Ninth Generation

416. James LAWRENCE⁴⁰⁰ was born on 11 April 1720 in Augusta Co., VA. In 1760 he was an a silversmith in Mercer Co., KY. He signed a will on 13 August 1801 in Mercer Co., KY.⁴⁰¹ Will book 2, page 290 - Names son, Solomon Lawrence, Daughter, Elizabeth Arbuckle, wife of Thomas, Other children, viz: William, David, John, Isaac, Sarah Crow, son in law, James Cloyd, heirs of son, Joseph, deceased. Heirs of son, Robert, deceased. Grandson, James Lawrence, son of Robert, deceased, Son, Samuel, deceased, estate. Exec's., son, John Lawrence and James Brown. Written Aug 13, 1801. Witnesses, Samuel Dunn, Samuel Pursel and John Cowley. James died on 5 March 1802 at the age of 81 in Mercer Co., KY.²⁷⁰ Will proven for name at place on date.⁴⁰¹ In the book "The Lawrences and their Kin" by James Reed Lawrence, Jr. he has photocopies of the Muster Rolls that prove James was at Valley Forge. On page 200 of his book he says, "They came to Kentucky about 1775 and settled in what is now Boyle County. James was a veteran of the Revolutionary War and fought at Valley Forge under George Washington. He served in the capacity of Private, 14th Virginia Regiment, Continental Line (Historical Register of VA., with the Revolution, page 461). In studying the records of Augusta Co., VA. we find that James and most of his sons fought in the Revolution. We have been able to trace James to Augusta Co., VA. where he and Samuel Lawrence sold a tract of land on the James River in 1765, he and Samuel are on the jury list in 1767 and his is issued a certificate to grow hemp. (abstracts from the Records of Augusta Co., VA)

The Lincoln County entry book shows James entering 200 acres on the waters of the Kentucky River in 1786. This entry was at the mouth of Hickman Creek which was later known as Wilson's Run.
Apparently James or one of his sons founded Lawrence Station on 1400 acres of land, this was also on Hickman's Creek. The site of the old station was at the head of this stream. Mrs. Corinna Balden, of of James' descendants, show Cecilia and I the location of the spring that served this old station. This was one mile north from Crow's Station and is within the present town of Danville in the rear of 312-316 North 3rd Street. Some of the old stone around this spring can still be seen. This old station is well documented by Filson's first map of Kentucky (1784) and according to a book in the Danville Library (Danville in the Olden Days by Fackler). The station was built before 1780 and abandoned after the Battle of Blue Licks in 1782. This is further documented by the Draper papers and the Filson Club Quarterly of October 1935, pages 227 to 236."

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List of children from Jim Lorentz, email JimLorentz@aol.com Mar 1999 also some information from Todd W. Lamkin, tlamkin@mail.tds.net.

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Subject: Re: ROBERT LAWRENCE/KY
Author: wlawre88871
Date: Sunday, October 28, 2007
Classification: queries
Surnames: Lawrence/Brown

Between 1750s and 1770s, James Lawrence, Sr. and his family were in Augusta Co., Virginia (now Botetourt Co., Virginia). James Lawrence served in the Virginia Colonial Militia in Augusta County from April 13, 1758 to September 1, 1758. The Militia was under Colonel John Buchanan, Major John Brown and Major John Smith.

Until 1780, James Lawrence, Sr. owned land on the James River at the mouth of Craigs Creek in the Southwestern part of Virginia which today is near the community of Eagle Rock.

Beyond the mountains lay the savage American frontier where James Lawrence and his sons lived as frontiersmen and primitiveness required special knowledge. There are many references to our James Lawrence, Sr. and his sons, primarily during the time they traveled west into Kentucky territory - this is referenced by their own service in the frontier Militia against the Indians. Land Certificate Records were issued to four of James Lawrence, Sr's sons who were in the Kentucky Territory as early as 1776 improving the land. They were Samuel, Jr., Solomon, John and David - each claimed 1000 acres of land in the Rolling Fork/Salt River area. James Lawrence, Sr. with his family (except for James, Jr. who died in Virginia) came to what is now Mercer Co., Kentucky.

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He was a private in Captain Winston's Company of the 14 Virginia Regiment of Foot, commanded by Col. William Davies. James was at Valley Forge 3 Jun 1778 and at West Point 1 Oct 1778.The family owned land at the mouth of Craigs Creek on the north side of the James River before arriving in Kentucky in the 1780's
Elizabeth (?) and James LAWRENCE were married circa 1738.

