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Note: PLEASE-WHEN READING ALL THESE NOTES TAKE TIME TO ABSORB THAT SOME OF T HE NOTES ARE CALLING OUT ERRORS IN OTHER RESEARCH AND ARE NOT BEING QU OTED AS THE TRUTH. THEY ARE POSTED HERE TO EXPLAIN CONFUSION OR ERROR S IN PAST RESEARCH.
Of note to all researchers:
Modern science now has a great tool for genealogists with the availabi lity of DNA testing. If you can not prove or question your heritage t his testing can be done on a direct male line. Carl Lawson is the Co-D irector of the Lawson Family DNA Program, and has provided an excellen t data base and comparison chart on his website: http://lawsondna.org/
He has done extensive research into the tax and court records, and det ails each of the Lawson Families in the areas which we research. His c harts are complete with pedigrees for those tested and are a great help i n sorting out the many Lawson families. We extend our thank you to him f or all he does. With the help of his charting, we have proven the DNA o f our Ancestor, William Lawson born in Scotland in 1731.
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William of Montrose, Scotland is the farthest this family can trace our L awson line. Due to the lack of records at the time he was born (1731-17 33) , information on his family remains elusive and proof of parents ma y never be found.
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From Bill Porter's works:
William was bound out to a plantation owner for what we assume was seve n years of indenture. Family tradition holds that he was treated unkin dly and ran away after a year or so. We have been unable to determine h is exact location of indenture but his known children were born in Nor th Carolina where we have strong reason to assume he went when he ran a way.
Military Service:
Sworn of Capt. Daniel Trigg’s Company, Sep. 13, 1777, Montgomery CO, VA
Battle of King’s Mountain, 7 Oct. , 1780
Capt. Daniel Trigg’s Company, March 31, 1781, Sergeant. Montgomery CO, V A. Notes for Daniel Trigg’s Company: Of those who were not fit were W illiam Lawson, et. al. (It is presumed he may have had a temporary ill ness or injury.)
Military Service: 24 August. 1786. The Montgomery County Court ordere d that Col. Daniel Trigg and James McCorkle divide the militia in the b ounds of Lorton's Company equally between Capt. Lorton and Capt. Engli s. Minutes in the Court Order Book 1, page ? , show William Lawson n amed Lieutenant in Lorton's Company. There has been some confusion re garding which William Lawson was appointed Lieut. William Sr. was a S ergeant in Trigg's 1781 militia and this appointment represents a prom otion in the newly formed militia. It would be highly improbable for W illiam Lawson Jr., who had only six months of service at the age of 16 -17 as a substitute who did not rise above the rank of Pvt., to be pr omoted to Lieutenant with command over this group of seasoned, experie nced militiamen. William Lawson Sr. is first shown on Trigg's milit ia swearing oath in 1777.
Nov. 12, 1782. Montgomery Co., Va. Whereas by a Return made this Day b y John Charlton, Collector of 45th Division of Militia of this County, i t appears that several have failed to pay their proportion of a Tax im posed by a late act of assembly for the purpose of recruiting this Sta tes Quota of Troops to serve in the Continental Army. You are hereby a uthorized and required to collect by Distress & Sale of their Property , as in the case of Parish and County Leevies the following Sum annexe d to each persons that is to say...William Lawson 2/6...& return the s ame to me on or before the 20th of November this Instant & this shall b e your warrant for doing so. Source: Written by Col. William Preston t o a Collector, Nov. 12, 1782, published in The Virginia Magazine of Hi story and Biography by the Virginia Historical Society, Richmond, Va., J anuary, 1920.
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Land Records:
Montgomery Co, Virginia paid tax on the following:
1782 - 100 acres Value 15 pounds
260 acres Value 15 pound
1789 - 100 acres Value 15 pounds
260 acres Value 15 pounds
145 acres Value 7 pounds
1792 - 145 acres Value 7 pounds
1793 - 145 acres Value 7 pounds
1794 - 145 acres Value 7 pounds
1795 - 145 acres Value 7 pounds
1796 - 145 acres Value 7 pounds
1782 Aug. 3, Montgomery Co, VA- No. 13191 500 acres owned by James Cla rk was assigned to Israel Lorton by Clark's attorney, Walter Crockett. L orton assigned the 500 acres as follows: assigned to Will. Lawson, 200 a cres; assigned to Sam'l Acres, 100 + 15 acres surveyed; assigned to Ja cob Pate, 100 acres; assigned to Solomon Stephens, 100 acres. (This is t he same 200 acres of land as that in Treasury Warrant # 20710 signed by H enry Lee). Source: No. 13191 is from Records of Certificates of Comm issioners of Washington and Montgomery Counties, 1767-1788, Library of V irginia Archives.
