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James LAWLER was born January 8th 1749, in the state of Virginia.. At about age of 20 he married Ruth MATTHEW. They had a family of four children. His wife died about the year 1782. He was married again in 1783, this time to Anna THOMAS, believed to be the daughter of David Thomas, esq, of Fauquier County Va. There are few Lawler researchers who dispute this lineage. James and Anna had a family of seven children.
James Lawler was of Irish descent, his ancestors coming to America in the colonial period. He was one of the leading men of the day, and in those early times, was considered a polished scholar.
Oral Tradition tells us that James Lawler was the private secretary of General Washington, serving in that capacity during the Revolutionary War, in which he took part in many of the most sanguinary [bloody] battles. After the termination of that memorable conflict, he returned to his home, and resumed his occupation of farming and surveying. He surveyed and platted the farm and home grounds of General Washington, at Mount Vernon. When discussing these comments with researchers in Fauquier County, we are usually met with much laughter and mirth. They feel that all such stories have just been made up to glorify some long lost relative. In any case, I have not yet found another researcher who has verified that our James Lawler performed such wonderous deeds for our first president. I present it here because it has been written in a few publications and continues to be handed down.
Poltically, he was a Jeffersonian democrat. He died at his residence in Fauquier County, VA, March 4th, 1813. His wife Anna survived him until Dec. 5th 1813. The DAR Patriot Index lists James Lawler as a Revolutionary War soldier.
FIRST MARRIAGE
James W. LAWLER married Ruth MATHEW in 1769 at VA. Their children were:
SECOND MARRIAGE
James LAWLER married Anna THOMAS in 1783 in Fauquier County, Virginia Anna, is believed to be the daughterof David THOMAS, Esquire, born on 25 May 1759 in Fauquier County, Virginia; and she died on 5 Dec 1815.
The children of James Lawler and Anna Thomas were:
Alexander LAWLER was born on 29 June 1793 at Warrington, Fauquier County , Virginia. Alexander LAWLER married Margaret Buckner WHITE on 29 Jan 1817 in Fauquier County, Virginia. Margaret was the daughter of Andrew WHITE and she was born on 24 Aug 1797 in VA. Margaret White was of Swiss descent.
Alexander and Margaret moved their family westward, stopping for a while in the City of Zanesville in Muskingum County Ohio where their twins were born. They later moved to Schuyler County Illinois. On June 12 1839, Alexander bought land in the SE 1/2 of Sec 12 in Woodstock Township (160 acres) for $450. The Old Lawler Cemetery is on this property.
Alexander died on 22 August 1854; and is buried in the Lawler Cemetery, Sugar Grove Illinois in Schuyler County. Margaret Buckner White Lawler died on April 17, 1774 and she is buried in the Lawler Cemetery as well. Her death was a tragic one and is relieved in a story from the Rushville Times that appeared on April 25th 1874.
"TERRIBLE ACCIDENT-FATAL RESULT OF A RUNAWAY"
It appears that William KUHN shows up in the Lawler household as a border/farm hand. Perhaps this was the start of his romance with Hannah Lawler the 15 year old daughter of Alexander and Margaret.
The children of Alexander(#9) and Margaret LAWLER are:
James W LAWLER, the tenth child fatherd by Alexander Lawler was born on 14 Mar 1796; and he died on 22 Sep 1871. The 1830 Faquier County VA census shows a James Lawler married Nancy Ann HARRIS on 13 Jan 1821. Nancy, born on 8 Aug 1796 in Virginia; and died on 29 Jan 1862.
The History of Schuyler and Brown Counties 1888 states that "the original settlement of Thomas Mckee on the NE 1/4 of section 16, Bainbridge Township, was then owned by James W. Lawler. James Lawler (II) received most of his early education in the schools of Fauquier County VA, and part of the time was spent in the usual work of the farm. At the age of 25 he married Miss Nancy, daughter of George Harris Esq..,of Farquire County Virginia. After his marriage he engaged in farming and coopering, and continued the business in that state until 1835, when he moved to Schuyler County IL, landing in Beardstown Nov 10th, 1835. In this county he carried on this former business. His family consisted of six children; only four are now living [1872]-- 3 sons and one daughter, all residing in Schuyler County and doing well. His wife died Jan 28th, 1862. Mr Lawler served 7 years as Justice of the Peace. He is and always has been a strong supporter of the democratic party. his son John Hugh, has filled the honorable office of sheriff of the county. Mr Lawler is at present residing on his farm in rather feable health."
