This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: carlllawson Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.lawson/6719.6.1.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I believe you will find that Lunenburg County was formed from Brunswick County in 1746. Halifax County was taken from the western lands of Lunenburg County in 1752. Bedford County was taken from Lunenburg County in 1754. Pittsylvania County was formed from Halifax County in 1767. Henry County was formed from Pittsylvania County in 1777. Patrick County was formed from Henry County in 1791 and lastly Campbell County was form from Bedford County in 1782. William Lawson of Falling Rivers obtained his land in Brunswick County, VA: - Virginia Land Patent Book 23, page 1120, dated 20 August 1745, William Lawson, 143 acres in Brunswick County, Virginia, for 15 shilling, on the north side of Falling River. You will find Falling River north of the northeast tri-corner of present day Campbell, Charlotte and Halifax Counties and it flows into the Roanoke (Staunton) River. Therefore the land that William owned was originally in Brunswick County, then Lunenburg County, then Bedford County and today it is located in Campbell County, VA. >From the list of tithes for 1748, 1749, 1750 and 1752 we find the following Lawsons in Lunenburg County, VA: - John in one household, Bartholomew in one and Jonas Lawson. However in 1848 John Lawson pays 2 tithes for his household - one for himself and one for William Lawson. Was this John and his father or John and his son? In 1750 John pays 3 tithes, one for himself, one for William and one for John Lawson Jr. There was a William Lawson in his own household that paid one tithe. In 1752 we have John Sr., John and Jonas but each in their own households. All of these men would have had to be over sixteen years for them to have to pay tithes. The law at this time stated that "male persons of the age of sixteen years and upwards" were required to pay tithes. To see a list of all these tithes, see my webpage http://lawsondna.org/Pages/William1timeline.html or http://lawsondna.org/Media/virginiacounties/Lunenburg.html So by 1750 we have in the Falling River area the following Lawsons: - William, John Sr., John Jr., a second William, Jonas, a second Jonas and Bartholomew Lawson and they are all over 16 years of age. I believe these are all male members of William Lawson of Falling River family. William Lawson of Falling River, died before April 1754. In Deed Book #4, page 320 Lunenburg County, Virginia. John, Jonas and Bartholomew Lawson of Lunenburg County, Virginia sold to Thomas Watkins of same for 30 pounds, land North side of Falling River, being that wherein his father William Lawson did live, containing 143 acres. John Lawson executed the land sale. There was no mention of a son Joshua Lawson? The above shows us the three sons of William Lawson and they are John, Jonas and Bartholomew Lawson. It also shows us the possible children of John Lawson by tax records in Lunenburg County and they may be William, John Jr. and Jonas Lawson. The county changes its name from Lunenburg to Bedford County and the next interesting list is the Bedford County, Virginia, Insolvents List 1762 - William Lawson (run away), John Lawson, John Lawson, Jr., David Lawson, Jonas Lawson all owed 5 lbs. tobacco, Bartlett Lawson owed 10 lbs. tobacco. Found in "Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly", Vol. XXIII, number 3, (1 August 1985) page 72. We next find in Bedford County, VA John, John Jr., David, Jonas, Bartlett and William in a number of court cases, probably to do with their insolvent problems. Then the next interesting list is the Bedford County, Virginia - 1763 Tithes - Wm. Lawson, 1 tithe John Lawson B.E., 1 tithe Jonas Lawson, 1 tithe David Lawson, 1 tithe Found in "Virginia Genealogical Society Quarterly", Vol. XXIII, number 3, (1 August 1985) page 73. After 1763 all these Lawson are gone out of Bedford County, VA. Where did they go? Did the above 4 go to Surry County, NC and are these the sons of John Lawson Sr.? Bedford County, Virginia, Deed Book 2, pages 268-270, dated 9 September 1763, Bartholomew Lawson of the County of Bedford sold to Michael Pruit of the said County of Bedford for the sum of forty five pounds one hundred acres, that tract situated, lying and being in the County of Bedford on the south side of Falling River bequeathed to