John Lawson (bef. 1694 - bef. 1761)

Born before 1694 in Virginia

Husband of Mary (Dew) Lawson — married Jan 1716 (to 16 Jul 1740) in Richmond County, Virginia

Descendants

Died before 2 Feb 1761 at about age 67 in North Farnham Parish, Richmond, Virginia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kerry Larson [send private message]

Biography

He married Mary Dew in Jan 1715/6, the daughter of Thomas Dew and Elizabeth Barber.^[1][2]

Children

1. Christopher b. 17 Jun 1716, Richmond Co.^[3] m. Sarah Williams
2. Elizabeth b. 17 Feb 1719, Richmond Co.^[4] m. William Barber
3. Joanna^✝ b. 17 Mar 1721^[4], m. Adcock Hobson
4. Catharine^✝ b. 17 Mar 1721^[4], m. Col. John Lawson White
5. Ann b. 22 Sep 1725^[5]
6. Lucy b. 3 Mar 1731/2^[4], m. George Booker

^✝ presumably twins

Will References

• Recorded Will and Probate: Image^[6]
  • Transcript: “Richmond County, Virginia | Lawson Surname DNA Project.” Accessed June 24, 2018. http://lawsondna.org/home/genealogy/richmond/.

• "John Lawson's will, probated in Richmond County, Feb. 2, 1761, names the following children : Christopher, Elizabeth Barber, Joana Hobson, (wife of Adcock Hobson), Catharine White, (wife of Col. John Lawson White), Lucy Lawson, (married later George Booker). Son Christopher and son-in-law Adcock Hobson executors. Like the Hobsons and Carters the Whites and Bookers removed to southern Virginia where they have many descendants of considerable prominence. John Lawson of Richmond County was probably a son of Rowland Lawson (III) whose will probated in Lancaster County, Jan. 17, 1717, names wife Jane and children Rowland, Thomas, John, Anthony, Sarah, Joanna, and Elizabeth.^[7] This Rowland Lawson was a son of Rowland (II) who was a Justice of Lancaster in 1684, and whose will probated Sept. 7, 1706, names sons Henry, John and Rowland. Rowland Lawson (II) was a son of Rowland Lawson, Sr., who emigrated to Va. with wife Lettice prior to 1637 (Head rights). He was a Justice of Lancaster, 1652-1655; and his will probated May 8, 1661, names wife Lettice, and children Rowland, Jr., Elizabeth, John, Henry, — all but Rowland were minors in 1668. Lancaster deeds show that Row land Lawson, Sr., had brothers Richard and Epaphroditus, who also left descendants in Lancaster. Rowland Lawson, Jr.'s will in 1706, bears a seal showing arms — a chevron between three martlets. Burke gives the arms of Lawson, of Brough Hall, Yorkshire, and of Lawson, (Baronets) of Longherst and Cramblington Co., Northumberland, England, as — Arg. a chevron between three martlets sable. For further history of the Lawson family see the interesting notes of Mr. Stanard in Vol. IV., Virginia Magazine."^[8]
• "Lawson, John. 15 Jan., 1758 — 2 Feb., 1761. Children viz: Christopher, Elizabeth Barber, Joanna Hobson, Catherine White, and Lucy Lawson ; son Christopher and son-in-law Adcock Lawson executors. "^[9]

• "p. 196 John LAWSON, NFP, will; 15 Jan 1758, 2 Feb 1761 daus. Lucy LAWSON, Anne LAWSON, Elizabeth BARBER, Joanna HOBSON, Catharine WHITE; son Christopher; ex: son Christopher and s-i-l Adcock HOBSON; wits: H. MISKELL, John OLDUM, Richard HANES."^[10]
  • Above reference as quoted at ^[11]: "Item – I give to my daughter Lewcy (Lucy?) a negro boy named Adam, also my will is that if I die before I have an opportunity to do it myself that there be a negro girl bought by my executors for my daughter Lewcy Lawson of the age of 12 or 14 years and paid for out of my estate which said negroes I give to her and her heirs forever. Also 2 cows and calves, one heifer of 2 years old, one young horse of 3 or 4 years and her saddle she now rides on, 4 sheep and the best bed and furniture in my house, 15 pounds of pewter. Item – My will and desire is that my executors hereafter named to sell all my land and plantation whereon I now live for the best price they can and the money arising thereon to go to the support of my daughter Ann Lawson as my executors shall see most fit during her natural life and that my executors do execute deeds for that purpose to the Purchaser or Purchasers thereof and that the remainder of the money if any after the death of my said daughter Ann Lawson be equally divided between the rest of my children or their legal representatives. Item – my will is that the rest of my estate after paying the above legacies, my just debts and funeral expenses be equally divided between my children, Christopher Lawson, Elizabeth Barber, Joanna Hobson, Catherine White and Lewcy Lawson. Lastly I appoint my son Christopher Lawson and my son-in-law Adcock Hobson whole and sole Executors of this my Last Will and Testament, dated 15 January 1758. Signed John Lawson. Witnesses H. Miskell, John (his IO mark) Oldum and Richard Hanes. Recorded 2 February 1761."

