James William Lawler

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/79267487/James-W-Lawler

James Lawler, Jr. {II.}, was born in Fauquir county, Virginia, March 14th, 1796. His father, James Lawler, Sr. {I.} was born Jan 8th, 1749, in the state of Pennsylvania. At about the age of twenty he married Miss Ruth Mathew. They had a family of four children. His wife died about the year 1782. He was again married in 1783; that time to Miss Anna, daughter of David Thomas, esq., of Fauquir county, Virginia. They had a family of six children, of whom the subject of this sketch is the fifth, and the only one now living.

Mr. Lawler served during the whole of the revolutionary war; he was secretary to General Washington a part of the time; he was engaged in many of the principal battles of the war. On his return home he engaged in farming and surveying. He was one of the leading men of that day, and for those early times, was considered a polished scholar. Politically, he was a Jeffersonian democrat. He died at his residence in Fauquir county, Va., March 4th, 1813; his wife survived him until December 5th, 1815.

His son James, the subject of this sketch, received most of his early education in the schools of Fauquir county, and part of the time was spent under the tuition of his father. Much of his early life was spent in the usual work of the farm. At the age of twenty-five he married Miss Nancy, daughter of George Harris, Esq., of Fauquir county. After his marriage he engaged in farming and coopering, and continued the business in that state until 1835, when he removed to Schuyler county, Ill., landing in Beardstown Nov. 10th, 1835. In this country he carried on his former business. His family consisted of six children; only four are now living - three sons and one daughter, all residing in Schuyler county and doing well. His wife died January 28th, 1862.

Mr. Lawler served seven years as justice of the peace. He is, and always has been, a strong supporter of the democratic party.