the said Lawson by John Simkins, deceased. Signed Bartholomew (his mark) Lawson. Witnesses were Thomas Watkins and James Prewit. Recorded 27 September 1763, Teste Ben Howard CBC. Susanna inherited this 100 acres from her father, John Simkin's estate, which she was to receive upon her mother's death. This may be about the time Bartholomew moved his family to Cumberland County, North Carolina? Here is what we find in that county: - Abstracts of Minutes of the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions of Cumberland County, North Carolina - October 1755-January 1779, Vol. I - 20 February 1765, Ordered on motion of P. Ballard, attorney for Susannah Lawson, widow of Bartholomew Lawson, late of this county, that she have letters of administration on his estate, securities: Thomas Collins and John Overton, bond: 500 pounds, proc., she then qualifying. By 1765 Bartholomew Lawson is dead and we are not sure how long his family remained there but by 1778 Susannah and some of her family are just north of Surry and Stokes Counties in Henry County (later Patrick County), VA. We have a James, William, Moreman, John, David, William (Big Billey), Jonas and later by 1790 we have a Bartlett, Robert, Thomas, and another David. That is the earliest records I have seen for Henry County. By 1772 the tax records shows a Jonas Lawson in the Surry County, N. C., and in 1774 Mormon Lawson is taxed there. Were there two Mormons (Moreman) or was he just moving across the state lines? We may need to look at the Rowan County records because Surry County was formed from Rowan in 1771. Anyway we find William, Jonas, David and John obtaining land in Surry County, which later ends up in Stokes County, NC. As you can see we have lot's of Lawsons in this Surry and Stokes Counties, NC and Henry and Patrick Counties area by 1800. This area I figure is less than 36 square miles. I do believe that most of these Lawson are related to William Lawson of Falling River but how do you sort them out? I believe we have a good idea of the names of 4 of John BE Lawson's sons. They are Thomas, Patmon, Clem and John. There are so many John Lawsons in early Tennessee that it is hard to figure out, which one is which because we do not have any Bibles or wills that help us (or at least I have not seen them). As for John Goober Pea Lawson. The tax records I have seen shows him with no land tax, so I assume he does not have any land: - Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1794 Capt. Cloud's District. Lawson, Bartlett; 1 white poll Lawson, David; 75 acres Lawson, John (B. Eye); 200 acres Lawson, Jonas; 400 acres Lawson, Patmon; 50 acres, 1 white poll Lawson, Sherrod; 1 white poll Lawson, William; 1 white poll Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1794 Capt. Dearing's District. Lowson, Burrel; 1 white poll Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1794 True return of Insolvents. Lawson, John Jr.; 1 white poll Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1795 Capt. Cloud's District. Lawson, Bartholomew; 1 white poll Lawson, Jones (Jonas); 400 acres Lawson, Sherwood; 1 white poll Lawson, John B. Eye; 200 acres Lawson, John G. Pea; 1 white poll Lawson, Burwell; 1 white poll Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1796 Capt. Cloud's District. Lawson, John Jr.; 50 acres Lawson, John Sr.; 200 acres Lawson, Jonas; 400 acres Lawson, Patmon; 100 acres, 1 white poll Lawson, Sherod; 1 white poll Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1796 Capt. Ward's District. Lawson, Burel; 1 white poll Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1797 Capt. Cloud's District. Lawson, John (Black Eye); 200 acres Lawson, Jonas; 400 acres Lawson, Junr. (Believe to be John Jr.); 50 acres, 1 white poll Lawson, Patman; 75 acres, 1 white poll Lawson, Sherrod; 1 white poll Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1797 Capt. Ward's District. Lawson, Burrel; 1 white poll Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1798 Capt. Cloud's District. Lawson, Sherrid; 50 acres, 1 white poll Lawson, Patman; 75 acres, 1 white poll Lawson, John (Gober Pea); 1 white poll Lawson, Isham (B. E.) (John B. E.?); 200 acres Lawson, David Jf. (Jeff. or Jr.?); 50 acres Lawson, John Jr.; 1 white poll Lawson, Jonas; 400 acres Stokes County, N. C., Tax List 1798 Capt. Ward's District. Lawson, Burril; 1 white poll Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.