.  Barbara Barth[xix] identifies his second wife as Geertje Dorland, born about 1712, daughter of Gerrit Gerritsen Dorland and Geertje Gerrits.  Barth identifies her husband as Peter Williamson, but does not mention his parents.  He was almost certainly Peter³ Williamson (William^2-1).  She identifies two children for the couple, but based on baptismal records there was a third, Cornelia, also suggested in “The Williamson Family of Gravesend."

Cornelia Willems married Jacob/Seems (sic) Berry and had four children baptized at Flatlands and Flatbush, the ones at Flatbush being the only ones that identify the mother as Cornelia Willems.  Their children were: Peter, baptized 7 May 1749, witnesses Peter Williamson and Geertje Dorlant[xx]; Ariantie, baptized 23 Jun 1751 at Flatbush[xxi] and recorded also at Flatlands; Geertje, baptized 14 Oct 1753 at Flatbush;[xxii] and Charles, baptized 11 Jul 1756 at Flatlands.[xxiii]  Barth suggests that the father may be Samuel (Seems, not Jacob), husband of Jacomyntje, but his will makes no mention of any of these as his children.[xxiv]  Jacob’s father was probably the Sarels Berrij listed in the 1738 census, taken in 1731, of New Utrecht.[xxv]  In two baptismal records [xxvi]at the DRC of New Utrecht his wife’s name is listed as Elizabeth.  Charles may have previously married Arriantje Van Dyck, daughter of Tjerck and Pieteneeltje Van Dyck, who was deceased by 1 May 1743 when her father wrote his will,[xxvii]  whose children are mentioned, but not named.  If correct, then their four children were named after their grandparents.  Based on the naming of their children and the presence of Peter Williamson and Geertje Dorland as witnesses, Cornelia was almost certainly their daughter.

The 1738/1731 census of Gravesend[xxviii] shows that Peter Williamson had 4 daughters under the age of 10.  Cornelia was probably named after Peter’s first wife, Cornelia Johnson. 

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[i] See the post regarding The Family of Gerrit Stryker and Wyntje Boomgaert.

[ii] The Williamson Family of Gravesend, Aline L. Garretson, PhD, RECORD 136:189

[iii] Abstract of wills on file in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume IV. 1744-1753), pg 469

469 Page 439. In the name of God, Amen, August 8, 1753, I, SAMUEL GROENENDYCK, of New York, Gent., being sick. All debts are to be paid by my executors, and my clothing or apparell belonging to my body shall altogether be delivered unto my son Cornelius, before any division is made. ~ My wife Maria shall have, possess, and enjoy all my estate, real and personal, and the income of my house rents while she i e- mains my widow, and after her decease her burial charges are to paid out of my estate; and all her clothes shall be delivered to her daughter, Catalina Warner. Whereas I have given to my son Petrus for his outfit at the time of his marriage, to the value of £70, and I have given to my son Johanes, for his outfit £45, and to my daughter Maria, wife of Geritt Willemse £50, and to my son Nicholas £50, and to my daughter Catalina, wife of Luke Kierstead £45, I therefore order that my son Cornelius shall have for his outfit £45, and my daughter Sara £45. I have given to my son Petrus £100 and he is to pay £5 per annum so long as it remains due. I leave to my 6 children, Johanes, Maria, Nicholas, Catalina, Cornelius, and Sara, each £100, and if there be any more it is to be divided among my 7 children. I make my wife Maria, and Petrus Groenendyck, of New Utrecht, in Kings County, and Luke Kierstead, tailor, of New York, executors. Witnesses, John Man, cordwainer, Richard Kip, Charles Phillips, cooper. Proved, January 23, 1754, and confirmed by James De Lancey, Esq., Lieutenant. Governor.

[iv] The Williamson Family of Gravesend, Aline L. Garretson, PhD, RECORD 136:64

[v] Pg 110, 16 Jul 1722… William Harrison of Rocky Hill… sells to Henry Harrison…a farm or plantation tr. in Somerset Co., by John Stevens land one side of Milstone …along sd. Gulick’s & Cobus Williamson’s land…

East Jersey Land Records, abstracted by Richard Hitchinson, pg 99

[vi] Pg 118.  25 Oct 1752.  Deed of Samuel Gulick & others  to John Stevens for land belonging to Johannes Gulick, dec'd which he bought of Henry Harrison by deed dated 22 Feb 1727, in Somerset Co., bounded on west by the east side of Millstone River, north by Nicholas Britton & Nicholas Veghte, east by the heirs of Jacobus Williamson, dec'd and south by Abraham Polhemus.

East Jersey Land Records, abstracted by Richard Hitchinson

[vii] Pg 351.  29 Jan 1753.  Henry Harrison of Somerset Co, sells to John Stevens mineral rights on land near Rocky Hill bounded on west by Millstone River, north by Nicholas Veghte and Nicholas Britton, e by land of William Williamson & Jacobus Williamson and s by land sd Stevens bot of Martin Armstrong.

East Jersey Land Records, abstracted by Richard Hitchinson

Pg 359.  12 Jul 1755.  Minne Gulick of Amwell, Hunterdon Co., NJ., yeoman, sells to John Stevens, of Rocky Hill, Somerset Co., NJ, Mercannt...of land Jochum Gulick sold unto John Stevens, bnd w. by Millstone River. n by land which Joseph Furman bot. of Nicholas Britton and lands of Nicholas Veght, e. by land of William & Jacobus Williamson, s by land sd. Stevens bot of Martin Armstrong

East Jersey Land Records, abstracted by Richard Hitchinson

[viii] SCHQ

[ix] FRC of New Brunswick, PNJHS

17 Apr 1720; Wilmsen, Jacobus and Marietje – Jacobus; Witnesses: Thomas Leeck and Caharyntje Stillwell

[x] The Williamson Family of Gravesend, Aline L. Garretson, PhD, RECORD 13x:xxx

[xi] GMNJ

[xii] See post on Auke Jans Van Voorhees for more details.

[xiii] VVFA

[xiv] Harlingen, GMNJ

[xv] SMR SCHQ

[xvi] SMR SCHQ

[xvii] FRC of New Brunswick, PNJHS

[xviii] The Williamson Family of Gravesend, Aline L. Garretson, PhD, RECORD 136:140

[xix] The Dorland Enigma Solved, Barbara Barth, pg 150

[xx] Flatbush

[xxi] Flatlands

[xxii] Flatbush

[xxiii] Flatlands

[xxiv] Abstracts of wills on file in the Surrogate's Office, City of New York (Volume VII. June 6, 1766-Nov. 29, 1771, ABSTRACTS OF WILLS LIBER 26.pg 132.

[xxv] Documentary History of the State of New York

[xxvi] DRC of NU, RECORD

[xxvii] Wills

[xxviii] Documentary History of the State of New York