Individual Details

Possible records of the earlier Cuthbert Williamson:

Earlier beginnings in England?
I also found this interesting transcript on Genuki -
Marriages from the Registers of Tynemouth (1607-1679
18 Aug 1632 Cuthbert WILLIAMSON = Eppey HUDSON
and this one:
Marriages at St John the Baptist, in the Parish of Pilling,Lancashire
Marriage: 23 Nov 1721
Cuthbert Williamson - of Cockham
Sarah Watson - of Pilling
Source: LDS Film 1470931 & 1502429
However, the article that appeared in the William and Mary Quarterly indicates that the wife of Cuthbert Williamson in Charles City was probably the widow of Joseph Bradley as found in Charles City Court Orders, 1661-1664 by Fleet, see later.

William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 4, No. 3. (Jan., 1896), pp. 151-155. TITLE OF WESTOVER. by the Editor
Westover was a distinct hundred in 1629, when it was represented in the House of Burgesses by Christopher Woodward.....
Capt. Thomas Pawlett received a patent from the governor, January 15, 1637, for 2,000 acres of the plantation called Westover.,,,,He died in 1644, without issue....
His will gave the residue of his estate to his brother Sir John Pawlett - a residue which included Westover.
Sir John Pawlett, then living in Winchester, in the county of Southampton, England, understood that his brother had bequeathed him this plantation, he desired his friend, Otho Southcot, gent., to enter upon it in his name, which he did, and continued therein as long as it remained the property of Sir John. Sir William Berkeley wrote a letter November 12, 1661, releasing what right he had in the property to Sir John; and October 21, 1665, Johanna Sedgwick, administratrix of Ralph Sedgwick, late of St. Paul's covent garden, haberdasher, deceased, and executrix of John Snooke, of St. Clements Danes, deceased, signed, on receipt of 60L cash, a release, witnessed by Charles Southwell, attorney at law, William Clifton, and Edward Button, of a term of one thousand years in Westover, granted to said John Snooke, as a security for 159L borrowed of him by Sir John Pawlett.
About this time, Sir John, by deeds of lease and release, dated April 7, 1665, and acknowledged January 4, 1665-'66, did demise the same property for 170L to Theodorick Bland,Esq., of Berkeley Hundred, except one parcel called "Given Micars". The witnesses to the deeds were Hum. Higginson, John Whittey, Arthur Bailey, Arthur Hare, Henry Hemlyn, Will Glanville,and Robert Midford. It was acknowledged in Charles City county, before Hoel Pryse, clerk, by Capt. Otho Southcot, attorney for Sir John Pawlett, on June 14, 1666. Livery and seizen were given 28th May, 1666, by Capt. Otho Southcot, by letter of attorney from Sir John, and "the tenants, Cuthbert Williamson, John Holmwood, and John Rider, did fully atturn and assent to the same".

William and Mary College Quarterly Historical Magazine, Vol. 13, No. 2. (Oct., 1904), pp. 116-121. PATENTS ISSUED DURING THE REGAL GOVERNMENT. CHARLES CITY COUNTY (Continued from Vol. X., No 1, p. 227.)
BOOK NO. 6.
p.562. Cuthbert Williamson. June 16, 1675. 144 a. 32 po. On the north side of James river. Beg.g, &c., nigh the head of the Ashen swamp.

The Order Books from Charles City County suggests that other Williamsons were living there at the same time as this early Cuthbert:
Virginia Colonial Abstracts, Vol. XII, Charles City County Court Orders, 1661-1664, by Beverley Fleet, Ancestry.com
At a court at Westover, 12 Apr 1664
p.455 & 459. Juries impannelled included Mr. Cutbert Williamson
Court at Westover, 4 Aug 1662
p.335. Probate of will of Joseph Bradly, dec'd to Cuthbert Winston (sic) who married the relict and executrix of the sd decedent. [My note: this entry is indexed as Williamson - there is no evidence anyone name Winston was living in Charles City Co at this time.]
Charles City County, Virginia Order Book, 1676-1679, by Margaret McNeill Ayres
online at Archive.org
At a Court at Westover, 13 Sep 1677
p.187 Upon petition of Thos. Cocke concerning the estate of Thos. Hill, Jno Smith of Turkey Island and Cuthbert Williamson are appointed to appraise same.
Nov 22, 1677
p.249 Cuthbert Williamson, pd 200 #'s tobacco for 1 Wolf's head
3 Oct 1678
p.332 Mr. Minge, plt, & Wm. Williamson, deft. Mr. Minge was employed to lay out the lands of Wm Harrison according to the old bounds, requiring the exhibtion of the old patents to sd. Minge and Harrison to settle a suit between Wilkins & Harrison. Harrison exhibits his patent but Wilkins refuses his. Minge works unsuccessfuly 3 days to discover the lines so prays an order Wilkins. Granted. Court orders Wilkins pay Mr. Minge 400 #'s tob.
p.335 Ordered Christopher Hudson Adm of Cuthbert Williams' estate to pay Joseph Bradley his due from the estate he being of age. [I am sure this must be Williamson. Ed.]
4 Aug 1679
p.392 The bill of Dr. Irby for 400 3's tob. for administering physic to the orphan Martha Clark wounded by a murder, the court considering allows him 200#'s tob. to be paid from the estate of Cuthbert Williams [sic] by the Admin. [The following article indicates that Martha Clark also died, although it may not have been immediately.]
p.396 Wm Irby, plt. vs. Jno. Williamson, deft. Plt. shows a bill for 765 #'s tob. but deft. shows one for 333 #'s. Plt having no itemized account, the court calls the account balanced.

