William Lawrence
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William Lawrence (bef. 1622 - 1680)

Captain William Lawrence
Born before in St Albans, Hertfordshire, Englandmap
Ancestors ancestors
Husband of — married [date unknown] [location unknown]
Husband of — married 4 Mar 1665 in Smithtown, Suffolk, New York Colonymap
Descendants descendants
Died after age 57 in Flushing, Long Island, New York Colonymap
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Profile last modified | Created 12 Mar 2011
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The Puritan Great Migration.
William Lawrence migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1621-1640). (See The Great Migration (Series 2), by R. C. Anderson, vol. 4, p. 263)
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Discuss: pgm

CHARLEMAGNE: ROYAL GATEWAY ANCESTOR: See Marie (Lawrence) Burnham.

Contents

Note

Three men of the same name "William Lawrence" were living on the western end of Long Island at the same time. Please don't confuse/muddle these profiles.

  1. This profile William Lawrence of St. Albans, Hertfordshire, England; resided in Ipswich then Flushing.
  2. William Lawrence (1638-1704) of Newtown, with wife Elizabeth,moved to Monmouth County, New Jersey.
  3. And a William Lawrence who resided at Gravesend.

Biography

Flag of Hertfordshire (1925, adopted by county 2008)
William Lawrence was born in Hertfordshire, England.
Puritan Great Migration
William Lawrence immigrated to New England between 1621 and 1640 and later departed for Flushing, Long Island, Province of New York

July 28, 1622 -- William Lawrence was baptized at St Albans Abbey, St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. He was a son of Thomas and Joanna (Antrobus) Lawrence. His grandmother was Joan Antrobus; brothers were John Lawrence and Thomas Lawrence both of Ipswich; brother-in-law was George Giddings and Thomas Burnham both of Ipswich[1]

Education, Occupation, Offices

Lawrence was educated enough to serve as justice of the peace for the North Rding of Yorkshire, Long Island in 1675; able to read and write. He was a merchant; in 1665 he was made Captain of the Queen's County Militia. [1][2]

Migration, Residences

April 2, 1635 - June 7, 1635 -- William Lawrence, age 12, enrolled at London and emigrated on the ship"Planter" from England to Massachusetts Bay Colony, in all probability migrating with his mother and step-father John Tuttell.[2] He first resided at Ipswich, Essex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony and later moved to Flushing, Long Island, New Netherland(now Queens Borough/County, New York City, New York). He and his brother John Lawrence were the tenth and eleventh persons (of 18 men) who received patent for Flushing from Governor William Kieft of New Netherland.[1]

Marriages, Children

By about 1652, William Lawrence had married, his wife's name is not known. They had the following children:[1]

  1. Elizabeth who was born about 1652; maried Thomas Stevenson by license on February 1, 1672/3.
  2. William who was born about 1655; married Deborah Smith, daughter of Richard Smith, on June 1, 1680.
  3. John was born about 1657; married Elizabeth Cornell, daughter of Richard Cornell, by about 1680.

On March 4, 1664[/5] (license) Lawrence married (2nd) to "Elizabeth, the daughter of Richard Smith, of Nishaquake upon Long Island." William Lawrence's name was written "William Laurence of Flushing." Their children were:[1]

  1. Mary was born about 1665; married James Emott in 1682. Married (2nd) in 1714 to Rev. Edward Vaughan.
  2. Thomas was born about 1667 and died on October 26, 1687,age 19 years, at Elizabeth, New Jersey.
  3. Joseph was born about 1669; married Mary _____ (surname unknown) (marriage date unknown.)
  4. Richard was born about 1671; married Charity Clark (license) on September 24, 1699.
  5. Samuel was born about 1673; died August 9, 1687, age 15 years, at Elizabeth, New Jersey.
  6. Sarah was born about 1675; may have married (license) January 12, 1705 to James Tillett. (or Tillett may have married a Sarah Lawrence baptized in New York Dutch Church on October 1, 1679.)
  7. James was born about 1677 and was still living when his mother was named guardian on March 10, 1680. No additional records.

