| Notes |
- John B Lawrence was Half Cousin, once removed, of Richard & John Lawrence of Toronto. The common ancestor was. Capt. William C Lawrence of NJ and England.
- PART 1
. 1757 Dec 8 - On the first day of August last were published a New American Magazine, to be published Monthly, by Sylvanus Americanus. The said magazine shall contain a new & complete history of the Northern Continent of American from the time of its first discovery to the present, compiled with the impartiality & regard to the Truth which becomes a faithful Historian. ...those who are willing to encourage this undertaking, are desired to give in their names to the following persons, viz. James Parker, Woodbridge who is proposed to be the printer of this magazine; Mr. Boudinott, Postmaster, Princetown; Mr. Thomas Leonard at Freehold; Dr. Newell, at Allen Town, Mr. John Lawrence at Burlington.
Note1: Many are related to the Lawrence family.
Ref: Pennsylvania Gazette.
. John B Lawrence is sometimes confused with John Lawrence, Esq., Treasurer of the State of Connecticut, directly after the Revolution).
. 1754 - John Lawrence of Burlington, appointed commissioner to erect & lay the corner stone of Nassau Hall, Princeton, New Jersey.
Ref: NJ Archives I: XX Bio. (Digital Antiquariae Archives NJA, 1204A).
. 1759 Nov 29 - John Stillwell, an English servant man; runaway from the farm of John Lawrence in Mansfield, Burlington County. Ref: Pennsylvania Gazette.
JBL was a lawyer, a staunch loyalist. From 1771 to 1775 he was a member of the Provincial council, & regarded by his townspeople as a man of importance. He was Mayor of Burlington in 1769-1775. He was a man of courage.
1760 Dec 5 - Appointed by Legislature as commissioner to erect suitable house at Burlington for the preservation of public records.
. 1761 Apr 7 - Appointed Commissioner to grant relief to townships for supporting to disabled soldiers in the French War.
. John Lawrence served in the royal government during the colonial era. During the revolution Lawrence interceded for the City of Burlington by negotiating for the Hessian General to prevent pillage. When the Hessians were marching on the town in 1775, he was mayor, & at the head of a deputation of citizens, he rode out on the old York Road to meet the enemy & to beg them to spare the place & inhabitants. (This was said to have occurred on the property in the Captain James Lawrence House-John Brown Lawrence). However Lawrence withdrew with the Hessians from the city when the Penn. Navy commenced a bombardment on 12 Dec., 1776.
. 1777 Jan 2 at the Battle of Trenton, Gen. Geo. Washington crossed the Delaware & captured the entire 896 Hessian army along with their much need cannon & supplies. Was it here that Mayor John Lawrence was also arrested? - PJA
Philadelphia Provincial Tax Lists:
. 1769 - Middle Ward: John Lawrence, Esq., 12 Acres, Horses 2, Servants 4, Tax £389.11 .8;
. 1770 - Tax - John Lawrence Esq. Male, Burlington, Burlington Co., NJ.: 1 servant, 2 wheeled chaise. (?)
. 1774 - Middle Ward: John Lawrence, Esq'r., 12 Acres, Horses 2, Cattle 3, Tax £389.11 .8;
NJ Tax List John Lawrence, Esq., Mansfield Twp., Burlington Co.,
. 1770, 350 Acres of Land, 13 Cattle & Horses, 1 Servant.
. 1774, August, Nov. - Dec tax list, Page 27.
. 1776 - John Lawrence was held a prison by the Provincial Congress of N. J. After his release, he went to New York where he held a clerical position in the British Army (?) & while there was an officer in the volunteer militia of Loyalists. He was also a searcher in the supt. General's Department of New York, of which Lieut. Governor Andrew Elliott was the chief. On the evacuation of that city in December 1783, by the British troops, he returned to Perth Amboy, but his estate had been confiscated. He was Vestryman at St. Peter's Church, Perth Amboy in 1790.
* After the War we find JB Lawrence's time was spent at Burlington, NJ. (PJA 2010).
. Apr. 1777 John Lawrence of Burlington was accused of high treason. Joseph Lawrence, Esq., among others, appeared before the Council of Safety & gave evidence against him; while Mr. Peter Imlay gave evidence against (his uncle) John Lawrence, Sr., of Monmouth.