There is an article in The William & Mary Quarterly, available from JSTOR called "Motive for Murder: A Servant's Life in Virginia, 1678". The first page of the article as shown is about the 28-year-old servant, Thomas Hellier, who murdered his master Cuthbert Williamson and wife, with an axe. He also badly wounded their servant Martha Clark. There was a coroner's inquest and probate proceedings in the Charles City County Record Book, 1677-1679, fols. 335,349 and 392, Virginia State Library. The servant girl received medical fees paid out the estate.
I ordered the article and here are some notable facts, most of which appear in the footnotes.
Thomas Hellier committed the murders 24 May 1678. Martha Clark was a young servant of the Williamsons, and she was struck when she rushed to their aid. A minister had written a 40-page pamphlet, published in London after Hellier poured out his life story just prior to his hanging. Hellier ran away after the murders but became lost in the swamps and was apprehended the next day. He was tried at Jamestown and condemned to hang at Windmill Point on the James River, 5 Aug 1678.
A footnote describes Williamson as a small-to-middling planter who came to Virginia by 1657. He lived as a tenant farmer during the 1660's. In 1673 he received a 144-acre patent by the transport of three or four servants. He may have owned as many as seven servants. He served on juries but held no political offices.
The minister who published the sociological pamphlet, which in part explores the elements in colonial society that would drive a man to kill, was not identified. He was probably Paul Williams who ministered to the parishes of Weyanoke & Martin's Brandon, southeast of Westover.
Hellier was born in 1650, Whitechurch Parish, Dorsetshire, England and claimed to have acquired a solid education. He had 50 acres of land, was a stationer [bookseller] by trade, and had married well to Hester Denslow, 15 Apr 1763. However he had squandered his patrimony in the London taverns. Hounded by creditors he agreed to sail to Virginia in 1677 as an indentured servant. Hellier intended to labor diligently in Virginia, although he was "over-persuaded". He sailed on the Young Prince, September, 1677. When he arrived in October he was sold to Cutbeard Williamson living at a plantation called 'Hard Labour" in Westover Parish, Charles City County. He claimed that Williamson had promised he would be a tutor to his children, but he was instead sent to the tobacco fields. [The Charles City records indicate Cuthbert had no children, so if he made such a promise, he did indeed mislead Hellier.] [My Note: Cuthbert apparetenly did have at least one child - Thomas - see later deed.]
The Rev. Paul Williams was one of the clergy outspoken in his criticism of colonial society, claiming that the planters were boors intent only producing corn and tobacco and not concerned with the life of the mind. They could not appreciate nicely educated men who were trained to the sedentary life [clergy, among others, I'm sure!]
Hellier had run away at least once prior to the murders. He claimed he was forced at hard labor in the fields constantly berated by Williamson's wife, who he did not name. [A footnote says that it's likely Mrs. Williamson was the widow of Joseph Bradley] He was adequately provided with food and clothing. At one point he ran away and got on a ship where he stayed some 11 days - being absent almost three weeks before he was found. Under Virginia law, three weeks absence would have added six weeks to his indenture. Runaways were also to be made distinguishable by cutting their hair close and the master was allowed to administer corporal punishment [Hellier did not indicate that Williamson did administer any such punishment - his complaints seemed more about the criticisms and "hounding" of Williamson's wife.] Hellier related that he picked up a stone with which to hit Williamson when he was recovered from the ship, but never used it.
Hellier claimed Satan had taken over his mind and he came to believe he could have his freedom by getting rid of his Master and Mistress. Which, wielding his axe, he did - killing Cuthbert in his bed, striking several blows, then killing the cowering wife. When the servant girl came in the room, he struck and killed her, too. He then stole his Master's gun and horse. He claimed a child "belonging to the family", implying another servant, almost betrayed his escape. [this is perhaps the loophole some use to claim Williamson had children, but the word "belonging" indicates she was also indentured and not a young master or mistress]
He wandered through unknown woods finally coming to the plantation, owned by one Gilley, where he asked for help. Edward Gilley, son of the owner, and his brother-in-law Ara Hill, suspected Hellier was a runaway and seized him. They each received 200#'s of tobacco for apprehending a runaway, the usual payment.
Hellier was brought before John Stith and confessed and was sentenced to hang.
After the recording of the narration related by Hellier to the author of the pamphlet on the eve of his hanging, he discusses at great lengths the disillusionment he has of colonial society in general, which he obviously felt somewhat justified Hellier's crime.

One can only assume the following land description simply refers to Cuthbert as having had the patent at one time, as he had been dead about 4 years.
VA Patent Bk 7, p. 187 22 Sep 1682 John Royster, 97A Chas. City Co, Westover Parish East side Chimidges Creek, N side James R.; Cuthbert Williamson, Mrs. Bland's, crossing Turkey Branch

Henrico Co Deed:
24 Feb 1693. Thomas Williamson, son and heir of Cutbert Williamson, Dec'd, of Henrico, planter, to William Byrd of Westover in Charles City Co, Esq. For 20#'s sterling, all that parcel of land left him by his father on the North side of the James River in Charles City, bounding on the Berkly Patent on one side and Kemidges Creek on the other, by patnet 16 Jun 1675, granted to his father Cutbert Williamson, containing 144 acres and 32 pole, now in the tenure of John Williamson.
Signed: Thomas (TW) Williamson
Wit: Dan'll Johnson, Richard R. Gower, John Ridley
Thomas Williamson acknowledged this deed 3 Apr 1694. His wife relinquished dower (apparently did not sign and was not named)

Death

24 May 1678

Charles City County, Virginia

Child

THOMAS Williamson ( - 1742)