Death, Administration, Inventory, Guardianship

On March 14, 1679/80 (i.e., 1680) William Lawrence died intestate at Tues (Twes) Neck in Flushing, North Riding of Yorkshire, Long Island. Letters of Administration on the estate were granted to "Elizabeth the widow and relict of the deceased together with William Lawrence his eldest son by a former venture." The estate's inventory was taken on April 9, 13, and 19, 1680 and totalled L4432 1s. 10d; L1617 was in real estate;[1] included "Negroes John, Andreas, Tenny, Harry, Mingo, and Peter, etc."[2]Elizabeth (Smith) Lawrence was granted guardianship of the seven young children on March 10, 1680.[1]

Elizabeth, widow of William Lawrence married (2nd) on March 26, 1681 (license) to Philip Carteret. By about 1685 she married (3rd) to Richard Townley,[1]son of Nicholas Townley of Littleton, Middlesex, England.[2]

Slaves: John, Andreas, Tenny, Harry, Mingo, and Peter, et al

Research Notes
  1. William Lawrence's 1st wife is sometimes given in secondary sources as Elizabeth, but this is a confusion with a different contemporary William Lawrence, of Newtown, who did have wife Elizabeth.)
  2. removed Hannah Wells as wife, she is not listed as his wife in "Great Migration"[1]

Sources

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 Great Migration 1634-1635, I-L. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume IV, I-L, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2005. Sketch of William Lawrence. pp 263-268.subscribers$
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Lawrence Buckley Thomas"The Thomas Book, giving the Genealogies of Sir Rhys ap Thomas, K. G., the Thomas Family Descended from Him, and of some Allied Families" The Henry T. Thomas Company, New York, (1896) pp 412-416.see at google.com

See Also:

  • Thomas Lawrence. "Historic Genealogy of the Lawrence Family: from their First Landing in this Country, 1635 to the present date, July 4th, 1858" E. O. Jenkins, New York. 1858.see at archive.org
  • The New England Historical and Genealogical Register. Boston, MA: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 1847-. (Online database: AmericanAncestors.org, New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2001-2018.) Isaac J. Greenwood. " Jacob and Hannah (Lawrence) Schieffelin of New York" October (1897), Vol. 51, p. 452.subscriber$
  • Hugh Darrell Miller, comp.] Genealogy: Ethel Peters Miller/Hugh Darrell Miller [Manuscript] (1985). Copy in possession of author.
  • Lawrence, James Reed Jr. ]An Historic Family - The Lawrences and Associated Families Self-published (1996)
  • Thomas, Lawrence Buckley. Thomas Book Giving the Genealogies of Sir Rhys ap Thomas, K.G., the Thomas Family Descended from Him, and of Some Allied Families.(Henry T. Thomas Co., New York; 1896)
  • Stillwell, John E., M. D. Historical and Genealogical Miscellany; Early Settlers of New Jersey and Their Descendants. (Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., Baltimore, 1970)
  • History of Queens County, New York, with Illustrations, Portraits, & Sketches of Prominent Families and Individuals. New York: W.W. Munsell & Co, 1882.
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlemagne
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_I_of_France
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adelaide_of_Normandy
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Judith_of_Lens
  • https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waltheof,_Earl_of_Northumbria







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Comments: 27

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So is William Lawrence who married Elizabeth Smith in the Antrobus/Fitz line of the Magna Carta?
posted by Nadine Hanson
Re: William, son of William Lawrence-695

I recently found some notes on William Lawrence born 1645 in Queens County, the eldest son of William Lawrence (born 1622) and his wife Anna Sprague (1614-1664). He married Deborah Smith (1658-1743) in 1680. His will was dated July 28, 1719. Known children, most likely mentioned in the will:

  • Elizabeth
  • Joshua
  • Caleb
  • Stephen
  • Obidiah
  • Daniel
  • Joshua ?
  • Adam
  • Son-in-law Joseph Reading

These were hastily scribbled notes on a page of other research and there is no source or documentation notated. If this information agrees with anything the project has in hand, might we include it somewhere?

Hi Donna, thanks for the comment. If these notes are unsourced I don't see much value in in adding them to the profiles. It would be similar to adding an "unsourced family tree" in my view.
posted by Bobbie (Madison) Hall
Does anyone like to write/edit wikipedia articles?

I've been doing research on Capt. William Lawrence descendants to pass the hours away. [Holgate's American Genealogy] There are a number of prominent descendants found in New York , and elsewhere, that are his descendants and wrongly attributed to his brother, John Lawrence. John had no male descendants after several generations. (NEHGS & elsewhere) His daughter Mary, did. I've also found quotation repeating the often told falsehood about the Lawrence of Ashton Hall. Genealogy malpractice. There is a book of the Lawrence-Townley Estate which was another fraud in its day. Lawyers and genealogists made money---no one else did. http://mbamericana.com/lawrence-chase-townley-estate-fraud-0 & here: http://archives.nypl.org/mss/18237 & here: https://archive.org/details/mysterysolvedfac00hill

Cornelius Van Wyck Lawrence, first elected Mayor of New York. US Congressman. Trail is: Cornelius Van Wyck Lawrence > Henry Lawrence > Joseph Lawrence > Richard Lawrence > Joseph Lawrence > Capt. William Lawrence & 2)Elizabeth Smith.