. Member of the Council & a distinguished lawyer. Born in Monmouth Co. His inclination was to take no part in the Revolution; but, suspected by the Whigs from the first, because of his official relations to the Crown, he was finally arrested & imprisoned in the Burlington jail for a long time. Accused of treasonable intercourse with the enemy, he was tried & acquitted.
. 1784 Oct 29, Petition to the Legislature from inhabitants of Burlington City requesting they be granted a charter to incorporate the city, Signed, Jno. Lawrence, Residence 1780.
. 1794 Jan 1794, Name on one of 10 petitions to the Legislative Council & General Assembly from inhabitants of Burlington County opposing a law allowing the inhabitants of the county to decide by vote [decide what?]
Corporate name of Burlington Academy, signed, & sealed 7 names including 9th May, 1795, John Lawrence
* Note2: This is the last known signature of John Lawrence, before his arriving in Toronto in October of 1795. - PJA.
. 1779 Lieut. Col. John G Simcoe, age just 28y, commander of the Queen's Rangers, was a fellow-prisoner & when exchanged said at parting, " I shall never forget you kindness".
Note3: Simcoe had received a serious head wound & was held in Burlington jail from 1779 Nov 10 to Dec. 1st. The pain of this head injury which would continue the rest of Simcoe's life.]
Ref: Council of Safety of NJ
. 1790 Philadelphia, Penn. Water St., East Side Census: John Lawrence, Esq. -.- [1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9]
- PART 2 New Jersey LEGAL WORK of John Lawrence, Esq.
. John Lawrence was admitted to the NJ Bar in May 47 & another at the November Term 1749
Ref: Vroom's Sup Ct. Rules 58 ( the other may have been an attorney who traded at Bordentown 1751.
Ref: Hist Burlington & Mercer Counties, 456.
It was doubtless the Burlington lawyer who as licensed as a Sergeant-at-Law in 1771 Nov 16, Vroom's sup Ct. Rules 54.
(The future Parker-in-laws.)
. AT COUNCIL. Held at Perth Amboy, on the 31st day of January, 1775. Present: His Excellency the Governor, Peter Kemble, Esq., James Parker, Esq., the Chief Justice, Richard Stockton, Esq., Daniel Cox, Esq., John Lawrence, Esq., Francis Hopkinson, Esq. The Board resumed the consideration of the charges brought by the Earl of Sterling against Samuel Ogden, Esq., &, having duly examined & weighted the evidence on both sides produced to the Board, are of opinion, that the said charges are not in anywise supported, but that, on the contrary, the conduct of the said Samuel Ogden, in his endeavors to discover the persons concerned in the counterfeiting the Bills of Credit of this Province, & other atrocious villainies, to have been that of a vigilant & upright magistrate: they are further of opinion, that it is in a great measure owing to his activity & zeal for the public good, that a gang of villains, very mischievous to this & the neighboring provinces, have been detected, & some of them brought to justice. The Board do, therefore, think proper to give Mr. Ogden the fullest assurances of their approbation of his conduct as a good magistrate.
CHARLES PETTIT, D. Clerk of the Council.
. NJ State Supreme Court, sample of some of his legal work:
[John stated his lawyers license was forfeit because of the Revolution, sometime after his trial 1779. JBL Junior worked also in NJ courts. - PJA.]
. 1765, Aug. 15. Thorne, Thomas, of Chesterfield, Burlington Co, Int. Admire: John Imlay, of Bordentown, merchant. Fellowbonds-man: John Lawrence, of Burlington, attorney-at-law. Lib. 12, p. 154.
. Read, Alice, wife of Chas. Read, Will of; Witnesses: Jonathan Odell, Anne De Cow, John Lawrence. Proved Nov. 15, 1769, by Rev. Jonathan Odell, Minister of St. Mary's Church in Burlington, & John Lawrence, Mayor of said City. Lib. 14, p. 82.
. 1782 Aug 28 - (JBL's next door neighbour robbed): 28 Aug. Thomas Fenimore, Esquire, county collect of Burlington was robbed on Friday night last of a considerable sum of publick money, by a number of refugees from Eggharbour.
. 1785 February 20, from Charles Thomas to John Lawrence:
Sir, New York, I have this Moment read, your favour of the 10th.
#1. I can hardly say in what situation the court of appeals now is. Upon finishing the causes before them after the conclusion of peace they wrote to Congress & seemed to wish to know their pleasure respecting the Continuance of the Court. No answer was returned nor was any thing done by Congress.