1782 Sep 13, Montgomery County, VA Record of Certificates of Commissi oners of Washington and Montgomery Counties, 1767-1788, Library of Vir ginia - 12 September 1782, William Lawson 300 acres settled in 1776. W e the Commissioners for the counties of Washington and Montgomery do c ertify that John Duncan assignee of William Lawson is entitled to 300 a cres of land lying in Montgomery Co. Laurel Creek branch, waters of Li ttle River, to include the improvements he himself proved to the Court h e was entitled to the same by actual settlement made in 1776, given un der our hands this 13 day of September 1782. (Laurel Creek is located i n present-day Floyd County, VA and several miles south of Sugar Run, w hich is located in present-day Pulaski County, VA.)
1785 Dec 2, Montgomery Co, VA Virginia Land Office Grants Z, 1785-1786, p age 55 (Reel 66) indicates William Lawson assignee of Israel Lorton, a ssignee of Walter Crockett, who was assignee of James Clark on 2 Decem ber 1785 received a land grant containing 145 acres by survey bearing d ate 21 November 1782 lying on Sugar Run, a branch of Little River wate rs of New River, Montgomery County, VV. Patrick Henry, Governor of th e Commonwealth of Virginia, signed the grant.
1790 Feb 20, Montgomery Co, VA Entry Book C, page 203, William Lawson a ssignee of James Hines enters 200 acres of land on Sugar Run Branch of L ittle River joining the land he lives on & on the north side thereof & r unning a north course to Tarepine Run.
1793 Feb 15 Montgomery Co, VA Land Office Grants No. 27, 1792-1793, pag e 511 (Reel 93) indicates William Lawson on 15 February 1793 received a l and grant for 200 acres on Sugar Run waters of Little River, Montgomery C ounty, VA adjoining the land he lives on. Henry Lee, Governor of the C ommonwealth of Virginia, signed the grant. This was the land surveyed f or him in 1790.
1798 Page 24 Russell Co, VA Deed book 3 - August 18, 1798 between John F razier & Mary and William Lawson...155 ac on Big Mockason Creek, waters o f the north fork of Holstein and known by the name of the Little Valley b elow William Houstons...Beginning at the upper end of the little valley a nd about half a mile below William Hourtons (Hustons) plantation...at t he foot of Clinch Mountain...land granted to John Frazier by patent da ted June 3, 1788...Signed: John Frazier & Mary Frazier. Witnesses:
William Turner, William Houston, William Lawson, Jr.
1806 Feb 28 Russell Co, VA deed book Page 714 - February 28, 1806 betwe en William Lawson, Sr. and William Lawson, Jr...50 ac on Big Mockerson C reek, waters of the north fork of Holston, lands purchased from John F razer by William Wells, Sr, lands granted to John Frazer by patent date d June 3, 1788...Beginning on the south side of the Stony Ridge ...by a d ry run at the foot of Clinch Mountain...Signed: William Lawson.
Witnesses: William Hourton, Isaac ODonold, Averey Kessee
Page 77 - March 2, 1807 between John Wood and William Lawson...on big M ockerson Creek...75 ac...part of a larger tract granted to John Wood by p atent dated December 31, 1799...Signed: John Wood. No witnesses
1807 March 7 Russell Co, VA deed book pg 74 between Jonathan Wood and W illiam Lawson...75 ac...on big Mockerson Creek, part of a tract of land g ranted to John Wood by patent dated December 31, 1799 and conveyed to J onathan Wood by deed of conveyance dated February 24, 1801...Beginning c orner to Vincent Benhams land...on the clift of Mockeson Creek. Signed: J onathan Wood. No witnesses
1816 June 3 Scott County, VA Deed Book 1 pgs 249-250. Wm and Rebecka, f ifth (50?) acres to John Smith for the sum of $50 cash in hand. (Oct 1 816-Rebecca being of full age and separately and apart examined from he r husband, thereunto voluntarily by deed consent.) Witnesses Jonathan a nd Henry Wood.
