Susanna Lawrence

Disputed Parentage:

"In the mid-nineteenth century, Horatio G. Somerby concocted an English origin for John Lawrence, claiming that he derived from Wisset, Suffolk. In 1933 George Andrews Moriarty demolished this pedigree. In particular, he demonstrated that there was no connection between John Lawrence of Charlestown, son of Henry Lawrence, and John Lawrence of Watertown [TAG 10:78-83]." [1]

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lawrence-293

Profile last modified 4 Sep 2020 | Created 25 Sep 2010 | Last significant change: 5 Sep 2020

John Lawrence

Born about 1610 in England [uncertain]

Son of [father unknown] and [mother unknown]

[sibling%28s%29 unknown]

Husband of Elizabeth (Unknown) Lawrence — married about 1635 in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Husband of Susannah (Bachelor) Lawrence — married 2 Nov 1664 in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts Bay Colony

Father of John Lawrence II, Nathaniel Lawrence, Joseph Lawrence, Jonathan Lawrence, Joseph Lawrence, Mary Lawrence, Peleg Lawrence, Enoch Lawrence, Samuel Lawrence, Elizabeth Lawrence, Jonathan Lawrence, Isaac Lawrence, Zechariah Lawrence, Abigail Lawrence and Susanna (Lawrence) Knowles

Died 11 Jul 1667 in Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts Bay Colony

09:06: Peter Wetherill removed a match of Lawrence-987 and Lawrence-293. [Thank Peter for this | 1 thank-you received]

John Lawrence migrated to New England during the Puritan Great Migration (1620-1640).

Biography

John was born about 1610 in England. [1] The DAR, suggests he may have been of Scottish descent. [2]

He is said to be a carpenter, but had large land holdings and was probably a planter or husbandman as well. [3]

Timeline

1636: He was living in Watertown, Middlesex, Massachusetts by 1636, and was one of its first proprietors. [3] 1636: July 25: Granted 30 acres at Watertown. [1] 1636/7: February 28: Granted 3 acres of plow lands. [1] 1636/7: Made a Freeman. [1] [3] 1637: June 26: Granted 3 acres of the remote meadows. [1] 1637: Admitted to the Watertown Church. [1] 1642: May 10: Granted a farm of 93 acres. [1] 1650: Bought fifteen acres of the town common land called King's Common. [4] 1654: John Lawrence, Clerk, paid Hugh Mason 2 17s 6d money for town or parish use. [4] 1658: October 25: Constable at Watertown. [1] 1662: Sold his land and mansion in Watertown. [4] Moved to Groton about this time. [3] 1662: An original proprieter of Groton, he owned a 20 acre right. [4] 1662: October 23: John and Elizabeth his wife, sold some of his Watertown lots. [3] [1] 1662: October 27: He and Elizabeth sold his Watertown homestead to John Briscoe, and sold other land in Watertown. [3] [1] 1662: December 24: John Lawrence, among others, chosen Selectman at Groton. [1] [3] 1666: December 11: Selectman. [1] Family

He married first, Elizabeth ___.[1] This marriage would have taken place by 1635 when son John was born. Elizabeth died at Groton on August 29, 1663. [5][1] There is uncertainty regarding the identities of several of their children. Bond identified twelve children from their marriage,[3] and The Great Migration lists thirteen children. [1]

John and Elizabeth had the following children:

John born 14: 1m: 1635 (March 14, 1635) at Watertown; [2] [5] [3] probably died prior to his father, but after November 30, 1663 when he is referenced as John Lawrence Jr. in Groton records. [1] Nathaniel born 15: 8m: 1639 (October 15, 1639); [2][5] died at Lexington, Massachusetts on April 14, 1724 [6], in his 85th year; [7]; married first at Sudbury, Sarah Morse daughter of John and Hannah (Philips) Morse [3]; married second Sarah ___ by 1695; married third, after December 10, 1717, Sarah (Smith) Philips.[1] Joseph born in March 1642: buried on May 30, 1642. [5] [1] [3] Joseph born 30: 3m: 1643 (May 30, 1643). [2] [5] [1] [3] Jonathan born ___; buried on 6: 2m: 1643 (April 6, 1643). [2] [5] [1] Mary born 16: 5m: 1645 (July 16, 1645). [2] [5] [1] [3] Peleg born 10: 11m: 1647 ( January 10, 1647/8); [2] [5] died on February 14, 1692; [8] married Elizabeth Morse at Medfield on December 22, 1668 [1], sister of Nathaniel's wife. [3] Enoch born 5: 1m: 1648 (March 5, 1648); [2] [5] married on March 6, 1676/7 at Watertown, the widow Ruth Shattuck, daughter of John Jr. and Ruth Whitney. [1] [3] Samuel [2] [3] born about 1650; married at Charlestown widow Rebecca Luen, on September 14, 1682. [1] Isaac [2] [3] born about 1652; married on April 19, 1682 at Cambridge, Abigail Bellows, daughter of John Bellows. [1] Elizabeth born about 1655/6. [3] [1] Jonathan [3] born about 1654; married Rebecca Rutter at Cambridge on November 5, 1677. [1] Zechariah born 9: 1m: 1658 (March 9, 1658. [2] [5] [3] He married second Susanna Batcheldor of Boston, at Charlestown on November 2, 1664. She was the daughter of William Batcheldor and she died on July 8, 1688. [1][3]

