A Revolutionary War Soldier on the Williamson Line

From the Fortress of Solitude
Pleasant Grove

This Sunday I decided to search out the Williamson line for a grandparent that served in the Revolutionary War. It took some time but I managed to find someone. This gives us a Revolutionary War tie on the Mattson and Williamson lines! I guess you’d call us the proud descendants of good Revolutionary Stock.

John Conrad Nossaman is my 5th Great Grandfather. He was born about 1750 in Kassel, Hessen Lande, Germany. He died around 1820 in Giles, Virginia. His wife’s name is Cathrina.

He had left Europe from the Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands on the ship Snow Sally in 1773. The ship made a stop at Portsmouth, England, and arrived at the Port of Philadelphia in the Colony of Pennsylvania on August 23, 1773. Johan Conrad Nossaman took the oath of abjuration on that date. By taking the Oath of Abjuration, John renounced his German citizenship and swore allegiance to the King of England. Less than one month later, John Conrad Nossaman was indentured to Jacob Cose of West New Jersey for a period of six years.

An indentured servant was a laborer under contract to an employer for a fixed period of time, typically three to seven years, in exchange for their transportation, food, clothing, lodging and other necessities. Unlike slaves, an indentured servant was required to work only for a limited term specified in a signed contract.

If John served the full term of this indenture he would have become a free man on or about August 23, 1779.

This is interesting. This is the actual text of the advertisement from the ship Snow Sally offering indentured servants in the Philadelphia area. This would have been the sale our Great Grandfather was in. Notice the ad says there were Palatine (Germans) in the sale.

Just imported, on board the Snow Sally, Captain Stephen Jones, Master, from England, A number of healthy, stout English and Welsh Servants and Redemptioners, and a few Palatines [Germans], amongst whom are the following tradesmen, viz. Blacksmiths, watch-makers, coppersmiths, taylors, shoemakers, ship-carpenters and caulkers, weavers, cabinet-makers, ship-joiners, nailers, engravers, copperplate printers, plasterers, bricklayers, sawyers and painters. Also schoolmasters, clerks and book-keepers, farmers and labourers, and some lively smart boys, fit for various other employments, whose times are to be disposed of. Enquire of the Captain on board the vessel, off Walnut-street wharff, or of MEASE and CALDWELL.

When a buyer was found, the sale would be recorded at the city court.

REVOLUTIONARY WAR SERVICE.

It is known that John served in the 7th Class of the 5th Company of the 7th Battalion of the Lancaster County Militia" for several years during the Revolution.(Curt Sytsma, March 2003)

The next record of John is the 1789 purchase of land. The transaction is listed below:

1789 PURCHASE OF LAND. John 'Nosman' purchased 216 acres from Francis McNutt in Greenbrier County, Virginia (now Monroe County, West Virginia). The land was adjacent to Thomas Wright, and the price was 5 shillings. SOURCE: Oren F. Morton, A History of Monroe County, West Virginia (The McLure Company: Staunton, Virginia 1916) at page 98." (Curt Sytsma, March 2003)

This is the family line to John Conrad Nooseman

John Conrad Nossaman (5th Great Grandfather)
to
Catherine Nossenman (4th Grandparent)
to
Jonathan Willis (3rd Grandparent)
to
Margaret Ann Willis (2nd Grandparent)
to
William J Williamson (Great Grandfather)
to
Charles Williamson (My Grandfather)
to
Charles Williamson (Dad)
to
Me.

Simply,

Victor