Joseph Lawrence (1741—?) was a merchant captain from Flushing, N.Y. He was at one time employed by Samuel Townsend, who was the son of one of the first settlers of Oyster Bay, L.I. One of the vessels built by Townsend at that place was the brig Audrey (see Box 1, folder 7) some time before the Revolution, and it was commanded by Joseph’s brother, Effingham. Another brother, John L., (1731-?) may be the “John” who appears on the cover of the account book in Folder 9 of Box 1. Joseph’s son, Effingham, was a judge in Queens County in the early 19th century. He lived at the family homestead, “Stone-House” (see Box 3, folder 2) in Bayside and was possibly the source of the later account books.

Lawrence, Thomas. The Historical Genealogy of the Lawrence Family. New York : Edward O. Jenkins, 1858.