| Notes |
- John Lawrence was in the very first class of ten at the Philadelphia Medical College graduated in 1789 at Woodbury. Woodbury was 8 miles distant from Philadelphia.
. 1768 JULY 16, This day may be considered as having given birth to medical Honours in America the following gentlemen were admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Physick Mr. John Lawrence of East Jersey. Agreeable to the rules of the colleges these gentlemen previous to their admission to a degree had diligently attended the lectures of the several professors in Anatomy, the Material Medica, Chemistry, Theory & Practice of Physic & the clinical Lectures in the Pennsylvania Hospital, win which they gave the most satisfactory proofs of their proficiency, both in their private & public examinations.
A Latin Oration delivered with great propriety by Mr. Lawrence "De Honoribus, qui omni Aevo in veros Medicine Cultures collati fuerent."
Ref: NY Journal, General Advertiser # 1332.
Ref: NY Journal & general Advertiser No. 1332.
1776 Jul 5, In Congress, Ordered that the President take the parole of honor of Mr. John Clarence of Monmouth County, not to depart the house of Mr. Renssellier Williams, & if Mr Lawrence should refuse to give the same, that the President order him to be confined under such guard as hemal deem necessary.
. 1776 Jul 8, Mn. On Application Ordered, that the President take the parole of Mr Lawrence, not to depart Trenton Twp., unless wit lease of Congress. Pursuant to order, John Lawrence, Esq. appeared before Congress & was permitted to return home on his parole, to attend this House whenever called upon.
. 1776 Jul 13, Sat. Ordered, Dr. John Lawrence have leave to remove on his parole to Morristown, & not to depart from thence, more than 6 miles, without leave of Congress.
Ref: Minutes of Provincial Congress & Council of Safety, NJ
. Gen. Washington ordered Dr. Lawrence arrested by Maj. Duychineck in Perth Amboy on July 6, 1776 & removed to Trenton & later to Elizabethtown.
. Dr. John Lawrence of Monmouth County was one of many prisoners who were paroled on their word during the Revolution at Rensselaer Williams' Royal Oak Inn in Trenton Ferry, NJ. He was finally taken to Morristown. He was temporarily imprisoned during Revolution, but matrons in New York requested his freedom where he also acted at military doctor for the British. Although on parole, he was watched & harassed by a party of Militia to took potshot at him. After that time, to when to New York to work. No doubt due to his services being in high demand, after the War he was forgiven. Extracted: New Jersey Archives, Vol. XXVIII, p. 461 & 2nd Ser., Vol. II, pp. 10, 48, 92. Minutes of Provincial Congress & Committee of Safety, p. 495. NJ.
. Extract from letters from & to Col. Furnman, concerning the hunting down of Dr. Lawrence: June 4th, 1776. ...6. o'clock, to be taking out of the company in lower Feehold... Information was given me of John Lawrence Esq. being with the Tory party [I think last Sunday night, at Snag swamp.] There qualified on Foster to be threw to that party, who they pressed in their service & forced him to take the oath. He has since deserted them, & if he darerest go at his habitation, he may be found at Ridgway's mill which may be done with a file sent there & meet you again at Doves mill, he may make discovery's. - A. Woodward, ... Take such measures with Esq. Lawrence as you think proper...Imlay's Town: This will be delivered to you by Capt. Josiah Budd who brings John Lawrence Esq. on sundry informations of his qualifying men to join the insurgents. I enclose you a letter I have received from Col. Furman which will enlighten.
The property of Elisha & John Lawrence, son of John, were confiscated & sold at Wall's Mills, 5 Apr 1779.
. In a letter written to David Colden by Mrs. Richard Nicholls Colden. David was a Loyalist & the son of Lieut. Gov. of NY. He lived in Springhill, near Flushing, NY. David Colden sent John Lawrence a letter as Lawrence had been to New York 2 or 3 times since the end of the War in 1783. He was thinking to settle in NY.
. Dr. John Lawrence Plaintiff, Defendants: Barzillia, Lucy & William Reynolds, all of Monmouth, 1826, Trespass & Ejectment Case # 23429.
John had a large medical practice in Woodbury (near Imlaystown), were he was buried on 7 Nov. 1806. But this conflicts with other sources: Old Yellow Church, Upper Freehold.
