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Help with finding birth of Jonathon Lawrenson in the 1750s

By Gwebb1 |

Hi everyone.

I am trying to find the parents of Jonathon Lawrenson who married Rachel Walker in 1775  in Rainford, which is why I am thinking he may have ben born early/mid 1750s.  Rachel was 75 when she died 1827 and Jonathon died 1812 but burial records do not give his age.

Between 1777 and 1799 the couple had 8 children, all of whom were baptised in Rainford in the parish of Prescot although the family's abode is often given as Upholland.  It looks as though their son Launcelot born 1787 had a twin called Samuel but this is just a transcription error.   Jonathon is described as a 'husbandman' on most records.

As well as Rainford/Prescot and Upholland, he may have had links with Warrington.

Can anyone help with finding his birth or indeed anything else about him please?

Thank you

Glen

Perhaps?

Baptism: 24 Sep 1749 All Saints, Rainford, Lancashire, England
Jonathan Loranson - Son of Mathias Loranson
    Abode: Rainford

Same occupation,

Burial,

Burial: 28 Jan 1776 All Saints, Rainford, Lancashire, England
Matthias Lawrenson -
    Abode: Upholland
    Occupation: Husbandman

Put these two together, wondering if the same problem/ disease took both of them.

 

Burial: 28 Jan 1776 All Saints, Rainford, Lancashire, England
Matthias Lawrenson -
    Abode: Upholland
    Occupation: Husbandman
    Register: Burials 1765 - 1812, Page 6, Entry 15
    Source: LDS Film 1657568

Burial: 11 Feb 1776 All Saints, Rainford, Lancashire, England
Susannah Lawrenson, Widow -
    Abode: Upholland
    Register: Burials 1765 - 1812, Page 6, Entry 17
    Source: LDS Film 1657568

Name:Matthias LawrensonEvent Type:ChristeningEvent Date:3 Mar 1705Event Place:Ormskirk, Lancashire, EnglandEvent Place (Original):Ormskirk, Lancashire, EnglandSex:MaleFather's Name:Henry Lawrenson

Marriage: 3 Dec 1705 St Peter and St Paul, Ormskirk, Lancashire, England
Henry Lawrenson - Of this Parish
Ellin Harrockes - Of this Parish
    Married by Banns
    Register: Marriages 1699 - 1743, Page 4, Entry 13
    Source: LDS Film 1849663

It appears that this family are reasonably documented and yet there doesn't appear to be a marriage for Matthias Lawrenson or variations of the name to anyone.

There doesn't appear to be a marriage between a Lawrenson or variations to a Susannah, which there would have to be for Susannah to be a widow.  This may bode well for Matthias and Susannah living as a married couple and not taking the plunge.

Thanks, everyone - I've made a note of your findings and trying to see where it all gets me.

The back story is that I have 3 Lawrenson families with connections to Warrington, Upholland and Liverpool, who are all closely linked but I cannot make the connection.

1) My 3x great grandmother is Elizabeth Lawrenson who was born in Warrington 1807 to John (of cotton checker fame) and Margaret.  She subsequently marries William Gordon in Liverpool.  6  DNA  links

tell me this is the right family although on the 1851 census she says she was from Upholland

2) Her death in 1858 is reported by Sarah Lawrinson who married a William Martindale (stonemason from Upholland) in Liverpool in 1824 - she also claims on a couple of censuses that she is from Upholland although my best-guess up to now for a birth is in 1807 in Lymm with parents Samuel and Mary (a Samuel Lawrinson and Mary Hargreaves marry in 1806 in Warrington)

3) Sarah seems very close to a William Lawrinson and his family in Liverpool.  He is a tailor and their first child was born in Liverpool 1797 but I cannot find a marriage.  His widow is living with Sarah at the time of the 1841 census and their children and Sarah are witnesses at each others' weddings while William Martindale dies at the home of William Lawrinson's daughter in 1865, again suggesting close links.  Jonathon Lawrenson in Upholland had a son called William in 1777 which was why I was taking a punt at that line (seems to be the main Lawrinson family in Upholland at the time of the 1841 census).

Perhaps next steps:

1) can anyone help me find out any more about Sarah's parents - perhaps Samuel Lawrenson and Mary Hargreaves?

2) can anyone help me find William Lawrenson's parents? Or his marriage? According to the birth record of one of his children, the wife was Margaret Johnson and her father was Thomas and I did find a possible baptism for her at Tarleton Chapel on 3rd nov 1765 although she had her last child in 1812 so I don't know if dates really work.

As always, any help or hints would be gratefully received.

Glen

I believe the Lawrensons connected with my family are from Childwall, there are a few graves in All Saints church, Childwall and I think they are connected,

I don't believe in cluttering our forum with DNA stuff, but if you have uploaded your raw data to MyHeritage or FamilytreeDNA I have three/four kits of family members connected to this branch and if you would like to send me a message with your details I could look into them.

