William Lawson (1804 - 1861)

Born 2 Aug 1804 in Norfolk Island, Australia

Ancestors

Husband of Caroline (Icely) Lawson — married 10 May 1832 in Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia

Descendants

Died 2 Feb 1861 at age 56 in Prospect, New South Wales, Australia

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Biography

William Lawson was born on 2nd August 1804 at Norfolk Island. He was "William Hugh Lawson" on his gravestone inscription, although this name has not been seen in other records (is it a transcription error?).

William was baptised William Leadbeater, son of Ensign William Lawson, of the NSW Corps, and Sarah Leadbeater: born 2 August 1804, baptised 26 September 1804 at Norfolk Island by Rev. Henry Fulton, registered at St Philip's Church of England, Sydney,^[1]

He was the second son of Ensign William Lawson and Sarah Leadbeater, a convict who had served her time in 1806.^[2] In 1806 his father was transferred to Newcastle as commandant and then from 1808 the family lived at Veteran Hall, Prospect, New South Wales. His father crossed the Blue Mountains in 1813 with Blaxland and Wentworth, and in July 1815 was made Commandant of Bathurst.

The following comes from "Old Errowanbang Woolshed", State Heritage Inventory, Heritage NSW:^[3]

Errowanbang Station

Governor Darling opened the lands west of the Macquarie River for occupation in 1826. William Lawson the younger was allowed to occupy "land beyond the limits of location" and with his father established seven stations west of the Great Dividing Range. Amongst these was Errowan-bang in the parishes of Beaufort and Blake on Flyers Creek. A Church and School Estate was established to the east of Flyers Creek and Lawson the younger settled to the west of the creek also managing the Church and School Estate.

With the use of convict labour, Lawson the younger built a homestead on the property around 1827. The house was built of handmade bricks packed with cow hair and mud, stringybark shingles and cedar joinery. The cellar is thought to have also served as the pit for sawing timber during construction and later to house convicts.

A fruit orchard was established close to Flyers Creek where Lawson the younger also planted willows.

Lawson the younger built the first woolshed on Errowanbang, probably the first woolshed in the district. Built of bush timber with a high gable, it was 120 feet long and 40 feet wide and stood behind the homestead. It was destroyed by strong winds in 1967-8.

When the Church and School Estate was resumed in 1835, Lawson the younger acquired some of the land ...

In 1836, William Lawson the younger was appointed a magistrate and was a member of the Bathurst bench until 1852.

After his mother died in 1830, William's father mostly remained at Veteran Hall, leaving William and his younger brother, Nelson, to manage the extensive western holdings, including: 6,000 acres (2,428 ha) on the Cudgegong River at Mudgee; 25,000 acres (10,117 ha) on the Talbragar River, east of Dubbo; 6,000 acres (2,428 ha) near Bathurst; 3,000 acres (1,214 ha) at Roxburgh, in the Upper Hunter Valley; 1,500 acres (607 ha) near Springwood, in the Blue Mountains; and 160,000 acres (64,750 ha) in various other leases. His father died in 1850, leaving most of his estates to William.^[4]

Marriage to Caroline ICELY (1802–1875) 10 May 1832 , Bathurst, New South Wales, Australia.
Marriage announcement, Sydney Gazette 26 May 1832:^[5]

BATHURST. [From Our Correspondent. ] Thursday, 17th May 1832. Married, on the 10th instant, by the Rev. I. E. Keane, chaplain of the district, William Lawson, Esq.,junior, to Miss C. Icely, sister of Thomas Icely, Esq.,J. P., of Bungarribbee.

William and Caroline had children:

• William Icely Lawson 1833–1865
• Eliza Lawson 1834–1900
• Susannah Caroline Lawson 1835–1836
• Susannah Caroline Lawson 1836–1872
• Sarah Ann Lawson 1838–1893
• Maria Emily Lawson 1839–1918
• Sophia Rebecca Lawson 1840–1916
• Thomas James Lawson 1841–1877
• Frances Lawson 1843–1844
• Charles Samuel Lawson 1844–1844
• Samuel Charles Lawson 1847–1881

Death: William passed away on 2nd February 1861 at Prospect. ^[6]

Death notice, The Sydney Morning Herald 4 February 1861:^[7]

On the 2nd instant, William Lawson, Esq., of Veteran Hall, Prospect, aged fifty-six years.

He was buried in the Lawson vault in St Bartholomew's churchyard, Prospect, with the inscription "also William Hugh, their 2nd son, d.2 February, 1861, aged 56 years 6 months". His wife Caroline and sons William Icely and Thomas James were also buried in the vault according to the inscription.^[8]

Sources

1. ↑ St Philip's Church of England, Sydney NSW: Church Register - Baptisms; ML ref: Reel SAG 90.; Volume entry number: 100
2. ↑ Australia Births and Baptisms, 1792-1981," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:XTD3-B84 : 11 February 2018), William Leadbeater Lawson, 26 Sep 1804; citing NORFOLK ISLAND, NEW SOUTH WALES, AUSTRALIA; FHL microfilm 993,949
3. ↑ "Old Errowanbang Woolshed", State Heritage Inventory, Heritage NSW https://apps.environment.nsw.gov.au/dpcheritageapp/ViewHeritageItemDetails.aspx?ID=5052591 (accessed 26 April 1922)
4. ↑ E. W. Dunlop, 'Lawson, William (1774–1850)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/lawson-william-2338/text3047, published first in hardcopy 1967, accessed online 17 May 2021.
5. ↑ 1832 'BATHURST.', The Sydney Gazette and New South Wales Advertiser (NSW : 1803 - 1842), 26 May, p. 2. , viewed 17 May 2021, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article2206779
6. ↑ New South Wales. Department of Justice and Attorney General. NSW Registry of Births Deaths and Marriages. Data-base on-line Death LAWSON WILLIAM 4171/1861 WILLIAM SARAH PARRAMATTA
7. ↑ Family Notices (1861, February 4). The Sydney Morning Herald (NSW : 1842 - 1954), p. 1. Retrieved April 26, 2022, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article13052111
8. ↑ Nepean Family History Society. Cemetery Inscriptions from St. Bartholomews Church of England, at Prospect NSW. Record Series (Nepean Family History Society) ; Vol. 5. South Penrith, N.S.W.: Nepean Family History Society, 1983, p.24.