Research Notes

I have come to believe that the John Lawson who died in 1761 was not the son of Rowland Lawson III and Jane Glasscock and have disconnected them. Jane Glassock died in 1738 and named in her will only son Thomas and daughter Johanna. In a July 1740 complaint by Johanna against Thomas Lawson, the executor, "the Complainants says there is but one eight part of the deceased Rowland Lawson Estate due to his widow by his Will, he then having 7 children living which we find he had one of which child named Sarah we find died before the testate and 4 more before any division of his Estate which objection we leave to the determination of the worshipful Court." Since 5 of 7 children were dead by 1740, and Thomas and Johanna are living, her son John must have been dead by then. See http://lawsondna.org/Media/virginiacounties/Lancaster.html, 11 Jul 1740.

There is a John Lawson who died intestate at the end of 1736 in Richmond Co. which may be the son. He was also married to a Mary. See http://lawsondna.org/home/genealogy/richmond/, 3 Jan 1736/37

The parents of the John who died in 1761 need to be determined. See https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lawson-1272 which may also have a mixture of people.

Sources

1. ↑ Headley, Robert K. 2003. Married well and often: marriages of the Northern Neck of Virginia, 1649-1800 : marriages and marriage references for the counties of Lancaster, Northumberland, Old Rappahannock, Richmond, and Westmoreland. Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Pub. Co., p. 221
2. ↑ Boddie, John Bennett. Historical Southern Families. Vol. 4. 1998. p. 45 (Image 53 of 266]
3. ↑ The Registers of North Farnham Parish 1663-1814 as quoted at Lawson Surname DNA Project, RICHMOND COUNTY, VIRGINIA LAWSONS
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3} Marriages, Births and Deaths in Richmond County, p. 185
5. ↑ White, p. 50
6. ↑ Virginia, Wills and Inventories, Richmond, Vol. 6, 1753-1767, p. 196-197 (Image 212-213 of 460)
7. ↑ Lancaster, Virginia Will Book, Vol. 10, 1709-1727, p. 189-190 (Image 206-207 of 593, Copy of Document)
8. ↑ The William and Mary Quarterly. William and Mary College. Vol. 18. Jan. 1, 1910. p. 237
9. ↑ The William and Mary Quarterly. Vol. 17. Institute of Early American History and Culture.; 1909. p. 191. (Also at Archive.org, p. 191)
10. ↑ Robert Kirk Headley. Wills of Richmond County, Virginia, 1699-1800. Genealogical Publishing Com; 1983. ISBN 978-0-8063-1021-3. p. 122–.
11. ↑ Early Colonial Settlers of Southern Maryland and Virginia's Northern Neck Counties family tree

• "Marriages, Births and Deaths in Richmond County." The William and Mary Quarterly 13, no. 3 (1905): 182-92. doi:10.2307/1916088. p. 185 JSTOR
• White, Ernestine Dew. Genealogy of Some of the Descendants of Thomas Dew: Colonial Virginia Pioneer Immigrant, Together With Genealogical Records And Biographical Sketches of Families In Virginia, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia And Tennessee ... Greenville, S.C., 1937. p. 50
• Brent, C. Horton. (1936). The descendants of Hugh Brent, immigrant to Isle of Wight County, Virginia, 1642, and some allied families, Curd, Doggett, Edmonds, Fleet, Lawson, Nutt & Wale: Also lineages of Bethethland, Bernard, Bunting, Hathaway, Nevil, Newton, Savage & Vaughan families and notes from some diaries <1793-1909> of the Piedmont section of Virginia. Rutland, Vt.: The Tuttle Pub. Co., Inc. p. 235
• Descendants of Thomas Lawesson (Caution: Many errors)
• Bridgforth, Allan Cabaniss, comp. McConnell Genealogy. (N.p.: Self-published, c1965; Typescript, mimeographed.)