Alexander W Williamson [Convict "Countess of Harcourt" 1827]

Alexander WILLIAMSON was born 1799 Antrim, Ulster, Ireland

Alexander married Margaret HENDERSON and they had the following children

• Jane 1824
• Margaret 1825
• child

Alexander was convicted of robbery and sentenced to 7 years transportation. He arrived in Sydney Cove on 28/6/1827 on Countess of Harcourt".

Alexander had a relationship with Esther HARRISON and they had the following children

• Alexander 1830

His wife + 2 of his children followed him arriving in the colony on 9 June 1836 (the fate of their third child is unknown). On 15 June 1836, Alexander rejected his wife but took custody of his 2 children.

Alexander had a relationship with Elizabeth MOBBS and they had the following children

• Esther 1837
• John 1839
• James 1841
• Charles Alexander 1843
• Elizabeth 1845
• Jane 1848
• Ruth 1850
• George 1853
• Andrew 1855
• Matthew 1857
• David 1861
• Joseph 1864

Alexander died 7/9/1882 at Molong

• http://australianroyalty.net.au/individual.php?pid=I53750&ged=purne...
• https://convictrecords.com.au/convicts/williamson/alexander/125531
• https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Williamson-3370
• http://familypedia.wikia.com/wiki/Alexander_Williamson_(1799-1882)
• http://selingerlessons.wikifoundry.com/page/Cold+Case+-The+Mystery+...

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Convict Number: 27 / 857. His description: 5 feet 8 inches tall, hair brown, eyes dark brown, complexion dark to swarthy, front tooth missing, nose inclining to the right, a Protestant and could read and write.

Alexander was convicted at Downpaths, Ireland on 27 July 1826 of stealing leather (calf skins). He was a shoemaker by trade. He had three prior convictions and was sentenced to 7 years transportation to Sydney. He left behind in Ireland a wife; Margaret Williamson( Henderson) and two young daughters, Janet and Margaret.

Immigration: Departed Dublin 14 Feb 1827 onboard the ship, "Countess Of Harcourt" bound for Plymouth. He then departed from Plymouth, on 31 March 1827 and arrived in Sydney on 28 June 1827.

On his arrival, Alexander was assigned to G.T. Palmer Pemberton Grange, North Parramatta where he again was a shoemaker.  In November of 1827, Alexander received 50 lashes from being absent from his master's farm all night. By this time Alexander had met a female convict named Esther Harrison, who wanted to improve her situation by having a child to ease her working conditions and to expedite her ticket of leave. She became pregnant to Alexander in 1829/30. Again, in March 1830 he received a further 25 lashes for being absent without leave. Esther Harrison had a Son born Alexander Harrison in 1930. Father Alexander was present at the baptism and named the child Alexander Williamson. His involvement with that child is unknown but Esther eventually married a few years later and she became Esther Fearns,

He received his certificate of freedom on August 13, 1833. At that time, Alexander petitioned for the passage of his wife and daughters in Ireland through the government scheme to unite convict families. The family duly arrived onboard the ship, 'Thomas Harrison' on June 9, 1836. It was always Alexander's intention to take custodial control of his daughters when Margaret arrived. He had submitted a letter to the governor indicating his intention. The letter reflected Margaret's own indiscretions that Alexander had been made aware of, albeit, no consideration for his own indiscretions. Family legend has it that when Margaret (nee Henderson) arrived, Alexander took custody of his two daughters and abandoned Margaret. Alexander was already involved with a very young woman 15 yrs his Jnr by 1935. They were common law partners by 1836 (Elizabeth Mobbs ), and had their first child, which Alexander named Esther, in 1837 Margaret Williamson( Henderson) initially commenced living with a Nancy and John Ryan. Margaret had befriended Nancy on the voyage over. Margaret's life thereafter seems to be one of mystery, with stories of her following the trail of her daughters wherever Alexander took them. In the years from 1837-55, Alexander was a shoemaker at Pennant Hills but by the 1860s he had purchased crown land holdings at Eurimbula NSW. Postal records show Alexander and family in Boomey Molong in 1870/1. He inherited, 'Rose Hill', the farm of his deceased son George in 1877, which was situated on the Bell River at Boomey, Molong. Alexander's health declined into old age and senility by 1880. Alexander died on September 7, 1882. Death Cert# 12318/1882 It is most likely he was buried at Molong with Elizabeth. .