The children of James W. Lawler (#10) and Nancy Ann Harris:
George Edward Lawler was born on 30 Dec 1817 at Fauquier, VA; and he died on 24 Aug 1898 at Rushville, Schuyler, IL. A picture of George Edward Lawler and his wife are found in the History of Schuyler County 1908. A substantial biography appears in the History of Schuyler County 1908 on pages 861-862. George Edward Lawler was brought to Schuyler County in 1839 by his parents who settled in Bainbridge Township, on a farm which is still in possession of the family [1908]. He remained in the home until the time of his marriage in 1841. He then bought his first property, 16 acres of land,and built a log cabin, at that period, the best one in his section of the county. He had the first cook-stove and carpet in use in that locality. Beginning with those 16 acres he gradually increased his possessions until he became one of the most extensive landowners in the county, owning at one time 803 acres. He was a member of the Baptist Church and his wife belonged to the Methodist denomination. The Atlas of Schuyler County 1872;shows George Lawler residing in section 33 of Rushville Twp. and owning land in sections 6,18 Bainbridge Township. Later in the Schuyler Citizen Thurs Jan 10, 1884 (page 2);"George E. Lawler has a four gable, one-story cottage under roof on Liberty Street just north of his own residence, which will be occupied by his son James and family when completed, cost $800.
George Edward LAWLER married (1) Caroline HYMER on 16 Mar 1841 at Rushville, Schuyler, IL. Caroline, dau. of John HYMER and Sarah JACKSON, born on 2 Dec 1822 at Harrison, IN; died on 27 Jun 1879 at Rushville, Schuyler, IL. Her parents moved to Schuyler county in 1837. George Edward LAWLER later married (2) Susan Wright CRISWELL on 4 May 1884.
James W. Lawler [II] was born on 7 Mar 1819 at VA; and he died in 1874 in Illinois. He married Eliza J.Purnell on the 26th of May in 1842. Eliza was born in 1823 in Kentucky. From the Obits of 1874-in the Rushville Times: "James W. Lawler living two miles south of town died in the 55th year of his age."
The children of James W. Lawler [II] and Eliza were:
Robert A. Lawler married (1) Louise Jane HARRIS on 27 Apr 1848. Louise, was born in 1830 at IL..
The children of Robert A. and Louise Jane Lawer were:
Joseph Thomas "Thomas" LAWLER was born on 7 May 1824 at Fauquier, VA; he later died on 10 Feb 1900 at Schuyler, IL. Thomas was a farmer and a veteran of the Mexican War. Joseph Thomas "Thomas" LAWLER married Sarah Emmeline PINKERTON on 7 May 1848. Sarah, born on 13 Jun 1831 at Green Castle, IN; died on 13 Apr 1927 at Schuyler, IL. At time of her death she was the last surviving widow of the Mexican War in Schuyler County.
The children of James Thomas and Sarah Lawler were:
Washington M. LAWLER, born on 14 Jan 1835 at Zanesville, OH; died on 5 Nov 1897. Washington M. LAWLER married Lilly BURNSIDES.
Hannah LAWLER, born on 14 Jan 1835 at Zanesville, Muskingum, OH; and she died on 4 Feb 1896.Hannah LAWLER married William Henry KUHN. William, was born on 20 Dec 1829; in Pennsylvania and he died on 7 Jul 1897 He was buried on 9 Jul 1897 at Rushville Cem, Schuyler, IL. William Henry Kuhn was a coal miner who moved to California in 1849 to take part in the gold rush. He walked behind a 2 wheeled cart pulled by oxen. He came back to Illinois to homestead 640 acres of government land in Buenabista Township outside of Rushville IL. For details of William Kuhn and Hannah Lawler Kuhn read the The KUHN Family of Schuyler County Illinois.
John Hugh LAWLER, born on 26 Jun 1823 in Fauquier County, Virginia. He died on 2 May 894 in Schuyler County, Illinois. John Hugh [I] LAWLER married (1) Elvira EDMONDSON sometime after 1872 in Schuyler County. Elvira was born abt 1845; and she died around 1848 in Schuyler County, IL. John Hugh LAWLER later married (2) Almira Elizabeth PERRY in Fauquier, Virginia. Almira, died on 9 May 1871 in Bainbridge Twp, Schuyler, IL. John Hugh LAWLER then married (3) Mary O'CONNER at Fauquier, VA. Mary, was born in Lyons, France; and she died on 2 Jul 1897 at Schuyler, IL.
James Winnie (IV) LAWLER, born on 21 Apr 1831 at Fauquier, VA; died on 28 Mar 1906; buried at Lawler Cemetery. James Winnie LAWLER married (1) Susan Emily BLACK on the 28 of June in 1868 at Rushville, Schuyler, IL. Susan, was the daughter of Isaac BLACK and Cynthia Ann EDMONSTON. Susan Emily Bblack was born on 25 Jul 1849 at Woodstock Twnshp, Schuyler, IL; and she died on 26 Jun 1896.
revised November 20, 1998