William Van Duzer Lawrence, founder of Sarah Lawrence College. Trail is: William Van Duzer Lawrence > Robert Lawrence > Thomas Lawrence > David Lawrence > John Lawrence > Joseph Lawrence > Capt. William Lawrence & 2)Elizabeth Smith.

William Van Duzer Lawrence IV, is a living screenwriter. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Lawrence_(TV_producer)

William Van Duzer Lawrence, Sr: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Van_Duzer_Lawrence & here: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/LHJY-BWV

Cornelius Van Wyck Lawrence: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cornelius_Lawrence & here: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/MDPX-KVW

William Effingham Lawrence, found here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Effingham_Lawrence & here: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lawrence-william-effingham-2336 & here: https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/L84Q-SW1

posted by [Living Vigneron]
edited by [Living Vigneron]
Thank you for your response, Ann.

Our issue is with the information on the profile for William Lawrence-679 and his stated first wife, Hannah Townsend-440 and her profile. I have brought up the discrepancies on two other occasions. One response was for us to solve it (perhaps put more diplomatically) and the other acknowledging there is a problem. Therefore, we have combed through records to find another Hannah Townsend. In doing so, we found the one sighted in our last comment whose vitals closely resemble those of the Hannnah on your New Netherlands site. We believe that she has been eroniously plugged in as William's wife at some point. But as we have noted before, the dates do not jive. the Hannah that was born in 1641and died in 1721 would have been 80 at time of death. Much evidence supports that William married Elizabeth Scudder-75 and they had one child, Benjamin. No matter who his first wife was, it is not likely she outlived William. William is the first in our family line to emigrate from England and his first wife is our American matriarch.

posted by James Lawrence
We have family records showing William married Hannah Townsend in 1657. She was born in Boston April 4, 1641 and died in 1721. There are no sources for this entry. Has anyone investigated this possibility?
posted by James Lawrence
Mistaken identity? Try this Hannah Townsend https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Townsend-440 and her husband, who was a different William Lawrence.
posted by Anne B
There are three William Lawrence individuals in New York. This William is from St. Albans, Herts., with his brother John, are patentees of Flushing. John will twice serve as Mayor of New York and Chief Justice until his death. Pamela Digby Churchill-Harriman, 1920-1997, US Ambassador to France, is a descendant of John Lawrence (not found here; Notable Kin, Gary Boyd Roberts) John Lawrence & Susannah ; Mary Lawrence & William Whittingham ; Elizabeth Whittingham & Samuel Appleton III ; Hannah Appleton & William Clarke ; Susanna Farnum Clarke & John Singleton Copley, the artist ; John Singleton Copley, Jr.,1st Baron Lundhurst, British Lord Chancellor & Sarah ; Hon. Sophia Clarence Copley & Hamilton Beckett ; Constance Mary Beckett & Henry Campbell Bruce, 2nd Baron Aberdare ; Constance Pamela Alice Bruce & Edward Kenelm Digby, 11th Baron Digby ; Pamela Beryl Digby Churchill-Harrimann (Samuel Appleton III, is also a Pecche descendant, as is John Lawrence)

The second William Lawrence died at Monmouth County, New Jersey. Father of Elisha Lawrence. The third William Lawrence lived in King's County, New York.

Extensive descendant information is found in American Genealogy, Jerome Holgate, 1851, found at archive.org.

https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_VUNnAAAAMAAJ

Holgate had paper records that were destroyed in the New York Library Fire, Albany, 1911. (I think that year is correct) One descendant, will captain a British vessel during the Napoleonic Wars, be one of the founders of The Trinity House, (navigational treaties & standards) father of: William Effingham Lawrence, found in the National Biography of Australia. Friend of Jeremy Bentham, assisted with the first Brazilian Constitution, early settler to Tasmania. Quite a remarkable family.

For all we know, William's first wife could be Dutch. He and Governor Styvansent had extensive correspondence, now lost. One letter remains which William wrote concerning the arrest of his fellow judges who approved The Flushing Remonstrance.

