Tracing the Lawson Line: The Children of Jacob and Mary Lawson & the Search for Their Ancestry

 Researching the Lawson family history has been both a rewarding and challenging journey. Jacob and Mary Lawson were early settlers of Missouri, migrating from Tennessee or Kentucky before appearing in Montgomery/Warren County, Missouri, by the early 1830s. They later moved to Pulaski County, Missouri, where Jacob Lawson passed away before December 1845.

"Image generated using OpenAI's DALL-E tool."

The family appears in Phelps County after 1850, although they most likely did not move; the county lines did.

This post will document all known children of Jacob and Mary Lawson, listed in the correct birth order based on Jacob’s probate record. I’ll also share my ongoing search for their ancestry and highlight an interesting side note—one of their daughters, Zilpha Lawson, married into the Boone family, making her a relative by marriage to the legendary Daniel Boone.

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The Children of Jacob and Mary Lawson

Through probate records, census data, marriage records, and land transactions, I have identified the following children of Jacob and Mary Lawson. Birth years marked with (c.) are estimates.

1. Zilpha Lawson (c. 1808 – before 1850)

• Married Larkin Barnes on December 10, 1834, in Warren County, Missouri.
• Larkin Barnes was a descendant of Daniel Boone, meaning Zilpha’s children carried Boone lineage.
• By 1850, Zilpha appears to be deceased, as Larkin Barnes and their son James C. Barnes were living in Texas without her.

2. Lavina Lawson (c. 1809 – unknown)

• Married George W. Williams on October 31, 1833, in Warren County, Missouri.
• Possibly resided in Charrett, Warren County, Missouri, in 1840.
• Her later whereabouts are unknown.

3. Matiliday Lawson (c. 1810 – unknown)

• Possibly married Richard Kenerday.
• Named in Jacob Lawson’s probate record.

4. Isaac Lawson (b. 1811 – after 1850)

• Born in Tennessee.
• Married Jane (maiden name unknown).
• Lived in Pulaski County, Missouri, working as a farmer.
• Appears in the 1850 Census in Pulaski County, Missouri, with his wife.

5. Berry Lawson (c. 1813 – before 1855)

• Died in Pulaski County, Missouri, before 1855.
• Wife was Sarah or Mary (or they were the same person).
• Estate was administered by Sarah Lawson.

6. Lewis Lawson (c. 1822 – unknown)

• Named in Jacob Lawson’s probate record.

7. Martha Lawson (c. 1830 – unknown)

• Possibly married Jonathan Dell.

8. Delilah Lawson (c. 1832 – before 1870)

• Married Jackson Brewer.
• Had two daughters, Mary Ann and Melinda Jane.
• Died before 1870, and her daughters were raised by her siblings.

9. William Hamilton Lawson (b. March 23, 1833 – after 1877) [My Ancestor]

• Born in Calloway County, Missouri.
• Confirmed as Jacob and Mary’s son through probate and land records.
• Also referred to as Hamilton Lawson ("Ham").
• Involved in illicit distilling cases (1876-1877); fined $100 and court costs in March 1877.
• His family was involved in the infamous Lawson-Wade murder trial in the late 1890s in Phelps County, Missouri.

10. Kissiah (Kessiah) Lawson (c. 1838 – unknown)

• Married Randolph Pruett.
• Named in Jacob Lawson’s probate record.

11. Mary Ann Lawson (c. 1840 – died before 1850)

• The youngest child.
• Named in Jacob Lawson’s probate record.
• Most likely died before 1850, according to probate and census data.

There may be additional children who have yet to be identified, as early census records indicate more sons and daughters in Jacob Lawson’s household, plus there are gaps in birth years between children.

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Searching for the Ancestry of Jacob and Mary Lawson

Now that I have this starting point for the children of Jacob and Mary Lawson, the bigger question remains: Who were Jacob and Mary’s parents, and where did they come from? What was the fate of their descendants?

Here’s what I’ve uncovered so far:

• Jacob Lawson first appears in Montgomery/Warren County, Missouri, in the early 1830s.
• Jacob more than likely came from Tennessee but may have been from Kentucky.
• He was in Pulaski County, Missouri, by 1840, where he owned land and enslaved individuals.
• He died before December 1845, leaving behind Mary Lawson as his widow.
• At least one of their children (Isaac) was born in Tennessee, suggesting Jacob and Mary migrated from Tennessee to Missouri.

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The Boone Connection (But Not Mine!)

One of the more interesting side discoveries in my research was the connection between the Lawsons and the Boones—but it’s important to note that this does not make me a Boone descendant.

"Image generated using OpenAI's DALL-E tool."

Instead, Zilpha Lawson, the sister of my ancestor William Hamilton Lawson, married Larkin Barnes, a descendant of Daniel Boone.

This connection is fascinating because Daniel Boone’s descendants were heavily involved in early Missouri settlement, especially in St. Charles, Montgomery, and Warren Counties. Many of their families intermarried with other pioneer families, including the Lawsons.

Interestingly, a newspaper article from that time mentions a "Boone rifle," highlighting the prominence of the Boone family in the region.

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Next Steps in My Research

I’m continuing my research to answer the big questions:

• Where did Jacob and Mary Lawson come from before Missouri?
• Who were their parents?
• When did Jacob and Mary get married?

My Plan:

1. Tracking earlier records in Tennessee
• Could Jacob Lawson have come from a Lawson family in East or Middle Tennessee?
• Are there connections to North Carolina or Virginia before Tennessee?
2. Checking tax and land records
• Examining Missouri tax lists from the 1820s to see when Jacob first appeared in the region.
• Searching for land purchases and sales that might name his relatives.
3. DNA Matches
• Investigating DNA connections to other Lawson families to see if shared ancestors can be identified.

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How You Can Help

If you are researching the Lawson family and have any clues, I’d love to compare notes! Feel free to reach out or leave a comment with any insights.