The below is possibly Samuel Lawrenson and his siblings, the only possible parents I could find are John Lawrenson and Mary Worral, Grappenhall, 1751, John was a Taylor/Tailor

Baptism: 21 Apr 1758 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Mary Lawrenson - Daughter of Jno. Lawrenson & Mary
    Occupation: Tayler
    Register: Baptisms 1733 - 1760, Page 167, Entry 16
    Source: LDS Film 1562956

Baptism: 31 May 1761 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Jas. Lawrinson - Son of Jno. Lawrinson & Mary
    Occupation: Taylor
    Register: Baptisms 1760 - 1781, Page 12, Entry 13
    Source: LDS Film 1562957

Baptism: 22 May 1763 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Saml. Lawrinson - Son of John Lawrinson & Mary
    Occupation: Taylor
    Register: Baptisms 1760 - 1781, Page 29, Entry 16
    Source: LDS Film 1562957

Baptism: 27 Mar 1768 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Saml. Lawrinson - Son of John Lawrinson & Mary
    Occupation: Taylor
    Register: Baptisms 1760 - 1781, Page 72, Entry 6
    Source: LDS Film 1562957

Baptism: 9 May 1773 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Margt. Lawrinson - Daughter of Jno. Lawrinson & Mary
    Occupation: Taylor
    Register: Baptisms 1760 - 1781, Page 121, Entry 6

Perhaps there are other children born in Cheshire before the Warrington births.

I'd like to see the original documentation for this marriage, I think Lawrenson or variation could easily be mistaken and transcribed as Rawlinson.

What may help the  theory, I can't find any children baptised to the couple below.

 

 

Bert, you could be on to something with the Wm/Margaret marriage.  'R; and 'L' could hvae been transposed - I'll take a look on the trade directories and see if a Wm Rawlinson, tailor turns up - Wm Lawrinson occurs a few times.

Tour findings in no. 13 take me back another generation - the James you refer to 5x great grandfather so it is good to have his parents.  Following on from your comments, I found John L and Mary W had a son, John, baptised 1752 in Grappenhall.  James was a saddler and became a tailor in the mid-1780s - I have found a death of a John Lawrenson, tailor, in Warrington in 1789 with a d.o.b of 1729 so I am wondering if James took over the family business due to his father's illness and/or age.

It would help if Samuel was the father of the Sarah born 1806 in Lymm as that would make her and my 3x great grandmother (Elizabeth) cousins and might explaiin why Sarah reported Elizabeth;s death.  However, there is also a marriage in Warrington between a Samuel Lawrinson and an Ellen Savage in 1788, which I though might be more likely for a man born in 1768.  They have a son (John) in 1790 but then I lose them.  I was wondering if the marriage to Mary Hargreaves in 1806 could be Samuel's 2nd marriage but cannot find a death for Ellen.

Anything you can help me with on this line of enquiry, Bert?

Regards,

Glen

Mmm .... see what you mean, Mary!

The name seems to be pretty consistently spelt with a 'w; so I reckon this birth might not be the one I am looking for after all!  Talk about elusive!

I also looked in the trade directories for a William Rowlinson/Rawlinson who was a tailor but couldn't spot anything suitable so perhaps Bert has got the right marriage after all.

Does anyone know where Tarleton Chapel was - was it in St Helens or Liverpool?  I googled it but it didn;t seem very clear!  A Margaret Johnson with a father Thomas was baptised there in 1765.

Glen

Marriage records for Samuel Lawrinson with Mary Hargreaves 1806 and with Ellen Savage in 1788 have the surname spelt with a 'w' so not sure where that gets me!

G

If you can view the Preston Chronicle, April 8, 1871.

Put in search,

Our Country Churches and Chapels

 

Apparently it was in Tarleton and dedicated to St Helen.

Bert: it seems that Tarleton is about 12 miles from Upholland - could I be on the track of finding a link between the Lawrensons in Liverpool. Warrington abd Upholland?!

Also, remember you found that John Lawrenson married Mary Worrall?  Could there be a link with the Worralls who had the cotton factory?  Iy was Mary's grandson who was an apprentice with them.

G

The name seems to be pretty consistently spelt with a 'w; so I reckon this birth might not be the one I am looking for after all! 

I have no doubt that it would be the right birth, the spelling probably depended on what the vicar wrote, the parents may not have been literate.

The only Tarleton I know is up on the way to Preston, so I suspect Bert's suggestion is the correct one. 

The below appear to be the children born to Samuel Lawrenson and Ellen Savage, married 1788, this Samuel is a Tailor, which suggests it is not the same Samuel who married Mary Hargreaves, but of course occupations can change. Note another variation of the name.

