Joseph Lawrence

Biography

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Lawrence-3404

Joseph Lawrence was born in 1668 at Flushing, New York. He married Mary Townley in 1690. Joseph passed away before 18 Apr 1759, the date his will was proved.

Joseph's father was William Lawrence, who in 1664, married Elizabeth Smith, as his second wife. She was the daughter of Richard Smith, Esq., the wealthy patentee of Smithtown, on Long Island. There were seven children of the marriage.

Children of Joseph Lawrence and Mary Townley:

1. Richard Lawrence born in 1691; married 6th of second month, 1717, Hannah Bowne, daughter of Samuel Bowne, a minister among the Friends, and was married to Mary Becket, at the meeting-house, at the Falls of the Delaware, August 4th, 1691. She was an English lady, and came over with William Perm, in 1682. He was the son of John Bowne, who, in 1661, erected a dwelling in the eastern part of the village of Flushing.
2. John Lawrence, the son of Joseph, who was the son of first William and Elizabeth Smith, afterwards Lady Carterett, before-mentioned, was bom at Flushing, Long Island, N. Y., A.D., 1703 ; emigrated in early life to Elizabethtown, New Jersey, and was proprietor of a tract of land covering its present site, and which he never conveyed away. On the incursion of the British, the records were taken away or destroyed, but the title to the said tract of land still remains in the family. He married about A.D., 1728, for his firSt wife, Mary Woodbury, (of whose issue presently), and shortly afterwards removed to Newport, Rhode Island, where he resided many years, and brought up his large family. He was an extensive ship owner, and engaged in the shipping business. One of his vessels built at Newport, a ship, and called the Three Brothers, after the three brothers John, WDliam, and Thomas Lawrence,— this ship was bound on an European voyage, and was never heard from after leaving port. In advanced life he removed to Providence, R. I., and there married for his second wife, Elizabeth Little, the widow of a British officer. By her he had no issue. He died on the 10th day of November, 1781, aged 78, and was interred in his family lot next west of Nicholas Browne's burirf place, in the old North Burial Ground, Providenice, R. I. By his first wife, Mary Woodbury, he had is^ie, eleven children, eight sons and three daughters.
3. Elizabeth Lawrence, the first daughter and third child of Joseph, who was the son of first William and Elizabeth Smith, afterwards Lady Carterett, before mentioned, married John Bowne, second. In 1737, removed from Flushing, Long Island, to Yonkers, Westchester county, and had issue.
4. Sarah Lawrence, second daughter, and fourth child of Joseph, who was the son of first William and Elizabeth Smith, afterwards Lady Carterett, before mentioned, unmarried.
5. Hannah, the third daughter and fifth child of Joseph, who was the son of first William and Elizabeth Smith, afterwards Lady Carterett, before mentioned, married Mollyudee.
6. Abigail, the fourth. daughter and sixth child of Joseph, who was the son of first William and Elizabeth Smith, afterwards Lady Carterett, before mentioned, married Major Alexander Forbs of the British army.

Will of Joseph Lawrence

I, Joseph Lawrence, of Flushing; in Queens County on Nassau Island in the Province of New York, Yeoman, being in good health and of sound and perfect mind and memory, blessed be God for the same, calling to mind the mortality of this Body and the uncertain time of Death, in order therefore to settle my affairs in this World, do make and ordain this my last Will and Testament in the following manner, principally recommending my soul to the hands of God and my body to the Earth to be buried in a Christian like manner at the discretion of my Executors hereinafter mentioned ,-and as for my personal Estate, after that all my just and lawful Debts and funeral expenses are paid, I do give and dispose thereof as followeth. Impriminis, I do hereby give and bequeath unto my wife the use and all the profits of my farm which I now possess, and the West room and Household enough to furnish it withal and the Kitchen for to use as she pleaseth ; Item, I give my good, son Richard Lawrence the sum of five shillings he having his full portion already, I give unto my son John Lawrence the sum of five shillings he having had his portion already. Item, I give my daughter Elizabeth Bowne the sum of five pounds and a Wench named Nell to her heirs and assigns forever, I give unto my daughters Sarah Lawrence, Hannah Mollyudg& and Abigal Forbes, all the rest of my Estate both Household Goods and moveables, to be equally divided between my three daughters above mentioned, to each alike an equal share or part, to them and their heirs and assigns forever ; and lastly I do nominate and appoint my daughter Sarah Lawrence to be my Executrix and Stephen Lawrence to be my Executors of this my last Will and Testament. In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and fixed my Seal the eight day of December Anno Domini one thousand seven himdred and fifty-four.

JOSEPH LAWRENCE. [SecUJ] DAVID ROD, JuN.. JOHN EMBREE^ JACO& LAWRENCE.

Queens County, ss. Be it Remembered that on the eighteenth day of April in the year of our Lord one thousand seven hundred and fifty-nine, at Jamaca Queens County, personally came “and appeared before me Samuel Clowes, Jun., (being thereunto duly authorised), David Rod, Jun., one of the Witnesses to the within Will; being duly sworn, declared that he did see Joseph Lawrence deceased, in his lifetime sign and seal the same, and heard him publish and declare it to be (and contain) his last Will and Testament, and that at the time thereof he was of sound disposing mind and memory to the best of his knowledge and belief, and that he subscribed his name as a Witness to the said Will in the presence of the Testator ; and he further on his oath affirmed declared that he did see John Embree and Jacob Lawrence sign as Witnesses to the same in the presence of the Testator. Before me,

S. CLOWES, Surrogate. Found in Liber 22, page 7 of Wills, in Surrogate's Office, New York.

Pedigree

The Magna charta barons and their American descendants with the pedigrees of the founders of the Order of Runnemede deduced from the sureties for the enforcement of the statutes of the Magna charta of King John, by Browning, Charles Henry (Publication date 1898). Page 341. < Archive.Org >

19. William Lawrence, bapL at St. Albans, July 27, 1622, d. 1680. In 1645 ^^ was one of the patentees of Hampstead and Flushing, Long Island. He was a magis- trate of Flushing, 1655, and one of its largest land-owners ; was a member of the governor's council, 1 700 ; captain of a foot company, 1665 » ^^S^ sheriff, 1673 ; justice of the North Riding, 1675. He m. secondly, March 4, 1664-5, Elizabeth, daughter of Richard Smith, and had by her :

20. JOSEPH LAWRENCE, of Flushing, b. 1665-8, commissioned ensign in 1684, d. April, 1759, m. 1690, Mary Townley (see the American Historical Register, February, 1896), and had :

21. Richard Lawrence, of Flushing, b. 1691, d. 1781, m. April 6, 1 7 1 7, Hannah, daughter of Samuel Bowne, and had : …

Descendants

Genealogical Record, Volume 1. By Saint Nicholas Society of the City of New York. Page 97. < GoogleBooks >

Sources

1. Thomas Lawrence. “Historical genealogy of the Lawrence family : from their first landing in this country, 1635 to the present date, July 4th, 1858.” New York : E.O. Jenkins, 1858.