This family reminds me of 'Tai Pan' by James Clavell, having shipping interest in London, New York and the Orient.

posted by [Living Vigneron]
edited by [Living Vigneron]
per Jillaine's support, the data section of this PGM project protected profile has been updated according to Anderson. here: Great Migration 1634-1635, I-L. (Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2008.) Originally published as: The Great Migration, Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, Volume IV, I-L, by Robert Charles Anderson. Boston: New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2005. Sketch of William Lawrence. pp 263-268.subscribers$

2 correct wives and 10 correct children remain. (and after all this work nobody better mess it up, upon threat of death) JUST KIDDING, no seriously, JUST KIDDING....  :-)

posted by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
edited by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
Bio re-written, inline citations, cleaned.

(1) Wives Hannah Wells and Elizabeth Gildersleeve need removal. According to all sources I found, THIS William Lawrence had 1st wife whose name is unknown, and (2nd) named Elizabeth Smith.

(2) THIS William Lawrence had no son named Benjamin. New Jersey - prob son of Lawrence-679

Any objections? comments?

[Comment Deleted]
posted by Carol Baldwin PhD RN
edited by Carol Baldwin PhD RN
deleted by Carol Baldwin PhD RN
[Comment Deleted]
posted by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
deleted by Cheryl (Aldrich) Skordahl
Will shorten and send specific requests to you via email.
posted by Carol Baldwin PhD RN
Carol,

I don't believe such a note belongs at the beginning of the profile. Most gateway-related information (done by, for example, the Magna Carta project) is placed at the end of the profile.

posted by Jillaine Smith
Thanks Jillaine. One other item...Thomas Lawrence-952 should be listed as PGM. He is listed in Anderson's Directory, p. 204 as arriving on the Planter with his Lawrence siblings and the Tuttle family. Thanks! Carol
posted by Carol Baldwin PhD RN
Captain William Lawrence biography & estate inventory are found in The Thomas Book, https://www.google.com/books/edition/The_Thomas_Book/pi9WAAAAMAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=the+thomas+book&printsec=frontcover

page 415 through 418 with a correct biography and letter of his second wife to the governor. The name of his first wife is unknown. His second wife being Elizabeth Smith. The Thomas Book also contains the correct biography of the William Lawrence of Monmouth New Jersey and father of Elisha.

Enjoy.

posted by [Living Vigneron]
edited by [Living Vigneron]
Thank you, Charles. I see the Profile Manager here hasn't been active since 2016, so I'll take a look at the source/link you provided.
Thanks both of you. I've updated the profile manager list.

Cheryl, I support the changes you're suggesting, looks like this profile got conflated with one of the other men by the same name.

posted by Jillaine Smith
This William Lawrence has a sketch in "Great Migration." here: https://www.americanancestors.org/databases/great-migration-immigrants-to-new-england-1634-1635-volume-iv-i-l/image?volumeId=12108&pageName=263&rId=23896726.

I'm adding PGM project box and PGM Beyond Sticker.

Really in need of updates... GM says 1st wife is unknown, Gildersleeve wife of other Wm. Lawrence (Gravesend), Eliz. (Smith) (Townley) is correct.

Carol Baldwin, are you planning to do more work on this profile? If not, I am willing to bring it in line with GM; unless there is someone else who is desirous?

Narrative confuses this William Lawrence with Lawrence-698 who lived from circa 1638 - circa 1704, residing at Middleburgh & Gravesend, NY then Middletown NJ.

Lawrence-698 was married to Elizabeth Scudder Alburtis not this William Lawrence

posted by [Living Boynton]
The marriage to Elizabeth (Scudder) Lawrence — married 1693 in Middletown, Monmouth, New Jersey is after his death
Lawrence-696 and Lawrence-695 appear to represent the same person because: Similar info, same name. Use Lawrence-695 for dates. Lawrence-696 depends on private Ancestry tree with many errors.
posted by Carole Partridge
I'm disconnecting William Lawrence from parents William Lawrence and Elizabeth Smith. They were born after he was.
posted by Carole Partridge
Hi! I changed William from the Gateway Ancestors category to the Questionable category, since the WikiTree connections to Magna Carta surety barons were lost when the incorrect parents of his grandfather John were disconnected (see this G2G post). Richardson shows Thomas' parents as John and Elizabeth (Bull) Lawrence. She has royal ancestors, but no MCSBs as lineal ancestors that I can find. Richardson does not name John's parents. Cheers, Liz
posted by Liz (Noland) Shifflett
Lawrence-2442 and Lawrence-695 do not represent the same person because: Too much information does not match.
posted by Bob Worcester
Lawrence-2442 and Lawrence-695 appear to represent the same person because: same
posted by Philip Smith
married 1693 in Middletown, Monmouth, New Jersey
posted by [Living Thompson]