 

Baptism: 23 Nov 1788 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
John Lawrinson - Son of Saml Lawrinson & Ellen
    Occupation: Tailor
    Register: Baptisms 1781 - 1812, Page 88, Entry 2725
    Source: LDS Film 1562957

Burial: 25 Apr 1790 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
John Lawrinson - Son of Saml. Lawrinson & Ellen
    Age: 1Yr 5m
    Occupation: Tailor
    Register: Burials 1779 - 1812, Page 92, Entry 9
    Source: LDS Film 1562958

Baptism: 20 Jun 1790 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Margaret Lawrinson - Daur of Saml Lawrinson & Ellen
    Occupation: Tailor
    Register: Baptisms 1781 - 1812, Page 108, Entry 3327

 

    

The below appear to be the children of Samuel Lawrenson and Mary Hargreaves, 1803 marriage.

Baptism: 3 Jun 1810 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Thomas Lawrinson - Son of Samuel Lawrinson & Mary
    Occupation: Labourer
    Register: Baptisms 1781 - 1812, Page 331, Entry 11883
    Source: LDS Film 1562957

Baptism: 18 Jan 1818 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Samuel Lawrinson - Son of Samuel Lawrinson & Mary
    Abode: Appleton
    Occupation: Labourer
    Baptised by: J Topping Curate
    Register: Baptisms 1813 - 1818, Page 296, Entry 2363
    Source: LDS Film 1562959

Baptism: 20 Aug 1820 St Elphin, Warrington, Lancashire, England
Edward Lawrinson - Son of Samuel Lawrinson & Mary
    Abode: Wilderspool
    Occupation: Labourer
    Baptised by: J Topping Curate
    Register: Baptisms 1818 - 1822, Page 151, Entry 1206
    Source: LDS Film 1562960

A Mary who might fit,

Name

Mary Hargreaves

Father

Henry Hargreaves

Baptism

23 Apr 1776 Lancashire, Warrington, England

She would have been 44 in 1820, at an age were her days were possibly over for having children.

As for Sarah, born 1807, Lymm. We tend to think that a bride marries if possible in her own parish and church, Sometimes what you can't find is as important as what you can find. I can't find a marriage of Samuel Lawrenson and a Mary in Lymm or to the best of my geographic abilities one close by.

Though we are unlikely to prove it, perhaps Samuel and Mary went to work in Lymm and that's the reason the children started later in Warrington.

There is the marriage between Samuel L and Mary Hargreaves in Warrington in 1806 but the records I have looked at are really unclear.  

The Samuel who married Ellen Savage in Warrington in 1788 could well be the son of John L and Mary Worrall - he would have been 20 when he married and the birth records of  their 2 children I can find (John 1789 and Ellen 1790) indicate he was a tailor i.e. same profession as his father.  I can't see any children after 1790 but nor can I find a death of an Ellen Savage so can't say if Sammuel was widowed and went on to marry Mary Hargreaves.  Pity I can't find a record that gives me the profession of Mary Hargreaves's husband - can anyone else see one?

G

If you haven't signed up for Rootstech, it's a FREE few days online Conference, hosted by Familysearch with literally hundreds of talks online, you can also create a Playlist of those you want to watch at your own convenience later.  Trawling through the list I cam across one I wondered if it might be useful to you, Using Locality Search to Solve Complex Problems.  Don't know if it would be useful in this instance but it could.

https://www.familysearch.org/rootstech/rtc2021/session/using-locality-r…

Just tracked down on Ancestry a birth in 1818 for a Samuel Lawrenson - abode was Appleton so in the right area and parents were Samuel and Mary but he is a labourer so I am guessing this is not the son of John L and Mary Worral or the one who married Ellen Savage in 1788.  So I guess these are probably not the parents of Sarah born in Lymm after all!

G

Yes, post 25.

The Edward, 1820 and parents can be found in 1851, he married Hannah Carter, 1850.

Parents ages don't look good, then again it is a census.

Wilderspool, Appleton,

Samuel Laurison60Mary Laurison60Edward Laurison30Hannah Laurison25Catherine Rowlan19

No - I'm barking up the wrong tree, aren't I/  The Samuel of JL and MW was born 1768 so I think i can definitely rule the labourer out.  Shame!

G

Bert, I think uou have probably as far as possible with this line (at least for the time being!) and I am delighted that I now know so much about Elizabeth Lawrenson's parents, grandparents and great grandparents.  Amazing - thank you very much for your help.

However, I just wanted to make you aware of this little tale.  I contacted someone who appeared to share my DNA by being a descendant of James's daughter, Margaret (1785-1834).  He got back to me to tell me he had been adopted and knew virtually nothing about his maternal birth line.  However, he recognised one of the names I sent him as being the maternal grandmother he had seen mentioned on his birth certificate.  He is now on a very exciting journey of following up various names and when he has exhausted these lines of enquiry, I will tell him what we have found our about my John Lawrenson (who was Margaret's brother, of course), their parents (James and Elizabeth Pollock) and grandparents (John and Mary Worrall). 

Regards,

Glen.