Personal Property Tax records:
1782 Montgomery CO, VA-1 white male, 1 horse, 12 cattle (*** see commen t below tax listings in reference to this year)
1787 April 27 Montgomery CO, VA Bird Smith’s District.- 1 white male ov er 21, 1 male 16-21, 5 horses, 11 cattle
1788 Dec 20 Bird Smith's District- 1 white male over 21, 1 horse
1789-1790 March 8 - 1 white male over 21, 1 white male 16-21, 4 horses ( Taxes paid in 1790)
1790 March 1- 1 white male over 21, 2 white males 16- 21, 4 horses
1791 July 30 Montgomery Co, VA- 1 white male over 21, 3 horses
1792 Sept 26 Montgomery Co, VA- white male over 21, 1 white male 16-21, 2 h orses
1793 May 24 Montgomery Co, VA-Hoge's District- 1 white male over 21, 2 h orses
1794 April 23 Montgomery Co, VA-James Hoge's District-1 white male over 2 1, 3 horses
1795 March 21 Montgomery Co, VA- Thomas Goodson's District-1 white male o ver 21, 2 horses
1796 April 14 Montgomery Co, VA- Thomas Goodson's District-1 white mal e over 16, 1 horse
1797 Russell Co, VA- 1 white male over 16, 2 horses
1798 Russell Co, VA- 1 white male over 16, 2 horses
1799 Russell Co, VA Lower District, Robert Tates List
1800 Russell CO, VA Lower District, James Dickenson's List
1801 Russell CO, VA Lower District, James Dickenson's List
1802-Russell Co, VA Lower District - Robert Tate's List
1809 Russell Co, VA-1white male over 16
1810-Russell Co, VA
*** The tax rolls show two different William Lawsons who owned land in 1 782. Both paid 1 white tithe over 21. Due to proximity of surnames k nown to be associated with him, our William has been identified as the o ne who paid 1 white tithe, with 2 horses, 12 cattle. The second Willia m is not Wm. Jr. but a different William Lawson altogether. Several r esearchers believe he was part of the Falling River Lawsons.
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Sold Land
On July 26th, 1788, William Lawson assigned
sold 105 acres to Eleazer Cole at the head of Sugar Run.
Sold Land
Date: Nov. 14, 1796
Place: Montgomery Co., VA
Grantor: William Lawson Sr.
Grantee: Eliazer Cole
Price: L150
Acres: 145
Location: Hd. Sugar Run Br. Little River
Sold Land
Date: Nov. 14, 1796
Place: Montgomery Co., VA
Grantor: William Lawson Sr.
Grantee: Eliazer Cole
Price: L150
Acres: 200
Location: Hd. Sugar Run Br. Little River
Source: Annals of Southwest Virginia, 1769-1800, Lewis Preston Summers
RUSSELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA LAW ORDER BOOK 2 (1792 - 1799)
Pg 539 - Indenture from John Frazer to William Lawson, recorded
RUSSELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA LAW ORDER BOOK 3 (1799 - 1808) Part 1
Pg 1 - Indenture from John Frazer & Mary to William Lawson, recorded
RUSSELL COUNTY, VIRGINIA LAW ORDER BOOK 3 (1799 - 1808) Part 2
Pg 360 - John Tate, Zachariah Fugate, Robert Tate, Jr. & William Lawson t o appraise the slaves & personal estate of Jonathan Wood, Sr., decd
Pg 486 - Indenture from William Lawson, Sr. to William Lawson, Jr., oat hs of William Howerton, Isaac O'Donold & Avery Keezee, recorded
Pg 597 - Indenture from Jonathan Wood & William Lawson, recorded
1820 United States Federal Census
Name: William Lawson Senior
Home in 1820 (City, County, State): Scott, Virginia
Enumeration Date: August 7, 1820
Free White Persons - Males - 45 and over: 1
Free White Persons - Females - 45 and over : 1
Number of Persons - Engaged in Agriculture: 1
Free White Persons - Over 25: 2
Total Free White Persons: 2
Total All Persons - White, Slaves, Colored, Other: 2
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He was nearly 50 years old when he fought at the Battle of King's Moun tain in 1780. In 1781, he was listed as a Sgt. in Daniel Trigg’s compa ny and notes for Trigg’s militia show he was "Not Fit" at that time. T his must certainly have been a temporary health as William lived to be n early 95 years old. Buried in Lawson Confederate Cemetery, Snowflake, S cott County, VA on land he owned and farmed in the hills of southwest ern Virginia.
