Margaret Peggy Lawrence

  General Notes:

Because she left the Church of England for the Puritan faith, she was banished by British society. Her life as an outsider may have required that she take undesirable action for personal survival. In any case, as a banished person, Margaret was charged with stealing food and deported to America when she was about 18 years of age. She was bought as an indentured person by Tobias Phillips when she arrived. Tobias Phillips was a wealthy land owner. They were apparently never married but they also apparently produced two children who carried the Lawrence name. She died at about 30 years of age.

MARGARET PEGGY2 Lawrence (THOMAS1) was born 1709 in Wem, Shropshire County, England, and died Bef 1739 in Old Rappahannock (now Richmond) County, Virginia Notes Margaret "Peggy" Lawrence, presumed fourth child of Thomas and Mary Peploe Lawrence (d.1729). Margaret was christened on 10 April 1709 at the nearby Battlefield Parish Church. As a young woman, about 19-20 years old, she was banished from Wem, in the County of Shropshire, England, because she left the Church of England for the Puritan Faith. Margaret was residing in London, Middlesex County, England, when she was indicted on a felony charge of thievery on 9 July 1729. She was tried and convicted in the Hall of Justice of "Old Bailey," located in the suburbs of London, on 25 February 1730. For her sentence, she was given "his Majesty's royal mercy on condition of transportation to some parts of America for a spare of fourteen years." Her Transportation Bond was issued on 9 March 1730. Margaret became one of 106 prisoners whom Jonathan Forward contracted to transport aboard the "Patapscoe Merchant", Darby Lux, Commander, from the Newgate Prison, City of London, County of Middlesex, England to Maryland on 17 March 1730. Tobias Phillips, a second-generation tobacco planter from Old Rappahannock (now Richmond) County, VA, learned of the ship arriving in Baltimore, Maryland, and traveled 100 miles to meet Capt. Darby Lux and inspect the 94 surviving prisoners. Tobias purchased Margaret's Bond which entitled him to fourteen years of service, and brought her back to his tobacco plantation in Virginia While at the tobacco plantation, Margaret bore Tobias two sons; John Lawrence, born about 1731, and Thomas Lawrence, born about 1733. She did not live out her entire Bond of fourteen years, and probably died prior to 1739, as she was not mentioned in Tobias Phillip's will dated on 10 September 1739.

Children of Margaret Lawrence are: i. JOHN3 Lawrence, born Abt 1731, Old Rappahannock (now Richmond) County, VA; ii. THOMAS Lawrence, born Abt 1733, Old Rappahannock (now Richmond) County, VA; d. Abt 1797, Wilkes County, NC.

Greater London Record Office, London, England, WHEREAS at the General sessions of Gaol delivery of Newgate held for the County of Middlesex at Justice Hall in the Old Bailey in the Suburbs of the city of London on Wednesday of the twenty-fifth day of February last past Matthew Lambourne was then and before convicted of a felony as being an accessory and within the Benefit of the Clergy and also Eleanor Oldfield, James Ferris, Mary Harwood als Badger als Radford, John Pantree, Margaret Lawrence, John Showswood, Jervis Rhodes, Thomas Rogers, Richard Rogers, stood convicted and attainted of several thefts and larcenies for which they are excluded the benefit of their Clergy and to whom his Majesty has been pleased to extend his Royal Mercy on condition of Transportation to some parts of America of which intimation has been signified by his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State and whereas his Majesty's Justices of Gaol delivery of Newgate aforesaid have ordered and directed that the said:

Matthew Lambourne, Eleanor Oldfield, James Ferris, Mary Harwood als Badge als Radford, John Pantree, Margaret Lawrence, John Showswood, Jervis Rhodes, Thomas Rogers, Richard Rogers, be transported to some of his Majesty's Colonies and Plantations in America and be transferred and conveyed to such person of persons who shall on or before the twentieth day of March Instant Contract and agree with the said PETER Walter Esquire to send them as soon as conveniently may be to some of his Majesty's Colonies and Plantations in America for the space of fourteen years and the above bounden Jonathan forward doth accordingly hereby contract with the said Peter Walter for the performance of such transportation.

Thus, Margaret Lawrence became one of the nearly 20,000 convicts that were shipped from Newgate Prison to America. There is nothing in the passenger records to indicate that she was accompanied by either a husband or children although several of the people convicted with her were on board. Such trips took between five and nine weeks to complete depending on the weather and illnesses aboard ship. Twelve people died on this particular trip which apparently was typical. One study suggests that 14% of all prisoners died in passage.

Margaret married about 1730.

  Marriage Notes:

Marriage Beginning Status:Other Reference Number:120093
Tobias PHILLIPS, (John PHILLIPS) was born Jul 12, 1687 in North Farnham, Old Rappahonnack, Virginia. He married in 1714, Hannah GOAD who was born in Nov 1695 in North, Virginia. He was said to have a mistress, a white indentured servant by the name of Margaret Lawrence. Tobias had a son George who became partners with a son of Tobias and Margaret Lawrence, Thomas Lawrence.

Wills of Richmond Co. , Va by Robert Headley, Jr. Will Book 5,pg 80 - pg 354 - Tobias Phillips: will; 19 Sept 1739, 7 Apr 1740. son George; daus. Elizabeth, Hannah, Frances Dale; William Dale, the younger; wife Hannah the use of my servants Joseph (Pecton) and Thomas Lawrence; son George to pay Thomas Lawrence 500 lbs. of tobacco for his freedom dues; the care of son George's est. and his tuition shall be to my ex; ex: wife and William Glascock, wits: Godfrey Wilcocks, Wm. Forrester, Mary Howard.

Margaret next married about 1730.

  Marriage Notes:

Marriage Beginning Status:Other Reference Number:120093
Tobias PHILLIPS, (John PHILLIPS) was born Jul 12, 1687 in North Farnham, Old Rappahonnack, Virginia. He married in 1714, Hannah GOAD who was born in Nov 1695 in North, Virginia. He was said to have a mistress, a white indentured servant by the name of Margaret Lawrence. Tobias had a son George who became partners with a son of Tobias and Margaret Lawrence, Thomas Lawrence.

Wills of Richmond Co. , Va by Robert Headley, Jr. Will Book 5,pg 80 - pg 354 - Tobias Phillips: will; 19 Sept 1739, 7 Apr 1740. son George; daus. Elizabeth, Hannah, Frances Dale; William Dale, the younger; wife Hannah the use of my servants Joseph (Pecton) and Thomas Lawrence; son George to pay Thomas Lawrence 500 lbs. of tobacco for his freedom dues; the care of son George's est. and his tuition shall be to my ex; ex: wife and William Glascock, wits: Godfrey Wilcocks, Wm. Forrester, Mary Howard.