. 1770 June 9. Robinson, Joseph, of Freehold, Monmouth Co.; WILL of. Son, James, a watch. Daughter, Mary, a watch. Wife, Eunice, rest. Executors - my wife & my friend. Doctor John Lawrence. Witnesses: William Covenhoven, Peter Schenck. Proved July 7, 1770. Lib. K, p. 227. Ref: 1761-177O 359
HISTORY OF N. J. MEDICINE: John Lawrence, Was a son of John Lawrence, of Monmouth County, born 1747, graduated at Princeton, 1764, & at the University of Pennsylvania, in 1768. He was one of the first 10 who received literary honors from that institution, being the first medical degree conferred in America. He commenced practice in Monmouth County. In the early months of 1776, we find him a practitioner in Amboy, where he was popular & successful. His political sympathies were with the Mother Country, & were pronounced from the first. In July of that year, Major J Duyckink, sent to Amboy by order of Washington, in command of the Middlesex Militia, for the protection of the town, arrested the Doctor, with 8 others, & sent them to Elizabethtown. He was ordered by the Provincial Congress to Trenton, as a medical man, on parole. (Ref Notes: MSS. Hon. John Cements Whitehead. )
In April, 1777, he was arraigned, with others & his father among them, before the Council of Safety. He finally withdrew from the State, to New York, where, & in its vicinity, he practiced medicine, and was also in command of a company of volunteers, for the defense of the city. In 1783, he returned to New Jersey, where he spent the remainder of his days.
That Dr. Lawrence was held in high esteem in Amboy, is evident, from the fact that the ladies of that town petitioned the convention which held him under arrest, that the Doctor might be permitted to remain there, " apprehending fatal & melancholy consequences to themselves, their families &the inhabitants in general, if they should be deprived of the assistance of Dr. Lawrence." The following courteous reply was ordered to be sent to Mrs. Franklin, one of the petitioners, signed by the President: " Madam, I am ordered by Congress to acquaint you, & through you the other ladies of Amboy, that their petition in favor of Dr. John Lawrence has been received & considered. Could any application have procured a greater indulgence to Dr. Lawrence, you may be assured yours could not have failed of success. But unhappily, Madam, we are placed in a situation that motives of commiseration to individuals must give place
to the safety of the public. As Dr. Lawrence has fallen under the suspicion of our generals, we are under the necessity of abiding by the steps which are taken & are Madam, Yours &c," He used to say that his residence
in Amboy, was the happiest part of his life, for the reason that the officers of the Crown, resident there, formed a social circle superior to that of New York or Philadelphia. (Ref: Sabine's Loyalist with Whitelied's Contributions.)
Pages 306 to 309. After his return to New Jersey, he resided at Upper Freehold, in a part of the town known as Mulberry Hill. He did not resume practice, being a man of wealth & leisure. He never married, but lived with his 3 sisters, 2 of whom died unmarried, & the other (Elizabeth), married William Leconte, member of the Provincial Congress of Georgia, & died without issue.
The Doctor always rode on horseback, & sat very erect. He was a man of excellent judgment, & being very much of a gentleman, had a large practice while he pursued the duties of his profession. He was full of life & mirth, fond of games, & very convivial. He died while playing a game of chess. Fox hunting was his favorite amusement, & those who recollect him, tell of some astonishing leaps which he made, & of one which he did not make, his horse stopping while on full gallop, before a ditch, in which his rider was landed headlong.
An old physician now living in Monmouth County, says, that once, when Dr. Lawrence was threatened with apoplexy he bled him almost every day, 17 times in all, and then upon consultation he bled him again.
He lived notwithstanding. He died in Trenton, while away from his home, & his remains where buried in the graveyard of the old yellow church, (Baptist) in Upper Freehold. His tomb bears this inscription :
Sacred to the Memory of John Lawrence, MD. who departed this live April 29th AD 1830 Aged 83 years.
. Dr John Vought of Freehold while recently looking over the papers of the late Dr. Samuel Forman found an account book of 400 pages keep by Dr. Lawrence, The book open 1769 after graduating in Philadelphia until late as 1785. The entries show that his practice extended over all parts of Monmouth County, & into Middlesex. His charges to the families in
Amboy & Woodbridge are from 1775 to July, 1776. After he retired to NY his practice was among the leading families there, among them Gov. Franklin & Philip John Livingston; in Jamaica, Long Island, in the
family of Col. James DeLancey & the officers of his brigade stationed there, the rector of the Episcopal Church in Jamaica & Hempstead, among the families of these towns, & some visits at Hell Gate & also
into Westchester County.
