Thomas Lawrence

  General Notes:

Thomas Lawrence, half brother to Tobias PHILLIPS' son George, stayed on at the plantation after marrying Lucy Womack. He continued to farm the tobacco crops for George PHILLIPS, until 1765, when he and Lucy moved to Halifax (now Pittsylvania) County, VA.

THOMAS Lawrence (MARGARET PEGGY, THOMAS) was born Abt 1733 in Old Rappahannock (now Richmond) County, VA, and died Abt 1797 in Wilkes County, NC. He married LUCY WOMACK Abt 1751 in Richmond County, VA, daughter of Henry Womack and Martha Puckett.

Then, for a short time, Thomas rented a farm from Captain Hugh Innis until he was able to purchase from Capt. Innis the acreage on which he had made his home. Thomas paid 10 pounds sterling for the land on 27 November 1771. The land was described in the deed as "100 acres lying and being in the county of Pittsylvania, on the Mountain Fork of Snow Creek, being the land where said Lawrence formerly lived." Snow Creek was a tributary of the Pigg River, and this tract was among the lands that had been granted to Capt. Innis, a presiding Justice of the Pittsylvania County Courts. On 25 August 1773, Thomas sold the acreage to a William Stegall for 25 pounds 10 shillings, as the deed states; "100 acres on Dittoes Creek (Mountain Fork), which divides the said Thomas Lawrence 's land form William Hale's -- along the patent line, including all houses --."

Thomas bought about 50 acres on the north side of Pigg river in Pittsylvania County , Virginia on 22 July 177, six month's after his son, John Lawrence, had enlisted in the Continental Army, from James Davis for 30 pounds. Thomas had two daughters and four younger sons living with him at the time. However, due to the lure of more personal and religious freedom and new lands in the west, Thomas sold this farm on 27 October 1779, before the end of the war, for 25 pounds, a loss of five pounds. Thomas and Lucy moved their family to the Piedmont area of North Carolina about 1781. This was evident as he witnessed the signing of a deed in Wilkes County on 25 January 1782.

Furthermore, he was listed on the tax roll for Captain John Morgan's District of Wilkes County for the year 1782, as have 100 acres in the Traphill area. County court records also show that in 1785 he was exempted from paying a poll tax for the remainder of his life. He was later granted, in 1789, a tract of land on the waters of Roaring River, in Wilkes County , North Carolina, in consideration for the sum of fifty shillings. The following is a description of the property: "State of North Carolina -- No. 920. Know ye that we have granted unto Thomas Lawrence one hundred acres in Wilkes County on a creek one fork of the eastern of Roaring River, beginning at a white oak on the south side of said creek, running thence south fifty-four chains, seventy-two links to a red oak, thence east crossing the creek twenty-two chains and thirty-six links to a stake, thence north fifty-four chains and seventy-two links to a stake, thence west twenty-two chains and thirty-six links to the beginning, to hold to the said Thomas Lawrence , his heirs and assigns forever. Dated: 18 May 1789."

He was an active member of the Roaring River Baptist Church in Wilkes County, N.C. since 1791. He was mentioned for the last time in the church minutes on 10 March 1897, and it is probable that he died shortly thereafter and was buried in the church cemetery.       

 Children of Thomas Lawrence and Lucy Womack are:

i. WILLIAM Lawrence, born Abt 1755, Richmond County, VA; d. Bef 1860, McMinn County, TN.

 ii. JESSE Lawrence, born 1756.

iii. PETER Lawrence, born Abt 1759, Richmond County, VA.

iv. JOHN Lawrence, born January 04, 1760, Richmond County, VA; d. January 29, 1841, Gwinnett County, GA. 

v. THOMAS JR. Lawrence, born 1762, Richmond County, VA; d. Abt 1832, Ashe (then Wilkes) County, NC.

vi. GEORGE Lawrence, born 1764, Richmond County, VA; d. August 26, 1844, Ashe (then Wilkes) County, NC.

vii. JAMES Lawrence, born 1766, Pittsylvania County, VA; d. 1818, Jefferson County, TN. viii. MARY Lawrence, born 1767, Pittsylvania County, VA; d. May 24, 1857, Adair County, MO.

ix. HENRY Lawrence, born June 12, 1771, Pittsylvania County, VA; d. April 08, 1855, Dirt Town Valley Sect., Chattooga County, GA. 

x. LUCY Lawrence, born March 30, 1773, Pittsylvania County, VA; d. December 10, 1859, Niota, McMinn County, TN; m. ?, Abt 1799, TN.

Thomas married in 1754 in Richmond County, Virginia Formed 1692 From Old Rappahannock County.

  Marriage Notes:

Reference Number:120053