John and Susanna had the following children:

Abigail [2] born at Groton on January 9, 1665. [9] [3] [1] Susanna, [2] Born at Groton on July 3, 1667. [9] [3] [1] Death and Will

The original hand written version reports his death as "Jno [where the "o" is elevated] Laurance, senr. died July 11, 1667". [10] He was buried in the Old Burying Ground, in Groton .

The more recent typed version of the Groton Vital Records claims ”Jona(than) Laurance Sr. died at Groton on July 11, 1667. [9]

This ancient common practice of abbreviation of John to Jno may be the cause of the frequent error of creating John O. Lawrence profiles for people born in the 1600s. The vital records book cited above [9] made a different type of error, by changing ”Jno” to ”Jona(than)”.

His will dated April 24, proved October 1, 1667, and his estate was valued at L 278 4d on March 8, 1667/8. His will mentions{

his wife Executrix sons Nathaniel and Joseph Executors sons Enoch, Samuel, Isaac, Jonathan and Zechariah daughters Elizabeth and Mary [1] [11] His widow Susanna's will dated at Charlestown in July and proved December. 16, 1688, mentions:

daughters Abigail and Susanna father and mother Batcheldor sisters Rachel Atwood and Abigail Asting [1] Research Notes

Watertown Births Children: LAWRENCE (Larrance, Laurance, Laurence, Lawranc, Lawrance, Lorance)

John [Laurance], s. John and Elizabeth, 14: 1m: 1635. (p. 4) Nathanell [Lorance], s. John and Elizabeth, 15: 8m: 1639. (p. 7) Joseph, s. John and Elisab, ––: 1m: 1642. MCR (p. 10) Joseph, s. John and Elisabeth, 30: 3m: 1643. MCR (p. 11) Mary [Laurence], d. John and Elizabeth, 16: 5m: 1645. (p. 12) Peleg [Laurence], John and Elizabath, 10: 11m: 1647. (p. 13) Enosh [Laurance], s. John and Elizabeth, 5: 1m: 1648. (p. 14) Zechariah, s. John and Elizabath, 9: 1m: 1658. (p. 21) Watertown Deaths

Lawrence, Joseph, s. John and Elisab, bur. 30: 3m: 1642. MCR (p. 10) Lawrence, Jonathan, s. John and Elisabeth, bur. 6: 2m: 1643. MCR (p. 11) [5] Groton Deaths

LAURENCE, Elizabeth, w. John, Aug. 29, 1663. CTR (p. 239) LAURANCE, Jonathan, sr., July 11, 1667. CTR (p. 239) Note: This refers to John, Sr., see Death and Wills

above.

Lawrence, Enosh, Sept. 25 [bet. 1725 and 1729], a. abt. 74 y. (p. 240) Groton Births Children: Lawrence/Laurance

Abigail, d. John, sr., Jan. 9, 1665. CTR (p. 135) Susanna, d. John and Susannah, July 3, 1667. CTR (p. 135) [9] Lexington Deaths

Lawrence, Dea. April 14, 1724. (p. 183) [6] New England Marriages

LAWRENCE, John ( - 1667) & 1/wf Elizabeth COOKE ( - 1663, Groton) ; b. 1635; Watertown/Groton (p. 454) LAWRENCE, John (1609-1667) & 2/wf Susannah BATCHELDER ( - 1668); 2 Nov. 1664; Groton (p. 454)[12] Sources

↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 1.12 1.13 1.14 1.15 1.16 1.17 1.18 1.19 1.20 1.21 1.22 1.23 1.24 1.25 1.26 1.27 1.28 1.29 1.30 1.31 1.32 Anderson, Robert Charles. Great Migration: Immigrants to New England, 1634-1635, volume IV, I–L. (Boston: NEHGS, 2005): pages 246-254. AmericanAncestors.org link. ↑ 2.00 2.01 2.02 2.03 2.04 2.05 2.06 2.07 2.08 2.09 2.10 2.11 2.12 The American Monthly Magazine, Volume 28, Published by the DAR, R.R. Bowker Company, Washington, DC, 1905 ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 3.14 3.15 3.16 3.17 3.18 3.19 3.20 3.21 3.22 Genealogies of the Families and Descendants of the Early Settlers of Watertown, Massachusetts, Including Waltham and Weston: To which is Appended the Early History of the Town, by Henry Bond & Horatio Gates Jones, NEHGR, Boston, MA, 1860 ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Lawrence, John, The Genealogy of the Family of John Lawrence, of Wisset, In Suffolk, England, And of Watertown And Groton, Massachusetts. Boston: Pub. for the author, by S. K. Whipple and Company, 1857, p. 14-15 ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 5.10 Watertown Records Comprising the First and Second Books of Town Proceedings, Land Grants and Possessions, The First Book and Supplement of Births, Deaths and Marriages, Historical Society, Press of Fred Barker, Watertown, 1894 ↑ 6.0 6.1 Lexington Massachusetts, Record of Births, Marriages and Deaths to January 1, 1898 , Wright & Potter Printers, Boston , 1898 ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #33076056 ↑ Find A Grave: Memorial #74967972 ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 Vital Records of Groton Massachusetts to the End of the Year 1849, The Essex Institute, Salem, MA, 1926 ↑ "Massachusetts, Town Clerk, Vital and Town Records, 1626-2001," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:FC9N-ZWR : 3 November 2017), Jno. Laurance, 11 Jul 1667; citing Death, Grotton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States, , town clerk offices, Massachusetts; FHL microfilm 892,249. https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QS7-L9QY-H3T3?i=61&cc=... ↑ Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871.Online database. AmericanAncestors.org. New England Historic Genealogical Society, 2014. (From records supplied by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Archives.) ↑ New England Marriages Prior to 1700, By Clarence Almon Torrey, Elizabeth Petty Bentley, Genealogical Publishing Com, 1985 Lawrence, John (1847), A Genealogical Memoir of the Family of John Lawrence, of Watertown, 1636. (This first book makes no claims for the parentage of the immigrant. It does suggest that the immigrant probably sailed on the Planter in 1635, a claim disputed by another John Lawrence.) Lawrence, John (1857): The Genealogy of the Family of John Lawrence, of Wisset, In Suffolk, England, And of Watertown And Groton, Massachusetts. Boston: Pub. for the author, by S. K. Whipple and Company, 1857. At Hathitrust. (A rewrite of the 1847 book, now including the Somerby claims). See also:

Find A Grave: Memorial #91691920 Pope, Charles Henry: "Pioneers of Massachusetts"; page 279 (Lawrence)

Susannah Batchelder (William Batchelder1) was born Abt 1611 in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts Formed About 1628, and died 8 Jul 1668 in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts Formed About 1628.

Family

She married John Lawrence 2 Nov 1664 in Charlestown, Suffolk County, Massachusetts.He was born Bef 8 Oct 1609 in Wissett, Suffolk County, England, was christened 8 Oct 1609 in Wissett, Suffolk County, England, and died 11 Jul 1667 in Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. His 2nd wife; he was Elizabeth’s widower.

	  Children of Susannah Batchelder and John Lawrence are:

• i. Abigail Lawrence was born 9 Jan 1666 in Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. She married Edward Wyler 7 Jan 1654. He was born Abt 1666.
• ii. Susannah Lawrence was born 3 Jul 1667 in Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts

Supporting data

• 'Batchelder, Batcheller genealogy. Descendants of Rev. Stephen Bachiler of England...who settled the town of New Hampton, N. H., and Joseph, Henry, Joshua and John Batcheller, of Essex Co., Mass (1898)
• http://archive.org/details/batchelderbatche00byupier
• http://archive.org/stream/batchelderbatche00byupier#page/39/mode/1up
• Pg. 39
• William Bachelder m. Jane Cowper 2d Rachel [This has been disproven: his wife was Rachel Bates]
• http://archive.org/stream/batchelderbatche00byupier#page/40/mode/1up
• Pg. 40
• 'Susanna Bachelder 2nd wife of John Laurence
• ___________________________
• 'Genealogical guide to the early settlers of America. Vol. 3
• http://archive.org/details/cu31924095655589
• http://archive.org/stream/cu31924095655589#page/n35/mode/1up
• Pg. 316
• ' JOHN LAWRENCE, Watertown, freeman 1637', by wife Eliz. had John, born 1636, Nathaniel 1639, Joseph 1642, died at 2 months; Joseph again, 1643, Jonathan, perhaps his twin brother, died soon; Mary 1645, Peleg 1647, Enoch 1649, Samuel, Isaac, Eliz. 1655, Jonathan, again, and Zechariah 1659, all at W. except Eliz., born
• http://archive.org/stream/cu31924095655589#page/n36/mode/1up
• Pg. 317
• at Boston, who may, however, have been another John's. 'He removed about 1662 to Groton', and his wife died there 1663, and 'he married 1664, Susanna, daughter of William Batchelor of Charlestown, had Abigail, born 1666, prob died young, and Susanna 1667. He died 1667, and his widow removed to Charlestown, there died 1668.
• _______________________
• Susanna Bachelor Lawrence http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=37390533
• John Lawrence http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=37390498
• _____________________

  ---

  
  

Married John Laurence

Links

• http://scholtz.org/Genealogy/getperson.php?personID=I2496&tree=MyTree

Sources 

1. [S367] Batchelder, Compiler: Frederick Clifton Pierce, (W. B. Conkey Company (1898)).