One More Lawson Family Post: Is it William Lawson?

If you want to be frustrated----just try to figure out the correct ancestry of a well-known ancestor, or how you fit into that ancestry.  

For a while, I thought our family was related to Mary Todd Lincoln.   That was a rumor long held by my older cousins and family members.    Then, about five years ago, I helped finance a DNA study that was being done by one of my Todd cousins.   Sure enough, DNA proved that our branch of the Todd family was not related to Mary Todd Lincoln.

In looking at the Lawson Family, the ancestors of my paternal great great grandmother, Ann (Lawson) Clark, wife of James E. Clark, I have run into the same kind of problem.    Ann's father was Willis Lawson, born in Virginia.  He was born into farming and remained a farmer on the frontier in Kentucky and Indiana.    Most genealogists seem to agree that his father was Robert Lawson, although there are a few who believe it may have been Robert's brother, Nathan Lawson.   Both Robert and Nathan Lawson were born in Virginia and then migrated to Kentucky and Tennessee.

I chose to think that the father of Willis Lawson was Robert Lawson, although there are no written records of Robert Lawson saying that Willis is his son.   Robert Lawson was born in Virginia in 1764 and had moved to Shelby County, Kentucky by the 1810 US Census.   There he was surrounded by a number of Lawson relatives.

Robert Lawson was born in 1764 or 1765 in Spotsylvania, Virginia and was married to Anne Goad, who was born in 1768, also in Virginia.   There seems to be disagreement about the date of their marriage and about also the children born to their marriage.   Here is one list of children that I feel is fairly accurate:

William Lawson - born 1787 in Virginia
Thomas Lawson - born 1790 in Virginia
Boswell Lawson - born 1792 in Virginia
Willis Lawson - born 1794 in Virginia died about 1845 in Putnam County, Indiana
Andrew Lawson - born 1794 in Virginia and died  died about 1855
Henry Lawson - born 1798 in Virginia and died 1861
Barnes Lawson - Born 1800 in Virginia
Malinda Lawson - Born 1802 in Virginia.

Since only the head of each household was identified on the US Census prior to 1850, it is very difficult to use that information to identify each of these as the children of Robert and Anne (Goad) Lawson.    However, all names in each household and their relationships were identified in the US Census after 1850 and that helps genealogists sort out families.

From the US Census, I have been able to identify that William Lawson, Bowsell Lawson, Willis Lawson, and Barnes Lawson all moved their families from Kentucky to Indiana during the mid to late 1830s.   In fact, some of the brothers are living fairly close together.    I will continue to work on that and see if I can find additional information.

Now comes the real dilemma!!!    Who is the father of Robert Lawson?    Most genealogists believe that William "The Scottish Rebel" Lawson is Robert's father---however there isn't much primary documentation to support their conclusion.    William Lawson is a "folk hero" in both Scotland and Virginia and as a result, everyone wants to be related to William Lawson.

William "The Scottish Rebel" Lawson was born at Montrose, Angus, Scotland on June 26, 1731 and at the age of 15, joined hundreds of his compatriots at the Battle of Culloden in Scotland.    The battle took place on April 16, 1746.

A painting in the British Museum of action in the Battle of Culloden in Scotland.

William earned his badge of honor by being arrested by the British and serving time in prison.  He was finally put on a prison ship to America in 1747, where he was indentured out to pay for his voyage.  He eventually was freed and moved to Fincastle County, Virginia where he settled on 300 acres of land along Laurel Creek.  

Little did William expect that he would be fighting the British again, but as a result of the American Revolution, William did just that, fighting in the Battle of King's Mountain on October 7, 1780.

William married Rebecca (?) and there is much disagreement about her maiden name.    However, on his tombstone in the Lawson Confederate Cemetery, Snowflake, Scott County, Virginia---it says "wife Rebecca - died January 16, 1827."

There are literally more than two dozen genealogies for William and Rebecca Lawson on Ancestry.com and I don't think any of them are in complete agreement.    Some list them having nine or ten children and others up to fourteen or fifteen.    I have not done any original research, but I'm going to list below, what seems to be a general consensus for the children:

Rhonda - 1851
Drury or Drewry - 1756 - 1847
Ann - 1761- 1822
William, II - 1763 - 1852
Robert - 1764/1765 - 1830
Travis - 1766 - 1855
Catherine - 1769
Sally - 1770 - 1862
Jeremiah 1773 - 1862   ( a well-known Methodist Minister of "The Great Awakening."

The Entrance to the Lawson Confederate Memorial Cemetery, Snowflake, Gates City, Scott County, Virginia.   This cemetery began as a family burial ground for the Lawson Family but has since become a veteran's burial ground with soldiers of the Revolutionary, War of 1812, and Confederate Army having been buried there.

I have not been able to find any definitive listing of children done by a professional genealogist.   Will we ever know for sure----anyone's guess!

Most genealogists list Robert Lawson, born in 1864 or 1865 in Virginia, and son of William Rebecca (?) Lawson, as the father of Willis Lawson and grandfather of Ann "Annie" (Lawson) Clark.   I agree with that assumption and will provide his genealogy, although I have not done any primary research.   I am taking this information from Ancestry. com:

Robert Lawson born about 1764 or 1765 to William "The Scottish Rebel" Lawson and Rebecca (?) Lawson.    Robert Lawson was married to Anne Goad and they moved to Shelby County, Kentucky.  They were the parents of:
William - born 1787
Thomas - born 1790
Boswell - 1792
Willis - 1794
Andrew - 1795
Henry - 1798
Barnes - 1800
Malinda - 1802

It is believed that Robert Lawson died in Shelby County, Kentucky before 1830.    Several of his children were found living in or near Putnam County, Indiana on the 1840, 1850 and 1860 US Census.    They include at least:   William, Boswell, Willis, Andrew, and Barnes.

I'm going to stick my neck out now---and make an educated guess at the lineage of Ann "Annie" (Lawson) Clark, wife of James E. Clark:

Ann (Lawson) Clark
Father and Mother:    Willis and Mary (?) Lawson
Grandfather and Grandmother:  Robert and Anne (Goad) Lawson
Great Grandfather and Great Grandmother:   William "The Rebel" and Rebecca (?) Lawson

Now that I have eased my conscience over the mistake I make concerning Ann "Annie" (Lawson) Clark, I will return to writing about the children of Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin.

Happy Trails!!!