An account found on Folio 368 is given in illustration of his method of charging for services :
f. 368. Governr Franklin. Dr. 1776. Amboy, £10. s14. 6d.
Mar. 9. Rd. Cort. Hiixt. iv. Ux. 6s. Rhab. 2s 8, Pul. Vermif. i.\ 9
19. Rd. Cort. 6s. Rhab. 2s. Pul. Vermif. i.\ 9s 17
23. Do. 6s. Syr. Chalyb. ss 11
26. Do. 6s. Sper. Amar. 6s 12
April 7. Do. 6s 6
12. Rd. Cort., &c., Ibss. 8s 8
19. Pulv. Cath. dos. ii to Honey (or horses) i 4
22. Rd. Cort. Ibss. 8s 8
31. Do. 8s. Sol. Cath. ii. 2s 10
May 2. V. S. 2S. Solut. Mann., &c. 6s 8
3. Aq. Ophal. 3s. Rd. Con. , &c. Ibss. 8s 11
15. Rd. Cort. Hu.xt. V\. Ibss. 8s 8
27. Do. 8s 8
June. Do. 8s. to Mrs. Franklin 8
14. Rd. Anti-scorbut. 5s 5
20. Rd. Cort. repct. Ibss. 8s 8
July I. Do. 8s 8
15. Do. 8s. Elix. Paregor. ss. Laud .3s 16 10 7 6, Attendance 2 .
Note: Sorry interpretation here is difficult.- PJA
. 1770 June 9. WILL of Robinson, Joseph, of Freehold, Monmouth Co.; Son, James, a watch. Daughter, Mary, a watch. Wife, Eunice, rest. Executors: my wife & my friend. Doctor John Lawrence.
Witnesses: William Covenhoven, Peter Schenck. Proved July 7, 1770.
. 1779 Feb 17 - Monmouth County, whereas inquisitions have been found & final judgement entered there, in favour the the state of NJ, against the persons hereon mentioned:
NOTICE is hereby given that the real & personal estates belonging to Samuel Osburn, Thomas Leonard, Hendrick Vanmater all of the township of Freehold will be sold at Freehold courthouse, beginning on Wednesday the 17th day of March next & continue from day to day until all are sold. ...Elisha Lawrence & John Lawrence, sons of John, late of Upper Freehold will be sold at public venue, beginning on Monday 5 Apr, at Walls's mills until are are sold. No credit will be given. 9 o'clock each day. Also deeds made to the purchasers agreeable to act of Assembly, by Samuel Forman, Joseph Lawrence, Kennth Hankinson, Jocob Wikoff, Commissioners.
Ref: New Jersey Gazette, 1779 Feb 24. 1779.
. 1780 Feb 21. Monmouth - Whereas, inquisition has been found & final judgement entered against the follow persons, whole real & personal estates will be exposed to sale at public venue, at the house of Daniel Randolph, in Freehold, on the 28th March next, at. nine' o'clock - Dr. John Lawrence & Elisha Lawrence some lot of cedar swamp; John Perine, a well improved farm containing 300 acres lying in Upper Freehold, Conditions of sale is ready money. S Forman, Joseph Lawrence, K H, JW, Commissioners.
Ref: New Jersey Gazette, 1780 Mar 14.
. 1780 Feb 21. & March 10th. Monmouth - WHEREAS inquisition has been found & final judgement entered against the follow persons, whole real & personal estates will be exposed to sale at public venue, at the house of Daniel Randolph, in Freehold, on the 28th March next, at. 9 o'clock - Dr. John Lawrence & Elisha Lawrence some lot of cedar swamp; Elisha Lawrence, late Sheriff, John & Wm. Perine, a well improved farm containing 300 acres lying in Upper Freehold, Christopher, Clayton, Oliver Tallman, John, Ebenezer Wardel, Ezekiel, John Tilton, Thomas Leonard, Daniel & Hendrick Vanmarter, Joseph Grover, (any many many more names). Judges of the said county Court will attend at Monmouth Courthouse on first Monday in April & May to receive & adjusts the said accounts.
Conditions of sale is ready money. Samuel Forman, Joseph Lawrence, Kenneth Hankinson, Jacob Wikoff, Commissioners.
Ref: New Jersey Gazette, 1780 Mar 14. & more names add on 1780 Apr 5.
. 1782 Aug 26 - Letters remaining in the General Post-Office: Dr. John Lawrence.
Ref: New York Gazette & the Weekly Mercury. - - - [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]
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1747 - 1830 (83 years)