#2. I should therefore be inclined to think the court still exists. One of the Members namely Cyrus Griffin esquire is as I am informed now at Philada. at which place the register of the Court lives & with him the Appeal must be lodged, if any has been made, For since the establishment of the court no appeals are brought to Congress.
I am Sr, Your obedient humble Servt, Chas. Thomson.
RC (Cty: Kiollenberg Collection). Addressed: John Lawrence Esqr, Burlington." Endorsed: Chars Thomson Concg. Col. Saml. Formans Appeal.
Ref: Letters of Delegates to Congress 174x-1789.
MEETING PRESIDENT GEO. WASHINGTON:
Proceedings of Congress, House of Representatives of the US:
. 1789 April 22, Thursday, A committee of 5 was then balloted for, who are to join a committee of the Senate, to receive the president on the Jersey shore, & attend him to this city. Mr. Boudinot, Mr. Bland, Mr. Benson, Mr. Lawrence, & Mr. Tucker, were elected. Mr Gilman, Mr. Armes, & Mr. Gerry, were appointed a committee to wait on the Vice-President John Adams, on his arrival & congratulate him in the name of the two Houses.
Ref: New-Jersey Journal, Elizabethtown, NJ, published April 22,1789.
. 1789 Apr 30, Boxwood Hall, Elizabethtown, NJ, home of Elias Boudinot. Gen. Washington met the committee of congress & partook of an elegant luncheon. this famous meal was served on a fine service of china & silverware imported from London. It took 2 hours to serve the courses.
Ref: Historic houses of NJ, W J Mills, 1902.
1791 Feb 15, Burlington
. Returns from Essex, Morris, Middlesex, Cumberland counties it appears Messrs. Boudinout, Dayton, Clark & Kitchel, are the 4 highest in said counties among the list of Candidates in the late election for Representatives in this state.
. We are informed that his Excellency the Governor of this State has been pleased to appoint John Lawrence, Esq., Clerk of the Country of Burlington, during the recess of the Legislature, in the room of John Phillips, deceased.
Ref: Burlington Advertiser, NJ, published 1791 Feb 15.
. After the End of Revolution from 1783 - May 1795:
John Lawrence wrote two letters to Wm. Livingston & Elias Boudinot in 1789 concerning the political prospect of the upcoming federal ticket run in Trenton.
. 1793 January 30, 1793: At a meeting of the Burlington Co. Society for promoting Agriculture & Domestic Manufactures, Sat. Jan. 5, 1793, the following were elected for the coming year: Thos. Fennimore, Jr. Treasurer, Corresponding Committees. John Lawrence, Wm. Cox, Esquires.
Ref: New Jersey State Gazette, Trenton, NJ.
* 1794 Nov 9th - A ROBBERY & BURGLARY!
£ Twenty Reward. On Sunday evening last, the 9h inst. And also his desk, & taken therefrom upwards of £100 of the emission of the year 1786, £200 in bank notes, & about $50 in silver.
The above Robbery & burglary was committed by a daring Villain who attempted to add to his list of crimes the one of murder, by cutting my arm while I had hold of him & making 3 attempts to stab me in the body with a knife. The perpetrator of the above robbery was rather a short square made man; his clothes must be bloody as the wounds in my arm bled freely.
JOHN LAWRENCE, Burlington November 10, 1794.
N.B. As it is expected the Jersey money will be offered for sale, brokers & others are particularly requested to pay attention to the above advertisement.
Ref: Philadelphia Gazette, Penn., Published 1794 Nov 12-17th.
Note: Two years earlier Thos. Fenimore, his adjoining neighbour, was also robbed, (& living here was his son, the frontier author James Fenimore Cooper.
. There is a long History of Episcopalian/ Anglican Church in Burlington that shows John Lawrence, Esq., Mayor of Burlington, was among the its earliest & active of members commencing 1768. John Lawrence conducted various legal matters, principally for Rev. John O'Dell then for his replacement. Some of the work included raising money for the relief of widows & orphans of deceased clergymen & Lawrence founding the Burlington Academy for a liberal education. John's sons, Elisha & John, Jr. attended this Academy in 1793.
The Corporate name of Burlington Academy, signed, & sealed 7 names including 9th May, 1795 John Lawrence, is his last known signature in New Jersey, before his arriving in Toronto in September 1795. - . - [10, 11]
- PART 3. ARRIVED 1795 IN Town of York, (Toronto), UPPER CANADA
. 1795 Sept 2nd. "By Mr. Lawrence's Account £1.19s.8p
Goods on account for John Brown Lawrence who had just arrived in the Town of York encampment."
