This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: davmargilbert Surnames: Lawson, Speed Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/surnames.lawson/6736/mb.ashx Message Board Post: I have a newspaper article about John Lawson, born 1805 in Manchester, England, at his death in Maplewood, Missouri in the home of his step-daughter, Mrs. E. M. McFadden. The article says that he built the first locomotive engine in England. He came to America when he was 26 years old. He lived in Baltimore and Philadelphia, Petersburg, VA, and Alabama. While in Alabama he married Miss Emily Speed. He fought in the Civil War where he gave several of his boats to the Confederate Government. He built a gunboat, the General Polk. President Cleveland appointed him Government Engineer on the Federal building in Paducah. The article doesn't have a date. It does have a picture of John Lawson. If you are interested, I would be happy to send you the contents. Margaret 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.