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OTHER'S WHO HAVE BEEN SUSPECTED AND STATED AS CHILDREN OF WILLIAM. Thes e are all names that were at one time speculated to be possible childr en. Even though they have been pretty strongly eliminated over the yea rs I do have them in this database to provide information on them wher e possible. Or in some cases they do tie into the many families in thi s file in some manner. They can be found by searcing the index.
1. Robert Lawson- There were a few Robert Lawson's in the same area as o ur William. One is now believed to have been from the line of Drewry L awson. One of the Roberts married Anna Goad. One DNA test on this line s hows no match to our William, nor to the line of Drewry. There is a s econd DNA in process at this time (Aug 2009) and we are in hopes it w ill offer a clue to the bloodlines. Ongoing research is proving that th e Robert who m. Anna Goad can be ruled out as a son of this William. H e was at one time being confused with a different Robert found on Russ ell and Scott CO, VA records in the early 1800's but Robert who marrie d Anna was actually living in TN by the early 1800's, probably as earl y as 1802. The Robert in Russell Co is probably the Robert who married a n Elizabeth (maiden name unknown) and is found on the 1820 Scott Co, V A census and referenced in an 1830 deed. That particular Robert moved t o Ripley Co, Missouri by 1840.
2. Rhoda Lawson-The Rhoda who was believed for a time to be a daughter o f our William, has been proven to be a first wife of Drury Lawson. Some n ote that her maiden name was Wilson but other info proves that she mar ried a John Wilson after an evident divorce from Drury Lawson.
3. Drury Lawson abt 1762-abt 1847. There is an abundance of evidence no w known that eliminates Drury being a son of our William. "August 177 7 session of the Halifax County, Virginia Court records which states: " Ordered that the church wardens of Antrim Parish do bind out Drury Law son son of Mary Owen to Thomas Parrott according to Law." This item sh ows Drury to be the son of a woman named Mary from Halifax Co, VA. DNA t esting on several descendants of Drury also eliminate any relation to o ur WIlliam. Further data on Drury can be found under his own listing h ere.
4. Catherine Lawson 1795-1862. This was William's granddaughter, not hi s daughter. Catherine was a child of Wm Lawson II and Nancy Baker
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All notes below are items to follow up on and speculation only, not to b e taken as fact. Comments in caps or *starred are my own thoughts inse rted.
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Additional items of interest to be followed up on:
In 1996 a book titled "Families of Washington County and Bristol, VA. 1 776-1996 "was published. Per a contributor to the book , a Mr. James R . Smith (whom I have never communicated with) an article on William no ted the following. My own comments follow after each with asterisk *. P lease note, these are notes from another researcher. NOT TO BE STATED A S FACT BY ME, NOT PROVEN BY MYSELF OUR ANY FELLOW RESEARCHER OF THIS D IRECT LAWSON FAMILY. BUT INCLUDED HERE AS ITEMS TO BE PURSUED BY OTHER S IN AN ATTEMPT TO DOCUMENT WHICH WM LAWSON THIS IS IN NC.
1. 1762 tax list there is a William Lawson listed in Bare Swamp area o f Tar River Basin.
