Robert Lawson (American general)
Robert Lawson | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Virginia House of Delegates from Prince Edward County | |
| In office October 15, 1787 – 1783 Serving with Patrick Henry | |
| Preceded by | Richard Bibb |
| Succeeded by | Tarleton Woodson |
| In office 1782–1783 Serving with John Holcombe, James Allen, Richard Bibb | |
| Preceded by | Thomas Flournoy |
| Succeeded by | William Bibb |
| In office 1778–1779 Serving with John Nash | |
| Preceded by | William Booker |
| Succeeded by | Thomas Flournoy |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Robert Lawson January 23, 1748 Essex County, Colony of Virginia |
| Died | March 28, 1805 Richmond, Virginia |
| Spouse(s) | 3 including Edith Marot Cobbs, Prudence (surname unknown) and Mary Pride |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service | Virginia Militia |
| Rank | General |
Robert Lawson (January 23, 1748 – March 28, 1805) was an officer from Virginia in the American Revolutionary War.[1] After the conflict, he had a political career in Prince Edward County, Virginia, but also suffered from alcoholism, which caused his estrangement from his family, as discussed by the United States Supreme Court in Wagner v. Baird, 48 U.S. 234 (1849). Although granted over 10,000 acres of land in what became the state of Ohio, he purportedly transferred that land to another man shortly before his death, although decades later his heirs alleged fraud, as well as his incapacity due to his alcoholism.
In early 1776 Lawson was commissioned a major in the 4th Virginia Regiment of the Continental Army. He eventually became the colonel in command of the regiment. He resigned from the Continental Army in December 1777.
Lawson returned to active duty in 1779 as a brigadier general in the Virginia militia. According to some accounts, he commanded the Virginia militia at the Battle of Guilford Court House.
Early life and education
Robert Lawson was born 23 Jan 1748, the son of Benjamin Lawson and his wife, the former Elizabeth Claiborne.
American Revolutionary War
Continental Service
Major, 4th Virginia, 13 February 1776
Lieutenant Colonel, 4th Virginia, 13 August 1776
Colonel, 4th Virginia, 19 August 1777
Resigned, 17 December 1777
The 4th Virginia Regiment was authorized by the fourth Virginia convention on December 1, 1775, and accepted by Congress on February 13, 1776. The 4th Virginia Regiment joined Washington's army late in 1776 and participated in the battles of Trenton and Germantown. (Sanchez-Saavedra p42)
On November 23, 1776, the 4th, 5th, and 6th Virginia Regiments joined the army at New Brunswick, New Jersey, forming a brigade of 745 men under Adam Stephen (Sellers 1978:6-7,9,11. Lesser 176:40)
Battles of the 4th Virginia Regiment:
Battle of Trenton, 26 December 1776
Second Battle of Trenton, January 1777
Battle of Princeton, January 1777
Battle of Brandywine, 11 September 1777
Battle of Germantown, 4 October 1777
Virginia Militia
Colonel, Steven's Brigade, Battle of Camden, 16 August 1780 ???
General, Lawson's Brigade, Guilford Courthouse, 15 March 1781
General, Attached with General Steuben, Point of Fork, June 5, 1881
General, Lawson's Brigade, Siege of Yorktown, September - October 1781
Public servant
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Attended Virginia Convention, St John's Church Richmond, March 1775
Attended Virginia Convention, July 1775
Attended Virginia Convention, December 1775
Member Virginia House of Delegates, May 4 - December 19, 1778[2]
Member Virginia House of Delegates, May 1, 1780 - March 22, 1781[2]
Member Virginia House of Delegates, May - December 28, 1782[2]
Member Virginia House of Delegates, May 5 - December 22, 1783[2]
Member Virginia House of Delegates, October 15, 1787 - January 8, 1788[2]
Deputy Attorney General Prince Edward County 1784 to April 1788
.
Delegate, Convention of the Commonwealth of Virginia on the adoption of the Federal Constitution, June 1788[2]: 174 Voted in the minority against ratification of the Federal Constitution, 25 June 1788.
Trustee, Hampden-Sydney College, 1783-1805
Planter
Lawson owned land in what became Prince Edward County, Virginia, although he was listed as nonresident. In the Virginia tax census of 1787, Lawson owned 9 teenage slaves and 7 adults, as well as 7 horses and 21 cattle.[3]
Personal life
He married Sarah Meriwether Pierce 13 Dec 1769 in VA, daughter of John Pierce and Sarah. She died 10 Jun 1809.
Children:
Sarah Meriwether Lawson b 9/13/1770 d 4/19/1771
America Lawson b 1/22/1778 d 10/1/1830
John Pierce Lawson b 2/23/1781 d 6/1/1809
Arria Lawson b 3/14/1785 d 10/24/1787
Columbus Lawson b 8/11/1789 Kentucky d 1/8/1815
Death and legacy
Lawson died 28 Mar 1805 in Richmond, Virginia. His obituary in the Richmond Gazette and General Advertiser states that his funeral was held at the State Capitol that afternoon, and then his body was escorted by the City Guards to the St. John's Episcopal Churchyard for burial.
In popular culture
· Turn: Washington's Spies: Briefly portrayed by Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe in Season 3; Episode 7 "Judgement".[4]
References
- ^ Tyler, Lyon G. (1915). "Robert Lawson" in Encyclopedia of Virginia Biography. Vol. 2. Lewis Historical Publishing Co. p. 331. available at hathitrust.org
- ^ a b c d e f Cynthia Miller Leonard, The Virginia General Assembly 1619-1978 (Richmond: Virginia State Library 1978) pp. 113, 115, 120, 130, 138, 147, 150, 16688
- ^ Netti Schreiner-Yantis and Florene Speakman Love, The 1787 Census of Virginia (Springfield, Genealogical Books in Print 1987) p. 1298.
- ^ "Blogs - TURN: Washington's Spies - Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe to Appear in TURN: Washington's Spies Season 3 - AMC". www.amc.com. Archived from the original on 2016-02-02.
- Purcell, L. Edward. Who Was Who in the American Revolution." New York: Facts on File, 1993. ISBN 0-8160-2107-4.
- Wagner v. Baird, 48 U.S. 234 (1849)
- "The Southern Campaign" in The Magazine of American History with Notes and Queries
by John Austin Stevens, Benjamin Franklin DeCosta, Martha Joanna Lamb, Henry Phelps Johnston, Nathan Gilbert Pond, William Abbatt, 1881, p 36-46. - Richmond Gazette and General Advertiser, Vol. XIX, Issue 1301, Page 3, Saturday, March 30, 1805. Source: GenealogyBank.com