* ABNER MILES DAY BOOK, King St., Toronto {Goods on account: Mr. Lawrence:
1795 Mar 18 - 1 bushel potatoes, 10s.6 p.
1796 Jan 9 - 1 Almanac 2 s..; 15 Feb, 7 3/4 lbs. of pork, 2s. May 22, 21 1/4 lbs. flour 10s.8p.
Mar 18, - 1 bushel potatoes,10s. 6p, by King Kendrick; Mar 3, 6 lbs. of pork, 7s.6p;
Mar 10, 4 lbs. of pork 5s.,
May 22 - 1 bushel potatoes, 10 s. 6p.; Nov 26, 1796 (three faint items) £xx 6s.4p.xx.
. 1795 Nov 13 Friday - We left Navy Hall [Newark/Niagara-on-lake] at eight o'clock in the "Governor Simcoe," & arrive at York at five; Drank tea with Mrs. McGill. Mr. Lawrence is come with us; he is lately from the States."
. 1795 Dec 18, Tues. - Mr. Lawrence, who went with the party from motives of curiosity, speaks well of the apparent quality of most of the land; 20 miles from hence, near Bond's farm, he saw two small lakes near each other, from whence many fish were taken. He saw no wild animals.
. 1796 Sep 30 - Baron Wm.. Berczy was a friend of John Lawrence & wrote as a friend, to Niagara on his behalf. Andrew Heron, Brother of Samuel, one of Berczy's shareholders, he was wiling to pay ll Lawrence's expenses.
Ref: Infant Toronto, by John Andre.
. Good friend of the Governor John Graves Simcoe of Upper Canada.
Built Kings grist Mill on the Humber River [2008 now Old Mill Inn, Toronto]. In failing health he made his will on 10 July, 1798, witnessed by John Willson, a fellow lawyer from Burlington, New Jersey (who was licensed for the saw mill on the together with the grist mill on the Humber River, Toronto.
Town of York, Toronto Land Grant: 22 Russell Square, John Lawrence, Esq. (Now the site of Upper Canada College.)
. UCLPetition 39, L Bundle 2, C2124, p910.
To John Graves Simcoe, Lieut. Gov., In Council, Petition of John Lawrence Esq. of the City of Burlington in the late Prov. & now the State of New Jersey... Petitioner desirous to become inhabitant of Prov. Upper Canada & to erect a Grist Mill on the Humber which he conceived will be of Public Utility... wants Lotts, 2 & 3 broken fronts East side Grist Mill on the Humber which he conceived will be of Public Utility... wants Lotts, 2 & 3 broken fronts East side of Humber River also Lott about 30 A West side of River at head of Lake, to build a saw mill & dwelling... at the Humber River also Lott about 30 A West side of River at head of Lake (Ontario).
. Land for for William & James Lawrence, his two sons,
Jackson B French, James Goelet & John Parker (his sons-in-Laws), he has reasons to Expect they will come into & reside in this Province & for whose Loyalty he can Voucher for. Wants the following Lotts on Yonge Street No. 77 & 78 on the west side. Numbers 85: & 87 on the same side, each containing two hundred acres or such other quantity of land as to your Excellency in your wisdom may think meet, etc.
Signed, John Lawrence. [undated letter, but see envelope.]
Envelope: Received Broken Front Lots 1, 2 & 3 East side of Humber, as part or 1200 A. The Committee do not recommend the dismembering any part of the ground attached to the Saw Mill for the Reasons assigned in the Report - nor do they recommend the granting Lots on Yonge Street to Persons out of the Province.
Number 506 given on Wed. 14 January, 1797. Entered Page 63.
Grant #338, Lawrence, John. Esq., 228 acres, York Twp., Date of Grant 12 Mar. 1794, page 22.
XReference: Additional information in my book, copybook of correspondence in the "Simcoe Papers" - & many notes by P J Ahlberg.
. 1798 July 26, UC Land Grants:
Lots, 1, 2, 3 on the River Humber, Twp. York;
South Dorchester Twp., Elgin Co.: Lots 11, 12, 13, 14, 16 Con 4, 800 Acres
Lot 6, Con 7, Blandford Twp., Oxford Co., 172 Acres {ie. near Dorchester)
Lot 33 EHalf, Con 17, Blandford Twp.
Lot 31, EHalf, Con 16, Blandford Twp.
