Submitted by Margaret Nolen Nichol, Jacksonville, Florida  (http://worldconnect.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=chippewa2008&id=I062386)

   There is little doubt that the ancestors of the Laman family of Crockett County, Tennessee descend from THOMAS LAMAN, who is first found enumerated in the 1830 census of Gibson County, in the area that was later to become a part of Crockett County. Thomas Laman is listed with eighteen children and a James Laman living next to him. All circumstantial evidence points to the parent of Thomas Laman as DAVID LAMAN of Jefferson County, Tennessee. David Laman's lineage has been traced back to PETER LEMAN, who arrived, c1717, in America along with the vast contingent of Swiss Mennonite immigrants whose destination was Lancaster, Pennsylvania. A grant of 10,000 acres from Governor William Penn was issued to Martin Kendig and other "Swissers who lately arrived in the province" in 1710. There were no Lemans listed on the first list. Peter Leman is believed to have arrived in one of the three ships that arrived in the summer or early autumn of 1717. No record of the list of passengers has been found. Since the activities of Peter Leman are record shortly after that date, he was probably a passenger along with five children. These children and subsequent children by a wife he married in America, spread throughout the United States. Some descendants moved down the Virginia valleys into upper East Tennessee and are found in many of the early records of the counties. "From the Emmental to Eldee....A History of the Layman Family", by Earl R. Laymon of Knoxville, Tennessee gives a complete record of the descendants, however a connection was not made to the Crockett County Lamans, even though strong evidence points to David Leman as the ancestor. The given names, Jacob, David, Daniel, Thomas, George, Joseph, James, John and William, of the descendants in Crockett County are the same given names used extensively throughout the Peter Leman lineage.

   The name has been spelled many ways in it's long history. Even the immigrant ancestor, Peter Leman, spelled his name, at times, Laymon and Lemon. The name seemed to have been spelled Leman and Leeman in Switzerland, where the lineage originated.

   No documented evidence shows the husband of Mary Laman, whose will was proated in 1848 in Gibson County, Tennessee. The name, Daniel, is being used because the name is used throughout the Laman lineage and each family seems to have had a Daniel in their family. Research prior to the Earl Laymon book, centered around some of the shires in England. These shires had, at one time, a strong influx of Dutch immigrants from Holland, and the names Daniel, Thomas, Jacob, Peter, and others could be found in the early records. As in Switzerland, England, Holland and America, the name has had its variations of spellings.

   The following two documents should establish the children of (Daniel) and Mary Laman: Gibson County, Tennessee: Wills and Bonds, 1846-1852, Gibson County, Tennessee, page 141: Thomas Laman, adm. of Mary Laman, dec., State of Tennessee, Gibson County in the state of Tennessee in the sum of five hundred dollars to be paid to said state which payment will and truly to be made we bind ourselves and each of us and every of our heirs, executors and administrators jointly and severally firmly by these present, sealed and our seals and dated this 6th day of Nov. A.D. 1848. The condition of the above obligation is such that whereas the above Thomas Lemon was this day appointed administrator of all and singular the goods and chattles, rights and credits of Mary Lemon, deceased, which have or shall come to the hands knowledge or possession of the said Thomas Lemon and the same so made do exhibit or cause to be exhibited to do the County Court of the county aforesaid within 30 days from the date of these present and the same goods, chattles, and all other goods, chattles, and credits of the deceased at the time of her death which at any time hereafter shall come into the hands of the said Thomas Lemon or into the hands of any person or persons for their heirs do well and truly administer according to law and further do make or cause to be made a try and just account of his said administration within two years after the date of these presents and all the rest and residue of the said goods, etc. Signed Thomas, David Lemon, Franklin Parker. (Thomas, David and Ann Parker lived in Gibson County at that time. Daniel Laman was living in Haywood County, John Wesley Laman was living in Dyer County and John. H. Laman and George W. Laman were living in Yell County, Arkansas)

   (Crockett County Deed, 22 Mar 1873): J. W. Layman & others, to J. F. M. McKewin: This indenture witness that J. W. Layman and Daniel Layman of the county of Crockett and state of Tennessee and Ann Parker, G. W. Layman and J. H. Layman of the county of Yell and state of Arkansas have bargained and sold and do hereby transfer and convy to J. F. M. McKewin for the consideration of sixty dollars, the receipt whereof is hereby acknowledged, a certain land or parcel of land lying in said county of Crockett and state of Tennessee being their undivided share in a tract of land bounded as follows, viz. on the north by a tract of land belonging to Judson Thompson, on the south and east by R. W. Flemming's land, and on the west by the land of Hosea Ragan, containing four acres be the same more or less, to have and to hold the said lot or parcel of land with all the appurtenances thereunto belonging to him the said J. F. M. McKewin his heirs and assigns forever, and the said J. W. Layman, Daniel Layman, Ann Parker, G. W. Layman, and J. H. Layman do convenant and bind themselves, their heirs and representatives, to warrant and forever defend the title to said lot or parcel of land against the lawful claims of all persons whatever, to him the said J. F. M. McKewin his heirs and assigns forever. In testimony whereof the said J. W. Layman, Daniel Layman, Ann Parker, G. W. Layman and J. H. Layman hereunto set their hands and seals, this the 22nd day of March A.D. 1873. Interlined before assigned, signed sealed and delivered in presence of us. Dennis Tatum and J. F. Robertson

   Signed: John W. Layman; John W. Layman for Ann Parker; J. H. Layman; and Daniel Layman. (Crockett County was formed in 1872. bringing all the children of Mary Laman back into the same County)

Marriage 1 Mary ? b: 1797 in Tennessee

Children

  1.  Daniel Laman b: ABT 1820 in Tennessee

  2.  David Laman b: 1821 in Gibson Co., Tennessee

  3.  Ann Laman b: ABT 1824 in Tennessee

  4.  John Wesley Laman b: 15 NOV 1826 in Tennessee

  5.  Thomas Laman b: 1828 in Tennessee

  6.  GEORGE WASHINGTON LAMAN b: 1830 in Gibson Co., Tennessee

  7.  James H. Laman b: 1833 in Gibson Co., Tennessee