Thomas Lanier

Thomas Lanier, the second son of Robert and Pricilla (Washington) Lanier, was born about 1730 in Surry County, and married there about 1760, Mary, possibly the daughter of William Collins, a Quaker.

Thomas Lanier left very few records of his own making; in February 1761 he bought from his brother Robert, the land south of Three Creeks, opposite his own land, which his father had willed to Robert; on December 2nd 1768 he voted in an election for Burgesses in Brunswick County where he was then living; in May 1773 he signed a petition on levies imposed on St. Andrews Parish; and in February 1765, Robert Mitchell deeded eight slaves to Thomas Lanier because of indebtedness.

There are no records of Revolutionary services for him; no payments for supplies, or any kind of aid to the war; nor did he hold any office in the county. On June 26, 1775, he and his wife Mary were called into Court "by order of the King for not attending church"; this definitely shows that they were Quakers.

Greensville County was formed from Sussex and Brunswick counties in 1782; his land  was then in the northwest corner of the new county.  On the tax list of that year, Thomas  Lanier had thirteen whites and seven blacks, and was taxed for 200 acres of land.  He  died there in February 1797, intestate, leaving no records except the above tax records.  Mary Lanier, his wife, left a very partial will dated April 4, 1798, which was probated  in the June Court 1798.  She named only five of her ten living children, and a long and 

involved suit followed. 

The children of Thomas and Mary Lanier were: William, Tabitha, Collins, Edmund, Elizabeth, Rebecca, Susannah, Sally, Bird, Martha, and Abner.