Re: LAWRENCE, James Patterson - Georgia Born?
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In reply to:
Re: LAWRENCE, James Patterson - Georgia Born?
Bernice Wright 5/07/06
Bernice: You have been doing some excellent work and I appreciate it so much. I also have done some searching while I had time.
Below is the chronology that I have for his service record. Despite the pension application letter in 1916 which states that "no later record has been found," he immediately re-enlisted in Co C. The physical description on the muster lists from Co B exactly match those for Co C.
Pvt Co B 1st (Ramsey's) GA Volunteer Infantry, mustered in 3-18-1861 Columbus GA and disbanded 3-15-1862 Columbus GA
Pvt Co C 9th (Atkinson's) Batt'n GA Artillery, mustered in 4-1-1862, surrendered 4-9-1865, signed oath 6-12-1865
You will be pleased to know that where he surrendered, Jeffersonville, was renamed later to Tazewell VA. Tazewell VA is where he married Mary Elizabeth Rutherford, where they raised their children, and where they both are buried. So, I believe that this is good evidence that he is, indeed, the same James Patterson Lawrence shown on the service records that my mother's relative/researcher found for him.
The continuing problem is finding his parents! I had seen the two Muscogee Co GA census records for 1850 and 1860 but only kept a copy of the 1850 census for some unknown reason. Here are some other interesting census records that I discovered for "free inhabitants of.....county GA." Does "free inhabitants" take on a special meaning for that era, i.e., free people of color? If so, he was not a person of color and we could disregard the two census records shown here:
1850 Lumpkin Co GA (just south of Columbus GA)
Census began June 1850 with five months for completion:
Rachel Lawrence 47 SC
Tabitha Lawrence 24 SC
Betsey Lawrence 22 SC
Thomas Lawrence 18 SC
Polly Lawrence 15 SC
JAMES LAWRENCE 12 GA (date of birth 7-20-1839)
Rachel Lawrence 11 GA
Martha Ann Lawrence 9 GA
Tabitha Hampton 70 Virginia (Rachel's mother?)
It appears that by 1838/9, this family had moved from SC to GA. Could this James be my great grandfather?
1860 Dawson Co/Americacola(?)District GA (just southeast of Columbus GA)
Census began June 1860 with five months for completion:
Rachel Lawrence 60 SC
Tabitha Lawrence 30 SC
Mary Lawrence 22 SC
JAMES LAWRENCE 19 GA (age should be 22 compared to 1850 census)
Rachel Lawrence 17 GA
Martha Lawrence 15 GA
Tabitha Hampton 80 VA
Some of these folks age correctly and some don't, but the places of birth match the 1850 census. James enlisted in 1861 in Columbus GA. His muster-in sheet shows age as 22 years.
Just some more information that could be considered. What do you make of it, particularly the "free inhabitants" designation?
More Replies:
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Re: LAWRENCE, James Patterson - Georgia Born?
Bernice Wright 5/09/06
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Re: LAWRENCE, James Patterson - Georgia Born?
Harriet E. Rasnick 5/09/06
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Re: LAWRENCE, James Patterson - Georgia Born?