While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
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, 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.
