Please understand there is no disrespect intended to any others who have devoted years of research to this ancestor. To those who paid for his beautiful gravestone and the memorial stone placed in Culloden, Scotland. But we now know that some information that has been believed, published in books and passed around by hundreds of us is in error. When doing genealogy we must always have an open mind. Our William from Montrose, Angus, Scotland who settled in Virginia is NOT the man who came on a prisoner ship in 1747. I am one of many who had thought our William was a transported prisoner.

After four extensive research trips to Scotland by direct descendant, Nancy Jo Lawson of West Virginia, it has been discovered that this William Lawson of Scott County, Virginia was not the one transported on the Gildart prisoner ship in 1747. And this would also indicate he was probably not in the Battle of Culloden and the man on the Prisoners of 1745 list. Some sources indicate that our William was born June 1733, not 1731 as listed on his marker. It is uncertain for sure which year is the correct year of birth.

The research in Scotland has proven that the William on the 1747 Gildart prisoner ship simply can not be our William of Snowflake, Virginia. The man of the prisoner ship was listed as 25 years old on October 26, 1746, Indicating a birth year of 1722 and he was a Jacobite from Durham, England.

Our William was about 17 when he came to the colonies and was from Montrose, Scotland. His age at immigration and birth date of 1733 came from the writings of his Great Grandson Martin Byrd Wood who was born in Scott CO, Virginia in 1845. The family bible of Henry & Sarah "Sally" Lawson-Wood included the 1733 birth and 1826 death dates for William.

Martin B. Wood was the grandson of Sarah Lawson-Wood who was the daughter of William. Sarah died in 1862 and Martin no doubt had direct knowledge of his Great Grandfather via Sally. Writings by the Quillen family who descend from William Lawson II and his daughter Rebecca Lawson-Quillen also state these dates and refer to William as an immigrant, but not a prisoner.

I will add more specifics here as time permits to validate these statements. Some people will probably choose not to accept the evidence. There are a lot of family trees online that are going to need some correcting. Some will probably never get the changes added. Please refrain from any negativity. Thank you. And Happy Hunting!
~~~~~~
Daughters of the American Revolution Ancestor #: A067400
Service: VIRGINIA Rank(s): PATRIOTIC SERVICE, SERGEANT
Birth: 7-26-1731 SCOTLAND
Death: 4-18-1826 SCOTT CO VIRGINIA
Service Source: KEGLEY, MILITIA OF MONTGOMERY CO, VA, 1777-1790, P 47; CRUSH, MONTGOMERY CO, VA, THE FIRST 100 YEARS, P 60
Service Description: 1) CAPT TRIGG, MILITIA; SIGNED OATH OF ALLEGIANCE, 1777
DAR info from Contributor: Linda (46626647) • [email protected]

Please understand there is no disrespect intended to any others who have devoted years of research to this ancestor. To those who paid for his beautiful gravestone and the memorial stone placed in Culloden, Scotland. But we now know that some information that has been believed, published in books and passed around by hundreds of us is in error. When doing genealogy we must always have an open mind. Our William from Montrose, Angus, Scotland who settled in Virginia is NOT the man who came on a prisoner ship in 1747. I am one of many who had thought our William was a transported prisoner.

After four extensive research trips to Scotland by direct descendant, Nancy Jo Lawson of West Virginia, it has been discovered that this William Lawson of Scott County, Virginia was not the one transported on the Gildart prisoner ship in 1747. And this would also indicate he was probably not in the Battle of Culloden and the man on the Prisoners of 1745 list. Some sources indicate that our William was born June 1733, not 1731 as listed on his marker. It is uncertain for sure which year is the correct year of birth.

The research in Scotland has proven that the William on the 1747 Gildart prisoner ship simply can not be our William of Snowflake, Virginia. The man of the prisoner ship was listed as 25 years old on October 26, 1746, Indicating a birth year of 1722 and he was a Jacobite from Durham, England.

Our William was about 17 when he came to the colonies and was from Montrose, Scotland. His age at immigration and birth date of 1733 came from the writings of his Great Grandson Martin Byrd Wood who was born in Scott CO, Virginia in 1845. The family bible of Henry & Sarah "Sally" Lawson-Wood included the 1733 birth and 1826 death dates for William.

Martin B. Wood was the grandson of Sarah Lawson-Wood who was the daughter of William. Sarah died in 1862 and Martin no doubt had direct knowledge of his Great Grandfather via Sally. Writings by the Quillen family who descend from William Lawson II and his daughter Rebecca Lawson-Quillen also state these dates and refer to William as an immigrant, but not a prisoner.

I will add more specifics here as time permits to validate these statements. Some people will probably choose not to accept the evidence. There are a lot of family trees online that are going to need some correcting. Some will probably never get the changes added. Please refrain from any negativity. Thank you. And Happy Hunting!
~~~~~~
Daughters of the American Revolution Ancestor #: A067400
Service: VIRGINIA Rank(s): PATRIOTIC SERVICE, SERGEANT
Birth: 7-26-1731 SCOTLAND
Death: 4-18-1826 SCOTT CO VIRGINIA
Service Source: KEGLEY, MILITIA OF MONTGOMERY CO, VA, 1777-1790, P 47; CRUSH, MONTGOMERY CO, VA, THE FIRST 100 YEARS, P 60
Service Description: 1) CAPT TRIGG, MILITIA; SIGNED OATH OF ALLEGIANCE, 1777
DAR info from Contributor: Linda (46626647) • [email protected]