American Families

The American Historical Society, Inc. New York

p 217 -211

LAWRENCE

JOHN LAWRENCE, of Ashton Hall, son of James and Matilda (de Washington) Lawrence, married MARGARET CHESFORD, daughter of Walter Chesford.

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American Ancestry Vol II pp 71-2

John Lawrence born in Wisset, Suffolk, England, and baptized October 8, 1609, came to America, married Elizabeth & settled in Watertown, Mass., before 1635. The family line has been traced as follows: John the first American ancestor, was the son of Henry of Wisset, Suffolk, Eng. (m. Mary); son of John of Wisset, de 1607 (m. Johan); son of John of Wisset, d. 1590 (m. Agnes); son of John of Riverburgh, d. after 1556 (m. Elizabeth); son of Robert; son of John of Rivenburg (m. Margery), made his will July 10, 1504, the year of his death; son of Thomas of Rivenburgh, Holton, Wisset and South Elmham; son of John of Agercorft, d. 1461; son of Nicholas; son of Sir Robert of Ashton Hall, son of Sir Robert of Ashton Hall (m. Margaret Holden of Lancashire); son of John d 1630 (m. Elizabeth Holt); son of JOHN of Ashton Hall (m. MARGARET, dau of Walter Chesford); son of James of Ashton Hall (m. 1252 Matilda de Washington, dau of John de Washington); son of Robert of Ashton Hall (m. a daughter of James Trafford of Lancashire); son of Robert of Ashton Hall; son of Robert Lawrence of Lancashire, England, born probably as early as 1150, who attended King Richard Coeur de Lion to the war of the Crusades in the Holy Land, and was knighted at the siege of Acre "Sir Robert of Ashton Hall" and obtained for his arms "Argent, a crown raguly gules, A.D. 1191." The line of ancestry being thus traced in sixteen generations to the American ancestor, and in twenty-three t the present living descendants. See Lawrence genealogy, Boston, 1869.

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The Genealogy of the Family of John Lawrence of Wissett, in Suffolk, England, and of Watertown and Groton, Massachusetts By Rev. John Lawrence, Jr. (1869)

The Ancestral Lineage, ascertained and arranged by H. G. Somersby, Esq., under the countenance of Hon. Abbott Lawrence while in England, is given as in 1857, there being no reason for a change in this respect.

Page 20 The third generation -- James of Ashton Hall Married, it is said, "in 1252," Matilda de Washington, an heiress, daughter of John de Washington. A son by this marriage, and the successor of James of Ashton Hall was JOHN LAWRENCE, said to have been living in the thirty-seventh year of Henry III.

Respecting the names "Lawrence" and Washington", it may be noted, that Lawrence Washington, a brother of the first President of the United States, was one of the earliest proprietors of Mount Vernon.

The fourth generation – JOHN of Ashton Hall married MARGARET, daughter of Walter CHESFORD; by whom he had a son John Lawrence, his heir and successor.