Judah Monis Lawrence II (abt. 1764 - 1854)

Born about 1764 in Spencertown, New York

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 1854 at about age 90 in Ontario, Canada West

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Judah Lawrence II served in the War of 1812
Service started:
Unit(s): 3rd Regiment of York Militia, Canada
Service ended:

Biography

Judah was born about 1764. He is the son of Monis Lawrence and Rachel Anderson.

JUDAH MONIS LAWRENCE (b.abt.1764-d.abt.1854) always called Monis, was the son of Judah Monis Lawrence and his 2nd wife, Rachel (last name still unknown).

The confusion concerning this J.M.L. comes from the will of his father, "I give and bequeath unto the heirs of my son Joseph and to my son Monis severally the sum of ten dollars."

People make the mistake in supposing that Monis is deceased at this time. However, reading carefully "ten dollars" is "left to the HEIRS of my son Joseph and TO my son Monis".

Monis was very much alive at the time of his father's death and living in York (Toronto) Ontario, Canada. His father had disowned him because he had sworn allegiance to the king of England. In the early 1800's he was the Town Clerk of York. He did not die until after 1852. (In the 1851 Ontario Census taken in 1852 he is listed as 88 years of age. We cannot find a death notice for him but there are family letters that suggest he lived to be 100.

During the War of 1812, Monis Lawrence served as a private in the 3rd York Militia.

From Jan. 1 to Feb. 24, 1813, he served on the Niagara Frontier. ^[1]

From Mar. 25 to Apr. 24, 1813, he served in Captain Duncan Cameron’s Company. ^[2]

On Apr. 27, 1813, he was captured at Fort York while serving in Capt. Stephen Heward’s Company. The Americans had no place to confine prisoners and most were paroled the same day. A number of businesses and homes were raided during the occupation but Monis appeared to have suffered no losses. ^[3]

From July 7 to 24, 1814, he served in Capt. Heward’s Co. ^[4]

On Feb. 2, 1816, Monis Lawrence made a war loss claim as an innkeeper in the Town of York. His inn was broken into on 2 different occasions in 1813 and 1814 and items were taken by the men of the 8th and 89th Regiments and the 19th Dragoons. He lost cash, a silver watch, 25 pair of shoes, a new coast, a pair of pantaloons, 2 new vests, 4 shirts, 4 pair of stockings, 10 blankets, 10 gallons of spirits, and some goods left in the bar by travelers. The soldier who stole the money was arrested and tried. Frederick Lawrence certified the claim. Ezekiel Benson witnessed the signatures. In 1823, Monis received 32 pounds & 6 shillings from his 125 pounds 10 shilling claim. ^[5]

War Loss Claims were not made until 1816. At that time the province did not have the funds to pay them. The total value of the 1000s of claims was 4 times the provincial income. Claims had to be re-submitted in 1823 when only a portion of most claims was paid.

On Feb. 2, 1825, Monis Lawrence, an innkeeper of York, made a land petition. He was born in the US but had resided in the province for 19 years. He had a wife and 9 children. He had lived in Whitchurch Twp. before coming to York and had taken the oath in 1807. The petition was recommended. ^[6]

Sources

1. ↑ Collections Canada, War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microfilm t-10384, pages 384-390
2. ↑ Collections Canada, War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microfilm t-10384, pages 864-866
3. ↑ Collections Canada, War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microfilm t-10383, pages 1148-1155
4. ↑ Collections Canada, War of 1812: Upper Canada Returns, Nominal Rolls and Paylists, Microfilm t-10384, pages 1187-1189
5. ↑ Collections Canada, The War of 1812: Board of Claims for Losses, 1813-1848, Microfilm t-1129, pages 928-935 at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/006003-119.01-e.php?PHPSESSID=nf5gb8qjdi09u45qfhi78sl726&sqn=928&q2=33&q3=2802&tt=1442, accessed Mar. 20, 2020
6. ↑ Collections Canada, Upper Canada Land Petitions (1763-1865), at http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/microform-digitization/006003-110.02-e.php?&q2=29&interval=50&sk=0&&PHPSESSID=npfo6qij0n1rpue06msk2mqnj1, Microfilm c-2128, pages 326-328

• FamilySearch.com, Member tree, https://www.familysearch.org/tree/pedigree/landscape/LC7J-1K3

• The War of 1812 Militia Rolls and Payrolls can be accessed online