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Beginners => Family History Beginners Board => Topic started by: maribel on Monday 17 September 18 12:38 BST (UK)
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My 3x gt. grandfather Stephenson Lawson (b.1781 Whitby - d.1830 Portsmouth) was master of and (?) part owner of a number (3 0r 4) of small ships I have traced through Lloyd's Register. There is also an R Lawson and a J Lawson involved, as captains, and Lawson & Co. Stephenson married Jane Gale and they had a daughter Alice in 1808 in Whitby, but I have made no progress with them having any other children. At some time the family moved to Portsmouth as Alice married there in 1826. Can anyone suggest where I might find more information about Lawson & Co, ship owners named Lawson, or even any other related Lawson family members? Thank you, Maribel
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There is a death notice for a Thomas Hall, age 24, in an 1862 newspaper, which states he was the grandson of the late Captain Stephenson Lawson of Whitby. If Thomas wasn't a child of Alice, then she must have had a sibling. The article states that the father of Thomas Hall is William Hall, Esq. and it says Thomas was his second son, and an officer in the Peninsular and Oriental Company’s Service.
Ship-wise, I've only found an 1818 mention of Stephenson Lawson as master of "a newly copper lined brig called Friends" so far.
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Thank you bbart. Yes, Thomas was Alice's (and husband William Hall's) son. I feel as Stephenson Lawson was mentioned in the news some 30 years after his death, then he must have done something/had enough small ships/...??? to be remembered for. Answer could be in Whitby where he began or Portsmouth. I have found an R Lawson, born in Whitby, living in Alverstoke, Hampshire and a mariner, in 1851 - so maybe a relation? I will look at this one a bit more before jumping too conclusions..
Maribel
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I have found an R Lawson, born in Whitby, living in Alverstoke, Hampshire and a mariner, in 1851 - so maybe a relation?
Hampshire Advertiser, 4 Aug 1849
On the 21st ultimo, Jane, widow of Captain Stephenson Lawson, of Whitby, age 64
I wondered why only a Hampshire paper carried the death notice? Cannot see a death registration for a Jane Lawson, age 64, Whitby,1849. There's a Jane Lawson, 44, Southampton - wondered if the GRO has the age wrong? Although Alverstoke is a registration district in its own right - if living there in '49.
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The Robert Lawson in the 1851 census is given as born Whitby 1813,with wife Jane 1800(born Ireland).Thinking this a slight disparity in ages,I checked for a marriage and there is an 1825 Hampshire record of Robert Lawson(of HMS Victory) to a Jane McCarthy.This looks a good fit and must cast some doubt on the 1851 census birth year for Robert.(He is not with the family in 1841)
There is an 1800 record for a Robert Lawson,born Whitby,but his father is a Robert also.
Regards
Roger
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Given that his parents were Charles and Alice,perhaps a son would have been called Charles,though I can't find one.However,there is a will(level of detail unknown) for Alice Lawson,widow of Whitby,1818 ,(who could be his mother),at The National Archives(£3.50 to download).This might refer to grandchildren.
Regards
Roger
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Thank you Hanes teulu. The family were definitely living in Portsmouth some time before Stephenson's death in 1830. Don't quite know why Portsmouth, as his [SL's] ships sailed from London, and Portsmouth was naval not merchant. His brothers were Charles, John and Daniel, but no R, and I have not found parents of R. The R Lawson who was a Captain of Stephensons (or Lawson and Co's ships) must have been older than Robert born in 1813.
Alice Lawson widow could be Stephenson's mother in Whitby (thank you despair).
Any idea how I find out about shipping companies? who were Lawson & Co? Where were shipping companies registered ( I know - all over in various ports - but is there a central place where shipping companies (not ships) were registered?
Thank you despair for finding the marriage of Robert and Jane and that he served on Victory. Because he was born in Whitby I suspect he must be a relation - but a bit late for working with Lawson & Co.
I will look at the 1800 birth of Robert.
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As the only untapped source of info,I couldn't resist downloading the will.The handwriting is the usual difficult one,but sufficient to identify references to son Stephenson,grandson Charles,and granddaughters Alice and Jane.
The following is very tenuous but may just hang together.There are two marriages of a Jane Lawson in Whitby in the 1830s.One is given as of 1830,a non conformist wedding(Roman Catholic or other?,might explain the difficulty finding records?),for a Jane Lawson born 1809 to a Captain William Garbutt.I can identify a Jane Garbutt in the 1851 census in Whitby,as a married mariner's wife living alone.(There are Merchant Navy records for a William Garbutt,born 1831 in Whitby,who might be their son).Even more tenuous might be identifying this Jane as the one in 1861 as a lodger in a Stephenson household,given born 1806).I have not pursued the possible 1837 marriage,nor have I ,yet,looked for Charles.
Regards
Roger
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That is exciting Roger (despar). So this lady was Alice Stephenson, who married Charles Lawson and mother of my Stephenson Lawson.
Stephenson married Jane Gale and they had daughter Alice. They may have had son Charles and daughter Jane - but I have not found them. Also Stephenson's brothers may also have married and had a Charles and a Jane.
