WILLIAMSON, ROBERT [SSNE 6726]

Surname

WILLIAMSON, WILLIAMSONE, WILLIAMSEN

First name

ROBERT, ROBBERT

Nationality

SCOT

Region

BO'NESS, FALKIRK

Text source

On 13 July 1701, a Robbert Williamsen was made a burgess skipper in Trondheim. He was possibly a Scot. A Robert Williamson (1641-1716), allegedly from Montrose, migrated to Lillefosen, near Kristiansund, in the 1690s along with his grandson Robert Rennie/Rennay [SSNE 6732]. He had been married to Margaret Beattie (who died in 1671) and with her had had three children: Robert, Thomas (who travelled to Norway for his father's funeral), and Agneta. Robertson was thus a widower when he migrated although he married Catharina Alhed (born Muhlenphort), herself a widow of Christopher Castberg, in 1701. He was apparently the only listed skipper of Lillefosen that year, but his main activity was trade in flour, corn, metal and malt as well as timber cargo. Williamson had a storehouse at Werringsholment and farms at Lindahl and Bakergarden. In 1707 Williamson and two of his brothers in law, Diderich and Johann Muhlenphort, requested the establishment of a church in the town and the following year this was granted by King Frederick IV. In 1710 he bought Øvre Frei from his brother in law, major general Caspar von Mihlenphort, and moved there, but only four years later he acquired Flatset farm from Catharina and Jacob Nissen. Part of the Flatset property has been retained by the Williamson family ever since. Williamson's 20 year period of tax relief ended in 1710 and in 1711 he and three of his wife's siblings paid "parykkskatt" and chimney tax. In 1713 he paid war tax (this was the time of the Great Nordic War). Williamson had already lent the king 200 riksdaler due to war expenditure and appears to have engaged in other financial dealings, but few records remain of these transactions. Robertson and his second wife had three children: Isabella (1702-before 1733), Johan also known as James/John/Jan (1707-1733) who studied at a British university and died unmarried, and Robert (1710-1789). Robertson himself died in May 1716. His will reveals him to have been a wealthy man, with a fortune of 3162 riksdaler. === NB: According to the researcher David Dobson, however, two Robert Williamsons have been confused by Sigurd Willamsen in the book Slekten Williamsen fra Nordmøre 1641-1983. Dobson believes there were two skippers of the same name trading from the east coast of Scotland at the same time. One appears to have originated in Montrose, but Dobson believes that this Williamson came from Bo'ness as the signature in Norway matches that found in the Bo'ness Seabox.

Trondheim Statsarkiv, Privatarkiv 75 Brodahl 1; Trondhjems Borgerbok 1678-1743; S. Williamsen, Slekten Williamsen fra Nordmøre 1641-1983, (Kristiansund N, 1983), esp.pp.5-13. With thanks to David Dobson.

Service record

DENMARK-NORWAY, TRONDHEIM

Arrived 1690-01-01

Departed 1716-05-01

Capacity BURGESS SKIPPER, purpose CIVIC, TRADE, COMMERCE