Robert Lawson (1748 - 1805)

Born 23 Jan 1748 in Yorkshire, England

Ancestors

Husband of Sarah Meriwether (Pierce) Lawson — married 30 Nov 1769 in Virginia

Descendants

Died 5 Apr 1805 at age 57 in Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia, USA

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Biography

Brigadier General Robert Lawson served with Virginia Militia during the American Revolution.

Robert Lawson is an NSSAR Patriot Ancestor.
NSSAR Ancestor #: 234028
Rank: Brigadier General

Robert Lawson is a DAR Patriot Ancestor, A067381.

Robert Lawson was a Virginia colonist.

This Biography is currently a work in progress.

Robert Lawson^[1][2]

Robert was born 23 Jan 1748 in Yorkshire, England and died 28 Mar 1805 in Richmond, Henrico County, Virginia.^[1] He was the son of Benjamin Lawson and Elizabeth Claiborne.

Robert was married to Sarah Meriwether Pierce.^[1][2]

Children

• Sarah Meriwether Lawson
• America Lawson,^[2] married Joshua Lewis^[1]
• John P. Lawson,^[2] married Eleanor Wright McClure^[1]
• Arria Lawson
• Columbus Lawson

This Robert Lawson was a Brigadier General of the Virginia Militia during the Revolutionary War and has been confused with Lieutenant-General Robert Lawson, a British Army officer, whose allegiance was to the Kingdom of Great Britain. In this role Lieutenant-General Robert Lawson of the British Army came to America with Lord Cornwallis fighting on the opposite side of Brigadier General Robert Lawson of the Virginia Militia.^[3]

Robert wrote to George Washington on 14 Nov 1787 explaining his need to travel to Charles Town, South Carolina and Augusta, Georgia, after adjournment of the current session, to collect about 500 pounds from two gentlemen who owed him money. Due to Robert being a stranger there he requested that Washington provide him letters of introduction. In a letter directed to Thomas Pinckney and John Rutledge in South Carolina, and in one Washington described him as a "Gentleman of character & merit in this State..." ^[4]

Revolutionary Service

Multiple letters were exchanged between Robert Lawson and Thomas Jefferson regarding troops and their movement. ^[5]

Research Notes

• Marriage in DAR records differ - either 30 November 1769^[6] or 13 December 1769.^[7] Only two of the records that I checked had a location for the marriage: Virginia.^[7][8] Note: I checked all the records online as of 2 July 2021. It should be noted that the only children listed by the DAR for Robert (America and John P.) are the only children who have descendants that joined the DAR. Also, I believe that DAR "fact checked" the main records that it posted - e.g., Robert's main record, #A067381 - but not the descendant records.
• 08 April 1773, Robert Lawson published a notice in the Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg, Virginia) in defense of Mr. Paschal Greenhill, "a Gentleman unfortunately accused". Moses Terry had been confined in jail for passing counterfeit money and had made accusations regarding the money against Paschal Greenhill. In this statement Lawson believed he also had been accused and rode to Prince Edward county, where he lived, to speak to his Excellency the Governor. ^{[9] [10]}
• 08 Jul 1777 Notice was published by Charles Scott, Brigadier General and Robert Lawson, Lieutenant Colonel, Command 4th Virginia Regiment, to Captain Thomas Matthews of the 4th Virginia Regiment. Captain Matthew was instructed to submit an account once a month of the conduct and proceedings of officers to allow the active, diligent and obedient to be given proper notice and the indolent and careless punished for their crimes as deserved. ^[11]
• 16 Jan 1783 Lawson published notice of residence to be rented. The residence was in Prince Edward County on the main road leading from Philadelphia to Charlestown. Terms could be known by inquiring to Lawson residing in Richmond. ^[12]
• 17 Dec 1783 Lawson published notice that he intended to renew his practice as an attorney in the Count Courts of Charlotte, Buckingham, Prince Edward, Amelia and Cumberland. ^[13]

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4} https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A067381
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} https://sarpatriots.sar.org/patriot/display/234028
3. ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Lawson_(British_Army_officer)
4. ↑ To George Washington from Robert Lawson, 14 November 1787,” Founders Online, National Archives, https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Washington/04-05-02-0399. [Original source: The Papers of George Washington, Confederation Series, vol. 5, 1 February 1787 – 31 December 1787, ed. W. W. Abbot. Charlottesville: University Press of Virginia, 1997, pp. 435–436.], https://founders.archives.gov/?q=Lawson%2C%20Robert&s=1111311111&sa=Lawson%2C%20Robert&r=10
5. ↑ https://founders.archives.gov/index.xqy?sa=Lawson%2C+Robert&q=Lawson%252C%2520Robert&s=1111211111&r=1&sc=sa
6. ↑ DAR descendant record, America (Lawson) Lewis, daughter of Robert Lawson, DAR Patriot Ancestor #A067381.
7. ↑ ^{7.0 7.1} DAR descendant record, John P Lawson, son of Robert Lawson, DAR Patriot Ancestor #A067381.
8. ↑ DAR descendant record for America (2nd record), showing marriage as being in Virginia, on 13 December 1769 (the other record cited for America has marriage on 30 November 1769).
9. ↑ Lawson, Robert, 08 Apr 1773, The Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg, Virginia), Page 3, https://www.newspapers.com/image/40481582/?terms=robert%20lawson&match=1#
10. ↑ Lawson, Robert, Rind's Virginia Gazette, (Williamsburg, Virginia), Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/browse/us/virginia/williamsburg/rinds-virginia-gazette_1263
11. ↑ The Virginia Gazette (Williamsburg, Virginia), 15 Aug 1777, Page 7, https://www.newspapers.com/browse/us/virginia/williamsburg/the-virginia-gazette_1262
12. ↑ Lawson, Robert, 25 Jan 1783, The Virginia Gazette, or, The American Advisor (Richmond, Virginia), Page 4, https://www.newspapers.com/browse/us/virginia/richmond/the-virginia-gazette-or-the-american-advertiser_21437
13. ↑ Lawson, Robert, 07 Feb 1784, The Virginia Gazette, or, American Advisor, Page 1, https://www.newspapers.com/browse/us/virginia/richmond/the-virginia-gazette-or-the-american-advertiser_21437

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Lawson_(American_general)
• Claiborne, G.M., Claiborne Pedigree, A Genealogical Table of the Descendants of Secretary William Claiborne, of the Junior Branch of the Untied States, J.P. Bell Company, Book, Job and Commercial Printers, 1900, https://www.familysearch.org/library/books/records/item/547471-claiborne-pedigree-a-genealogical-table-of-the-descendants-of-secretary-william-claiborne-of-the-junior-branch-in-the-united-states-with-some-other-tracings-in-the-female-line?viewer=1&offset=0#page=1&viewer=picture&o=&n=0&q=
• Lawson, Robert, Ancestor Number A067381, National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, https://services.dar.org/Public/DAR_Research/search_adb/?action=full&p_id=A067381
• Lawson, Robert, bounty land and pension application file #VAS850, transcribed by Will Graves, posted by Southern Campaigns Revolutionary War Pension Statements & Rosters, accessed 2 July 2021.