417. Elizabeth (?) was born (date unknown).

Children were:

i.
James LAWRENCE Jr. was born on 11 April 1742 in Nonsemond Co., VA. In 1780 he was an a silversmith in VA. He died on 25 July 1834 at the age of 92 in Botetourt Co., VA.⁹⁵ One source had him dying in 1773 in Va. Not sure which is correct.
ii.
William LAWRENCE Sr. was born about 1743 in Augusta Co., VA. He died in 1805 at the age of 62 in Lincoln Co., KY.
iii.
Janett LAWRENCE was born about 1744 in Augusta Co., VA. She died before 1801 at the age of 57.
208
iv.
Samuel LAWRENCE.
v.
Elizabeth LAWRENCE was born in 1748 in Augusta Co., VA. She died on 15 July 1843 at the age of 95 in New Washington, Clark Co., IN.⁴⁰²
vi.
David LAWRENCE⁴⁰³ was born about 1750 in VA. He died on 10 November 1804 at the age of 54 in Shelby Co., KY.⁹⁵ He signed a will on 10 November 1804 in Shelby Co., KY.⁴⁰³ Early records of Washington Co., KY show that David, along with his brothers John, Samuel and Solomon were exploring along there Rolling Fork River in 1776. Records say that they returned to Harrodsburg in June of 1776. David Lawrence entered 1,000 acres of the Rolling Fork River in nelson County. The entry was made in 1780 and was verified by Jillson (Virginia Surveys and Grants 1774-1791.) David later bought 66 2/3 acres of land in Shelby Co., KY recorded in Deed Book 27, page 222. David was living on his father's farm in Mercer Co. in 1788 according to a document of agreement of James Lawrence and his sons.
vii.
John LAWRENCE⁴⁰³ was born about 1752 in Augusta Co., VA. He died circa 1814 at the age of 62 in Franklin Co., KY. According to The History of Washington County, KY, John, along with his brothers David, Samuel and Solomon and brother-in-law James Cloyd, were exploring lands on the Rolling Fork River in 1776. Indeed they each preempted land along Cloy's Creek which is about 3 miles east of Bradfordsville in what is now Marion Co., KY. The document states that they were returning to Fort Harrod in June of 1776. Land records show that John Lawrence entered 806 acres in Jefferson County and 192 acres in Nelson County on the Rolling Fork River. Another 225,000 acres was owned by John Lawrence and others in Fayette County and is recorded in Deed Book 3, page 353. All of this can be verified in Jillson Records (Virginia Surveys and Grants 1774-1791)
According to an agreement that James Lawrence made with his sons, John was living on the farm near Danville with his father in 1788.
viii.
Isaac LAWRENCE Sr.⁴⁰⁴ was born about 1754 in Augusta Co., VA.⁹⁵ He died on 14 June 1840 at the age of 86 in Hamilton Co., OH.⁴⁰⁵ Served in the War of 1812. When Isaac enlisted he was living in Fleming Co., KY. He also lived in Boone Co., KY and then moved to Hamilton Co., OH.
27 Aug 1813 to 3 Nov 1813 he was paid for 2 months and 8 days at $8.00 a month and $.40 a day for his horse. Capt. George Matthew's Company 2nd Regiment KY Mounted Volunteers Militia.
ix.
Solomon LAWRENCE⁴⁰⁰ was born in 1755 in VA. He signed a will on 31 July 1806 in Nelson Co., KY. Samuel Pursley
1806-7: married Nelson County, Kentucky, Elizabeth Lawrence. Will of Solomon Lawrence of Nelson County, Kentucky dated 31 July 1806, probated 13 Apr 1807 names wife Ann - daughter Elizabeth Pursley - a witness to that will was Samuel Pursley. He died before 13 April 1807 at the age of 52 in Nelson Co., KY.⁹⁵ Will proven for name at place on date. Solomon served under Capt. Samuel Kirkham in 1782. This is documented by H. J. Eckenrode, List of Revolutionary Soldiers in VA. "Solomon was a very large landholder. He owned much land along the Rolling Fork River in Washington and Nelson Counties in KY. According to the History of Washington County, he along with brothers John, David and Samuel were on the Rolling Fork in 1776. His will is recorded in Nelson Co., KY and proven in 1807."
x.
Joseph LAWRENCE was born about 1758 in Augusta Co., VA. He died in 1801 at the age of 43 in Mercer Co., KY.⁹⁵ He signed a will in Mercer Co., KY.³⁴⁰ Mercer Co. Will Book 2, page 230. Joseph recommends his soul to God and his body to the earth to be buried in a Christian manner. Of his worldly goods he directs tht after his just debts are paid, his wife is to receive 1/3 of his movable estate forever and 1/3 of his plantation for a period of 10 years. Then his plantation is to be sold at auction and to be equally divided between his wife Sarah, daughters Elizabeth and Nelly and his sons Robert Hall and Henry. The balances of his movable estate is to be used to maintain and educate his children. Witnesses are Solomon and Ann Lawrence, Thomas Arbuckle and William Crow.
Will book 6 in Mercer Co., KY records Joseph's inventory. Deed Book 12, page 40 records the sale of some of Joseph's land to James Birney for $3,000.
Joseph owned 200 acres of land - Lincoln Co., Deed book 2, page 276 and another 200 acres which was part of the 800 acres that was plurchased from William Fields by his father. See Deed Book 2, page 215, Mercer Co., KY.
xi.
Robert LAWRENCE Sr. was born about 1759 in Augusta Co., VA.⁴⁰⁶ He died on 9 July 1801 at the age of 42 in Mercer Co., KY.^95,406
xii.
Sarah LAWRENCE was born in December 1760 in Augusta Co., VA.⁹⁵ She died in September 1812 at the age of 51 at William Crow homeplace in Lincoln Co., KY.⁴⁰⁷