Dr. Robert Williamson

Biography

Robert Williamson was a physician. He served in the Virginia House of Burgress representing Isle of Wight County from September 1663 through October 1666. He was the 6th largest patentee of land in 17th century Isle of Wight County, VA.

On 26 April 1661 Robert purchased 295 acres of land. Some 3,055 acres in the county belonged to his wife Joane in her own right. On 6 June 1666 Robert purchased 3,350 acres of land on the great swamp of the Black Water River adjoining Seward's Branch.

A copy of Robert's will still exists. It is dated 16 February 1669. In the will Robert leaves his possessions to his wife and children. Among these possessions are a considerable number of African slaves. The will was probated on 2 May 1670. This means Robert died sometime between February 1669 and May 1670.

Sources: Dave Williamson, John Bennett Bodie

Marriage & Children

Robert Williamson married Joan Allen about 1652/54 in Isle of Wight County, Virginia. No record has been found for their marriage. However, in his will dated 16 February 1669/70, Robert Williamson states his oldest son Robert is not yet age 18, indicating a birth after 1652. [4]

Known children (named in will):

1. Robert Williamson
2. George Williamson
3. Arthur Williamson
4. Francis Williamson

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Will

"In the Name of God Amen, the Sixteenth Day of February A Dom 1669 - I, Robert Williamson of the Isle of Wight County in Virginia, Doctr in Phisicke: being at present sick & weak of body but of sound and perfect mind and memorie, All laud & praise be given to God for the same & considering with my self the certainetie of death, & the uncertainietie of the time when do make this my present Testamt: Declareing my last will, in manner an form following (that is to say) first & principally above all Earthly things I comitt my sole to Almightie God my make, an to his sonne Jesus Christ, my only Savior an redeemer by whose bitter death an passion, I hope an steadfastlie beelive to be Saved, my body I comitt to the earth from whence it came to be buried in Christian manner as neere as may bee, to my late Deceased father in law Mr. Arthur Allen, And for such worldly goods an estate, whereas it has pleased God to endow me, my debts an funerall chardges, beinge first paid & discharged, I give & dispose of the same as followeth.

First, I give & bequeath unto my deere & well welbeloved wife Jane, all that my plantation on which I now live sittuate in the above Isle of Wight County, wyh all & singular the houses, ediffices, buildings, orchard, garden, & all other the appurtenances thereto belonginge, to be held and enjoyed, by my said wife, for and dureing her Naturall life, wyhout waste or spoyle, to be remitted, on the same and from & Imediately, after the decease or departure out of this Naturall life, of my said loveing wife, I give & bequeath the said plantation and all the appurtences yere to belongine into my welbeloved, eldest Sonne Robert Williamson, & to the heirs of his body lawfully begotten forever. Item: I give all my land att Blackwater, beinge three thousand seven hundred acres, more or less, wyh all the appaurtenances thereto belonginge, into my deere and wel beloved sonns, Robert, George, Arthur, & Francis, & to the heirs of theire bodies, lawfully begotten for ever, to be equally divided between my said sonns, share and share alike, & in case my said sonns or any of them shall dye wyhout such heirs then my will and intent & meaninge is that the pte & share of said land of him or them soe dyeing shall come to & be divided amoungest the sivivors, of them & their heirs.

Item: I give into my loveinge wife, the use of my fouer Negroe severants, until my said Sonne Robert shall attaine into the age of Eighteene yeares and from and immediatelie, after his age of eightteene years, I give into him, my said Sonne Robert, my negro Servant called great Jack, to be enjoyed, by said sonne Robert & his heirs forever.

Item: I give to my said Sonne George my negro Servant called young Jack to be enjoyed by my said Sonne George and his heirs, immediately from and after he shall attaine unto the age of eighteene years.

Item: I give to my said Sonne Arthur, my Negro called little Moll, to be enjoyed by said Sonne Arthur & his heirs for ever immeditillie from and after his age of eighteene years. And my other negro called great Moll, I give into my said Sonne Francis & his heirs for ever, from and after the death of my said wife.

And my will, intent, & meaninge is, and soe I doe hereby ordaine, that all the increase, that shall arise by my said Negro women, shall be equalle devided, between my fower Sonnes & the survivor or survivors of them, and in case of loss by death of any of my said Negros or any of them, the same to bee, born equally, between my said fower Sonns, and the survivor & survivors of them.

Item: My will is that, my said fower children & encris of them, shall be maintayned, educated, & brought up by the profits and encrease of myu estate and that they be trained & brought up as well as this

X here this ends the first sheete in the original will wyh his hand and seale. s/s Robert Williamson witnessed by John Hardy

References

1. WikiTree contributors, "Robert Williamson Sr (abt.1625-bef.1670)," WikiTree: The Free Family Tree, (https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Williamson-1215 : accessed 04 February 2025).
   1. New River Notes, Colonial Virginia Register < link >
   2. “Isle of Wight County Records.” The William and Mary Quarterly, vol. 7, no. 4, Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Culture, 1899, pp. 205–315, https://doi.org/10.2307/1919740. Page 300, 313-314
   3. Nugent, Nell Marion, Abstracted and Indexed by. Cavaliers and Pioneers: Abstracts of Virginia Land Patents and Grants, 1623-1800. In Five Volumes. Richmond, VA.: Press of the Dietz Printing Co., 1935. page 558 < Archive.Org >
   4. WILLS AND ADMINISTRATIONS OF ISLE OF WIGHT COUNTY, VIRGINIA, 1647-1800, BLANCHE ADAMS CHAPMAN, Smithfield, Virginia, 1938, Page 9
   5. Dave Williamson, John Bennett Bodie
   6. https://www.maltbyfamily.net/genealogies/washburn/washburn_hempstea...
2. Jamestowne Society Qualifying Ancestors - Williamson, Dr. Robert - A8903; died 1670, Isle of Wight Co.: 1662-70 (Burgess). < link >