*I personally have not seen this tax list but have no reason to doubt M r. Smith had seen it at some point in his research. I believe this loc ation to be along the Bear Swamp Creek which ties into the Tar River i n what is now Franklin County, NC. Formed in 1779 from part of Granvill e Co, NC. Wm Lawson JR., at the age of 16 was known to have been in F ranklin Co, NC where he served as as substitute in the military in 17 79. The fact that Wm's son had gone to Franklin Co, NC when his father w as then living in Montgomery Co, Virginia is evidence that there was a c onnection of relatives or friends in Franklin Co. Therefore I suspect t hat this 1762 tax reading could be our Wm Lawson. But on the other hand , the presence of a Reuben Lawson in the same area also could point th is being a different Wm Lawson who is noted in 1762. The Reuben Lawso n found in this general area is strongly believed to be the brother of a B artholomew Lawson, who is from the family referred to by researchers as " The Falling River Lawson's". Several DNA tests on lines of that family o f Lawson's positively prove no blood relation to our Wm. Test results f or families of Bartholomew Lawson can be found on Carl's page, noted at t he top of these notes.
2. William Lawson married Rebecca Travis circa 1760 in Granville County , NC.
*This marriage record has yet to be located by anyone I have ever comm unicated with on the subject. I think Mr. Smith was speculating, not s tating he had seen an actual marriage record. Info found in 2015 has p roven that the Rebecca who is noted as his wife on his grave marker was n ot his first wife or the mother of his known children. The first wife i s still unknown and could possibly have been a Travis. His final wife w as Rebecca, maiden name is unknown but she was not Rebecca Jane Banks a s some have repeatedly confused her with a Jane Banks who married a d ifferent Wm Lawson.
3. Lawson probably worked for a large planter somewhere in Granville C ounty on the west side of the Tar River. Some 25 miles to lay the wat ershed of the Haw River, and living near the Haw River were John and W illiam Travis, brothers.
*Still not proven to be our Wm. This reference to working for a planter m ust surely mean another planter after he ran away from his original in denture. He would certainly have had to obtain work and being a young m an, working for a planter would be a likely occupation. I feel that Mr. S mith could very well have the right William Lawson in his North Carolin a findings but actual documentation is yet to be found.
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Note: As of 2016, the actual marriage record of THIS William and Rebecca has s till not been located. And it is now known that Rebecca was not his fi rst wife and not the mother of his known children. Nor was she the wom an named Jane Banks. Please note the following about a different coupl e.
For clarification pertaining to other data seen online, the following m arriage pertains to ANOTHER William Lawson, the one that did marry Jane B anks, not to William Lawson of Scott Co, Virginia who married Rebecca, w hose maiden name is still unknown-
The William and Mary Quarterly, Vol. 20, No. 3 (Jan., 1912), pp. 202-20 4 Published by: Omohundro Institute of Early American History and Cult ure. HALIFAX COUNTY VIRGINIA MARRIAGE BONDS: 1758, May 24, William La wson & Jane Banks, Spinster. That William Lawson and Jane Banks Lawson m oved to Georgia where they lived until they died. That William Lawson, w as a 1st Lieut & 2nd Lieut under Capt. James Quarles, 2nd Regt. DAR re cords state he was born 1740 in Halifax co., VA, died before 25 Octobe r, 1800, in Hancock Co., GA. He was also a captain in James Quarles 2 nd Regt.
The following are some notes pertaining to the OTHER Wm Lawson who mar ried Jane Banks. From the database of Michael Witherspoon:
WILLIAM LAWSON was born in Halifax County, Virginia in 1740. He married J ane Banks in Halifax County May 24, 1759. (*6) William was granted 200 a cres of land in Wilkes County, Georgia in 1784. (*7) He is listed in th e DAR records as being a First Lieutenant in the Second Virginia Regim ent, Captain Quarles Company. He had 875 acres in Wilkes County and 57 5 in Washington County, having petitioned March 25, 1784 that he was a R evolutionary soldier and wanted bounty in Washington County, Georgia. H e owned land along Shoulderbone Creek a few miles from where it flows i nto the Oconee River and so did the Fosters. William had claims Nos. 1 863 of January 14, 1783 for 200 acres, 1994 of November 20, 1784 for 2 00 acres and 2851 of April 1, 1784 for 100 acres for service in the Vi rginia Continental line as a private. William's will dated April 30, 1 799 and proved October 25, 1800, showing that he died in 1800, names h is wife Jane, sons John, Thomas, William, Mumford, Dudley, David, Fran cis, and daughters Sarah (Thomas), Mary (Slaughter), Margaret (Bullock ) and Jane.
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