Individual Details

Event-Misc

As recorded in Andrew Johnston's journal, David asked to buy the land which he was farming. His father and uncles, Daniel and John, had previously requested to buy their land.

Event-Misc

He moved to Rowan Co., NC with his parents.

Miscellaneous

David Lawrence is listed on the 1759 Rowan County, North Carolina Tax Roll.

Marriage

The original marriage bond document is dated 1-16-1760, and signed by David Lowrance, John Lowrance, and Dan'l. Little, who paid a bond of 50 pounds.
On 1-15-1760, William Sherrill signed a document indicating that he approved of the marriage of his daughter Agnes to David Lowrance.
Both of these original court documents are digitally reproduced in the Family Search database, "North Carolina, County Marriages, 1762-1979," for Rowan County, which contains marriage bonds, 1753-1868, Vol. L-M.

Miscellaneous

In 1772, David Lowrance witnessed the will of his brother Peter, in Rowan County, North Carolina.

Miscellaneous

On June 8,1779, the surveyor of Burke County (formed 1777 from Rowan,) North Carolina was directed to "survey for David Lorance a tract or parcel of land containing 560 acres... joining Peter Lorance line, including his own improvements..."
The survey of the land "lying on both sides of the South Fork of Lyle's Creek" was made July 5,1779, and the grant was made October 11,1783. (Burke County Book 50, Page 229.)
Later this land was transferred to Lincoln County, then in 1842, Catawba County was formed from this area. The land would have been near the community of Catawba some 12 miles southeast of Statesville.

Miscellaneous

David Lawrence was likely a Torie during the American Revolution, as indicated by the following excerpt from Lawrence and Related Families.

"From the proceedings of the trial of Col. Charles McDowell on March 4,1782, it appears that David Lawrence was a Torie during the American Revolution. I have been surprised to find that this was not unusual, particularly in that part of North Carolina where most people were farmers and not concerned with tariffs. I have
read that in some areas of North Carolina that more than half of the people were not in favor of the Revolution since many had received large land grants from the crown and felt they had been treated fairly.
According to Glenn Linden of SMU's History Department, only twenty percent of the colonists favored waging the Revolutionary War. The issue split families apart and battles raged between Patriots and Tories, brother against brother and neighbor against neighbor.
The Lawrence family also split on this issue with William, David's brother, volunteering in May 1779 under Captain William Armstrong [this is the only mention of David having a brother named William, perhaps this was not David's brother but rather a nephew? S.L.]; but David apparently having to be forced into service by his friend and neighbor, Col. Charles McDowell.
Later, Col. McDowell was charged by Brigadier General Rutherford
with, among other things, "sending Tories upriver to do guard duty". At his Court Martial in 1782, Col. McDowell asked William Frussile (who was sworn) "if he had not asked him about David Lowrance, Shook and Yont be permitted to go up to the head of the river to do duty, answer was yes".
Col. McDowell was found guilty on this charge.
David Lowrance appears on a long "List of Strays Delivered to Samuel Greenlee, 1777-7783" (Revolutionary War Papers CR.14.103, 1777-1783, loose papers).
Perhaps this may explain why David never claimed citizenship in
subsequent censuses, being indicated as "foreigner" although he was born in this country.
This was also about the time that some of David's cousins (children of his uncle, Daniel, still in New Jersey) left New Jersey and went to Canada.
David did not lose his land but many Tories had their land confiscated. Perhaps what he may have done was less serious than some others."

Miscellaneous

In 1789, Lincoln County, North Carolina, David Lowrance was a bondsman for his nephew Daniel Lowrance, son of David's brother Peter.
Note Lincoln County was formed from Rowan County, North Carolina in 1779.

Census

The 1790 Census for Lincoln County, North Carolina shows David Lowrance with four males under the age of 16 in his household.
Two of these were probably sons of his deceased brother Peter.

Miscellaneous

In Lincoln County, North Carolina, 1797, David Lowrance was bondsman for the marriage of his nephew Jacob, son of his deceased brother Peter.

Miscellaneous

On December 10, 1804, "David Lowrance of the County of Smith, State of Tennessee" appointed "Jesse Lowrance of the county and state aforesaid" Power of Attorney to sell the 560 acres of land he purchased on 6-8-1779, in what was then Burke County, North Carolina (later Lincoln County, then Catawba.)
This land was sold to Francis Summit on January 27,1806.

Miscellaneous

David Lowrance purchased land on the east fork of Goose Creek in Smith County, Tennessee in 1811.
His sons Levi and William were witnesses for this purchase.

Miscellaneous

In Smith County, Tennessee, on October 16, 1812, David Lowrance sold land to T.P. Short and J. Parker and deeded land on the east fork
of Goose Creek to his son Levi Lorance. (Bk. D, Pg. 183.)
Sons, Levi and William had witnessed the purchase of this tract in 1811.

Miscellaneous

Several deed of gift records made by David Lawrence in Smith County, Tennessee, during February 1824, confirm the relationships he had to sons David, Levi, Hiram, and William; his grandchildren Alexander and Agnes Lawrence; and his wife Agnes.

"Book H, Page 427, 2-26-1824: David Lawrence to Alexander Lawrence for love and affection for his grandson, Alexander, and his beloved granddaughter, Agnes Lawrence, son and daughter of Levi Lawrence, deceased, - land on the east fork of Goose Creek, 100 acres where Levi lived before he died.

"Book H, Page 427, 2-20-1824: David Lawrence to David Lawrence for love and affection for his son, David, of the County of Lincoln (Tennessee) - one negro boy named Samuel 19 years old."

"Book H, Page 428, [no date]: David Lawrence to Hiram Lawrence for love and affection for his son, Hiram, gave a negro woman named Lidia and her increase and also her son, Dick, a negro boy about 3 years old and also the horses, cattle, sheep and furniture he has in his possession."

"Book H, Page 431, February 1824: David Lawrence for love and affection for his son, William, and also for other causes such as complete maintenance of "me and my wife, Agnes" during our natural lifetime - gives - 2 negro boys, one named Calloway and the other Nelson."

Death

Last record of him is the 1830 Federal Census of Carroll County, Tennessee, which shows he and his wife living with his son, William.