I'm not related but found this looking for my own line. Did you know Gaines was a medal of honor recipient? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaines_Lawson Gaines Lawson (September 4, 1840-September 12, 1906)was a First Sergeant in the Union Army and a Medal of Honor recipient for his actions in the American Civil War. http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/glawson.htm Medal of Honor citation Rank and organization: First Sergeant, Company D, 4th East Tennessee Infantry. Place and date: At Minville, Tenn., October 3, 1863. Entered service at: Tennessee. Born: 1841, Hawkins County, Tenn. Date of issue: June 11, 1895. Citation: Went to the aid of a wounded comrade between the lines and carried him to a place of safety See also * List of Medal of Honor recipients * List of American Civil War Medal of Honor recipients: G-L And this from Ancestry.com board. http://boards.ancestry.com.au/surnames.lawson/6677/mb.ashx Gaines Lawson and family information Replies: 6 Gaines Lawson and family information giles4blues Posted: 29 Sep 2008 3:53AM GMT Classification: Query Surnames: Lawson, Shanks No, I do not know who his biological father was... YET. However, I do have a number of documents belonging to and about Gaines et al which were sent to me by a very kind Lawson descendent. First of all, to ktsok- please see my response to you regarding Eugene, who I'm fairly certain was the son of Gaines. (See Maverick, TX 1880 Census). I will offer some random, though hopefully helpful, information. I apologize if anything has already been said in the other amazingly well-detailed thread about this family. Everyone helped my research a great deal. 1. I have his death certificate which gives his birthday as 9-4-1840. Col. Gaines Lawson, MOH winner, moved to California in 1894, moving to Pasadena in 1906, months before his death. He died of lung cancer with secondary exhaustion and hydrothorax (fluid in the lungs). His first wife, Laura, died in 1894, so it's possible he remarried. However, he was widowed at the time of his death. No informant is given. No parental names are given. 2. Piney Lawson, aged 62, lived in the household of Riley Shanks in the 1880 Census. They lived two doors away from McClellan Lawson. I believe this is our Piney Lawson, given everything else that has been said. I realize that she would have had to be 12 or 13 when she had John and McClellan, but odder things have happened. (Assuming the age is accurate). 3. If Gaines Lawson is difficult to place, it's because he traveled extensively during his military career. In his retirement letter, he described various homes over the years. After Tennessee, he went to N. Carolina ("Spring of 1865"). He "served in Louisiana from December 1866 to 1870" and then "in Texas and the Indian Territory from 1870 to 1878." After that, he mentioned spending time in "Dakota, Minnesota and Montana." 4. One document I have mentions several "facts". Apparently, Col. Gaines Lawson was the uncle of Rev. Gaines Lawson. It also mentions Piney "Shanks" Lawson as being the mother of John, Clem, Jane, Gaines, and Francis Cave. I am off to bed but will add more later! Ashley ======== -----Original Message----- From: lawson-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:lawson-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of gc-gateway@rootsweb.com Sent: Friday, June 19, 2009 10:03 AM To: LAWSON-L@rootsweb.com Subject: Re: [LAWSON] Gaines Lawson vs Sitting Bull This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: ktsok Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.lawson/3427.1.1.3/mb.ashx Message Board Post: This was from a google search. I wish it had more information. This must have occurred when Gaines was stationed at Ft. Missouia, Montana Territory. "California and Californians" by Rockwell Dennis Hunt, Nellie Van de Grift Sanchez p.316, Gaines Lawson, of the Regular Army, was commanding officer in the campaign against Sitting Bull after the massacre of General Custer during the Indian.....[not continued] 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. ------------------------------- To unsubscribe from the list, please send an email to LAWSON-request@rootsweb.com with the word 'unsubscribe' without the quotes in the subject and the body of the message