RENNIE, ROBERT [SSNE 6732]
Text source
Robert Rennie migrated from Scotland to Norway with his grandfather Robert Williamson [SSNE 6726]. Rennie was the son of Williamson's daughter Agneta/Agnes [SSNE 6735] in her first marriage with James Rennie/Rennay. He had a sister Isabella who remained in Scotland with their parents. Robert Rennie was born in 1680 in Scotland and came to Norway circa 1690 where he settled in Lillefosen near Kristiansund. He first served the councillor Jan Wessel in Trondheim, and when his grandfather died in 1716 he received 100 riksdaler. In 1720 Rennie was taken on by Christopher Muhlenfort (who was the niece of his grandfather's second wife, Catharina). Rennie married his employer's sister in 1725, Anne Muhlenfort (1701-1741). That year he also took over his employer's business and property as Christopher moved to Bud. Rennie's business site included to piers at Lossiusgarden, and during the 1720s-30s he was one of the towns most successful businessmen. In 1730 he, along with 13 other traders, requested permission from Trondheim to offload foreign corn in Lillefosen. However the request was not accepted and when Christianssund became a trade-town in 1742 Rennie's period as successful trader was at an end. In 1726 Rennie and the Trondheim merchant Humphry Hammond (presumably from Britain) together acquired the Stangvik main church and the Halsa annexe church with surrounding property - although the Stangvik land was already sold the same year. Rennie borrowed 200 riksdaler from the customs man Rasmus Fabricius in 1726 and the following year Rennie wrote an IOU to Hammond for 2600 riksdaler. Rennie's wife died in childbirth in 1741 and the following year Rennie endured a warrant sale on his household at the request of the Scot William Gordon - Rennie had presumably fallen on very hard times indeed. That year he was also engaged in a legal case with the customs man Fabricius. Nothing further is known of Rennie, nor is his date of death recorded. He and his wife Anne had six children: Johan, Agnethe, Jorgen, Isabella, Didrich and Anna.S. Williamsen, Slekten Williamsen fra Nordmøre 1641-1983, (Kristiansund N, 1983), esp. p.5 and pp.155-158.
Service record
- SCOTLAND, LILLEFORSEN AND TRONDHEIM, NORWAY
- Arrived 1690-01-01
- Departed 1742-12-31
- Capacity BUSINESS MAN, purpose TRADE, MERCANTILE