I will look into those later (I am away from home at present) but am thrilled to have Alice Lawson's will.
many many thanks
maribel
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In the marriage register, Charles Lawson and Alice Stephenson, 16 Dec 1770, Whitby, Charles is described as a mariner.
Parish Burials (FMPimage)
Charles Lawson, age 82, Oct 26 1807, master mariner
Hull Packet, 3 Nov 1807
Deaths - On Saturday se;nnight, at Whitby, at an advanced age, Mr Charles Lawson, of that place, master mariner
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Thank you hanes . It is wonderful to be able to add these bits of info to knowledge of Lawson. Good to know how old Charles was when he died too so I can have a better idea of year when looking for his birth. And the master mariner information. We have a lot of people in ships in our family!
mynthanks again, maribel
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It looks like it was a different Jane Lawson who married Captain William Garbutt
http://garbuttlawsonhistory.com/garbutts-of-whitby-pre19th-century/
It is possible that the will reads as Joanne,but the above still applies.Perhaps she was the one who married in 1837.I'lll see if I can establish which of the options applies.It is possible that she remained a spinster.
Regards
Roger
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This may help distinguish different Lawson lines in Whitby.This one does not look like yours!
https://sites.google.com/site/blackburnkitchingancestry/home/hearts-of-oak/contents/families/lawson
Regards
Roger
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It looks to me that the husband of the Jane Lawson who marries in 1837 is Marmaduke Wilson.This Jane dies in 1874 aged 65.
Charles is more problematic.I suspect he is the Charles baptised in 1800.The transcription I have seen gives his parents as Charles and Ann,but looking at the original it could just as easily be Jane.
I can't yet identify him on any census or death record.I suspect he may have died at sea.I'll keep looking if you want me to.
Regards
Roger
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Thanks again Roger. I think we are getting somewhere. I think have found Jane (gr.dr of Alice Lawson.) (Alice Lawson's other son?) Charles married Elizabeth Eckins in Hull and they had a daughter Jane in 1802.
However I have notes at home I think of a Charles and Ann having a son Charles. in 1800.
I have looked at Alice Lawson's will. Interesting that she leaves everything to her son Stephenson after bequests to her grandchildren. Did she fall out with the rest of her family? or have all her other children died? or perhaps they had had ample provision from her husband's will? or perhaps Stephenson and Jane had continued to live in Whitby, looking after Alice after she was widowed, and only moved to Portsmouth after her death?
Ah well....
my thanks agin for all your sleuthing which opened up a few new paths for me
maribel
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The Charles Lawson who marries in Hull in 1802 is given as a weaver,and I don't see where he is likely to fit in with the Whitby family.
Regards
Roger
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I suspect he is the Charles baptised in 1800.The transcription I have seen gives his parents as Charles and Ann,but looking at the original it could just as easily be Jane.
Regards
Roger
If you check the image again, the 2 baptismal entries immediately following Charles show mother's name "Jane". I don't think Charles' mother's name could in any way be be read as "Jane".
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Charles lawson's occpn. on the 1800 baptism is mariner.
There's a marriage of a Charles Lawson, seaman and Ann Smith, spinster, on 18 Jan 1798, at Knaresborough.
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That's the conclusion I came to as well.
Added:I have a reservation about that being the appropriate marriage as The National Archives have a record for a Charles Lawson born circa 1780 serving in the 15th Foot Regiment
Regards
Roger
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Many thanks to all for your contributions. However I am confused myself with the 3 Charles Lawson. I think this is the most correct conclusion.
1) Charles eldest b.c 1725 d.1807 , m to Alice Stephenson in 1770.
2)Charles - his son, b.1774 Whitby. Married Ann Smith, Knaresburgh 18 June 1798. Is a mariner.
3) They have son Charles, baptised 1800. Left £100 in his grandmother Alice Lawson's will.
This leaves me with Alice's granddaughter Jane. Whose daughter is she?? I will scrap the one I found from a marriage of a Charles Lawson to Elizabeth Eckins. Perhaps Charles (2) and Stephenson's other brothers John and Daniel married and had a Jane but I have not found their marriages in Family search.
maribel
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That's the conclusion I came to as well.
Added:I have a reservation about that being the appropriate marriage
Regards
Roger
I wasn't presenting that as the marriage - just offering it as a possibility
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It looks like Daniel died in infancy.Haven't been able to pinpoint John post baptism yet,too many of the same name.
Regards
Roger
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Thanks again to hanes teulu and despair/Roger. I am delighted that my enquiry has brought a lot more information on elusive branch of Lawson family. As you say Roger a difficult name to trace especially with fairly common first names (well not perhaps Stephenson!).
I am not sure there will be much more to discover - it seems most likely that Stephenson did not have any other children apart from Alice (although he may also have had a daughter named Jane).
I am happy to call this discussion to a close, unless you find something wildly exciting.
Thank you so much
Maribel
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Just a final thought,I will reread the will to see if Jane is referred to specifically as Jane Lawson to rule out her being the daughter of a daughter.
Regards
Roger