Interesting Lanier family background in introduction to Biography of Sidney Lanier:

http://www.archive.org/stream/abiographyofsidn01224gut/lanrb10.txt

Third son of John Lanier, Jr. born Charles City County 1681 (by deposition made in Surry Co. March 21, 1738),

first appears in contemporary records as a "Tithable" in the upper end of Surry County above Stony Run in 1701.

Richard Washington’s will leaves 200 acres of land to his daughter, Elizabeth, and leaves to his son-in-law, 200

acres lying in the Isle of Wight. Sampson Lanier sold this land which is now a part of Southhampton County; in

February of 1734, Sampson and Elizabeth Lanier sold the 200 acres of land given her by her father. They moved

to Brunswick County before 1740. Sampson Lanier was a Justice, a Vestryman of St. Andrews, and, at one time,

on the School Board. His will, dated 8 Jan. 1743, was proved on 5 May 1743. It lists their children as Thomas,

Lemuel, Sampson, Richard, Elizabeth, and James.

He married about 1706 in Surry, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Washington (1660 Virginia - 1725 Virginia) & Elizabeth

Jordan of Surry County, VA, and granddaughter of Major John Washington (born England 1632) of Surry County, VA.

(See pp 40-41, Ingersoll.) She died in Pitt County, NC. Major John Washington was first cousin to Colonel John

Washington of Westmoreland County, VA and was the Great Grandfather of George Washington, first President of the

United States. -------------------- Information obtained from the Virginia land office shows that Thomas Lanier was a large land-owner in Lunenburg Counties Virginia, and in Rockingham County, North Carolina. They finally moved to North Carolina.