Martha "Maysie" Lawson

Notes

"Although she was noted as 80 on the 1850 census she was probably a bit older. This is believed to be so because at her marriage in 1788 there was no consent given, meaning she had to be at least 21 at the time. Virginia law at the time required parental or guardian consent if the individual was under 21."

From F. Lawson-Romine:

Montgomery Co., VA, tax list of 8 March, 1789, Bird Smith's District and paid in 1790, shows William Lawson, Sr., William Lawson, Jr., Travis Lawson and James Simpkins living in the same area and located "both sides of Little River and Sugar Run and on the county line of Montgomery and Pulaski Counties, near of Graysontown."

Since Travis and Maisie Simpkins were married in Montgomery Co. in 1788, one might reasonably assume some familial relationship between her and James Simpkins but the nature of it has not been proven.

In 1850 Martha and her husband are living in seperate households, he in Montgomery Co, KY, and she in Morgan Co., KY. Both are living with a son. Why they were not together is not known but it is likely they had both grown too old and sick to care for one another.

Family stories have suggested that Maysie was an Indian maiden but we believe this was not so. A female descendant was located and mtDNA tested with the result that Maisie was identified as of European descent.

Comments

- I cannot tell by a review of the online sources who Maysie Simpkins' parents actually were, so I am not attempting to resolve the conflict. --Sabrina Lowther, 8-9-13

- Robert E. Simpkins & his son James Lawrence Simpkins do not seem of correct age / location to be related. Disconnected -- Erica Howton 8-12-13

Sources

1. Marriage Bond

Links

• http://www.lfhp.org/travis-lawson.html
• http://wc.rootsweb.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=patti-law...