Note: *Compare Land Grant of JBL to Land Grants near to Governor John Graves Simcoe: Lots 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, Concession 1 Broken Front.
ON Land Registration, North York Book 85, p3 & 18, NY Book 86, p3
Lot 1, 2 Con 2 & 3 on Humber river [100 acres?]
. 1797 Sep 1, Patent, Crown, To John Lawrence, All
. 1799 Dec 6, Bargain&Sale, James Ruggles et al [executor], to Peter Whitney et all, 64. all acres
. 1801 Jul , 7 B&S, Peter Whitney, Joseph Haines Sr, All Acres
. 1842 Nov 13, Mortgage, Clark Camble, to Hon Ed Hale, £534. Part 12 Acres.
. 1798 Oct 2 - For your order in favor of Lester (Cast?) £2, (for unstated item - Lester was the bonded servant of John B Lawrence whose health was deteriorating at this time.) King St., Toronto. Ref: Russell Papers.
1. John Brown Lawrence was son of Loyalist, Elisha Lawrence.II, Jr., 1701 AUG 25 - 1791 MAR 7, and Elizabeth Brown, b. 1731 Apr. 23. Descendants all - as is Richard Lawrence - great grandson of Capt. Wm. Lawrence, but different Grandmothers:
John B Lawrence's G-Grandmother is 2nd wife, Elizabeth Smith.
Richard & his brother John Lawrence's G-Grandmother was 1st wife Elizabeth Gildersleeve.
2. William Franklin Lawrence, Born 1766 MONMOUTH, unmarried.
3. Capt. & Commodore James Lawrence born Burlington NJ , Lawyer, but joined Am. Navy 1798 & would become a famous. Naval Hero in War of 1812, "Tell the men to fire faster & not to give up the ship; fight her till she sinks!" American. Navy motto "Don't give up the ship". Apparently his destiny was to be tied in the US.
X-Ref: Multitude of Ontario documents on his wife Mary Montaudevert & daughter. Mary Neil Lawrence'.
4. Sons-in-law: Jackson B French of St. Vincent.
married Catherine Lawrence, b. 1764 APR 20, Burlington, NJ. His will dated 1826, Burlington, NJ.
5. James Goelet of NY, (Gouette Goolet: Goulet) married Sarah Brown Lawrence 1764-1828
6. John Parker, born 1760 at Perth Amboy - 1808 Burlington, NJ
married Anne Lawrence, 1764-1831,Burlington, NJ.
DEATH: Rev. Robt. Addison, was the minister from St. Mark's Anglican Church at Newark (now Niagara-on-the-Lake,) Ontario. H signs his name as Minister of Niagara, he was military chaplain & also acted as chaplain to Parliament both in York & Newark.
"Burials: Squire Lawrence at York, July 3, 1798".
Ref: Archives of Ontario, MS545, Reel 1.
WILL of JOHN BROWN LAWRENCE:
Will dated 29 March, 1798, witnessed, signed, & sealed in the presence of the testor.
Repay the money he borrowed from Elizabeth & Geo. Gillispie, of Bristol Twp., Bucks Co., Penn.
{X-ref: 1782.1.26 JBL was a Executor of the Will of Geo. Gillispie - PJA.]
Signed, John Willson, Asher Mundy, Stephen Barbere, at York, July 10, 1798.
Probated 14 July, 1798.
Note4: Thus John Lawrence had his Will witnessed in his extremity on July 10th, 1798. Perhaps the Minister was notified on the 3rd of July to come to York, a hundred miles distant, or when he returned to Newark, did he mean to write buried the 13th July? - P J Ahlberg.
* 1798 Apr 20 -York Council chamber, Present John Helmsley, Chief Justice; Aeneas Shaw, John McGill, David D Smith, Read the following petitions, John Lawrence, Praying for a town lot in York. Recommended an acre lot in York.
. Forty-seven+ pages of documents & pictures for John Brown Lawrence are included in "Richard Lawrence, John Willson & John Brown Lawrence of NJ & Ontario." 26 pages on Mrs. Mary Lawrence & daughter Mary N. Lawrence are filed with Toronto Public Libraries, North York Branch, Sixth Floor, Toronto & the Richmond Hill Library, Ontario. - by P J Ahlberg, U.E., 2010.
Includes references from: McGill Papers, Russell Papers, Simcoe Papers, Copies of documents Kings Mill, Will. - - - [5, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16]
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1728 - 1798 (70 years)