I have to dig further back to find those who served given that none of my direct Sutton line served in the military. Since I have previously discussed two ancestors’ military service, I have chosen Drury (aka Drewry) Lawson for this week’s topic. Drury is my 4thgreat-grandfather born ca 1761 in Halifax County, Virginia. He seems to be one of my more popular ancestors so keep reading to discover why. Thanks to Gary Lloyd’s research and his book, Thomas and Mary Ann (Morgan) Lawson of Tennessee, Iowa and Missouri and Their Descendants, we have been provided with some details of Drury’s life.
Drury's timeline from Gary Lloyd's book
Beginning with August of 1777 in the Halifax County, Virginia Court, Drury Lawson son of Mary Owens was bound out to Thomas Parrott at the age of 16 years old so Drury was an indentured servant. A theory is Drury’s mother may have become widowed for a second time and was unable to care for him. The practice offered an opportunity for minor children to learn a trade and the adult would provide keep in return for work performed. Given that his mother was an Owens, it seems plausible that Drury’s father died and she remarried. No one has been able to determine who his father was but past research places several male Lawsons in Halifax County, VA who were officers in the Colonial Militia during and after the French and Indian War (1754-1763). The Lawson DNA Project has determined that Drury’s Y-DNA matches to the Falling River Lawsons. This is a group of Lawsons who lived in the Lunenburg/Bedford Counties of Virginia.
It was my hope to submit a DAR application based on Drury’s service but his application was denied. According to Drury’s Revolutionary Pension application in 1835, he entered the service of the United States as a substitute for William Hooker of Henry County, Virginia in the spring of 1780 and served for three months. An interesting side note is another Lawson association was found in William Hooker’s pension application as his wife, Jerusia Hooker’s maiden name was Lawson. There is speculation that Jerusia and Drury were related. At any rate, he received a furlough and the following year was called on for a tour of duty as a militiaman. His unit moved towards Camden, South Carolina and he became ill on the way so his unit left him and continued on. He was taken to a relative’s home in North Carolina (perhaps Jerusia’s home) where he stayed four to five months and never received a discharge from the military. Drury stated that his next service was against the Indians on the northwest frontier as a substitute for David Taylor in Virginia. No records exist of his military service except his pension application that was denied because he did not serve for six months. He did have two acquaintances testify on his half as to his character for veracity and belief of his services and they were Vardy Collins and Morgan Collins. Those of you who are familiar with Newman’s Ridge connections know that Vardy has been called the “patriarch of the Melungeons.”
Why is Drury popular? There are many discussions regarding his ethnicity given that several Lawson descendants and a couple of Sutton descendants applied in 1906 for a share of Eastern Cherokee funds awarded by the Court of Claims in 1905. All these claims were denied. The story submitted on Drury was he was the half-brother of Robert Benge or Chief Benge the notorious mixed-blood son of a Cherokee woman and a Scots-Irish trader named John Benge. Benge was most likely related to George Guess who is best known as Sequoyah. Benge raided the westernmost counties of Virginia and was killed on April 6, 1794 in Wise County, Virginia. Credit for killing Benge went to Vincent Hobbs, Jr. a son of one of the original white settlers of current Lee County, Virginia (see Wikipedia page on Bob Benge). I always say that stories handed down to us have some kernel of truth and my theory is perhaps Drury talked of hunting Benge or perhaps he would admonish his children by saying “if you don’t watch out, Captain Benge will get you” (a popular saying in Kentucky, Virginia, and Tennessee).
Drury’s will dated September 18, 1847 and filed in Claiborne County, Tennessee:
In the name of God Amen, I Drury Lawson of the County of Claiborne in the State of Tennessee being of a sound mind and memory and desirous while in such a condition to make my last will and Testament, do make and publish this my only and last will. 1st- I wish first that all my just debts if any owning at the time of my death as well as my funeral expenses paid as soon as possible out of what money I may have on hands at my death, and out of such as may be then owing to me. 2nd- My will and desire is that if my beloved wife Hannah should survive me that she shall have the use and possession of all my estate, my personal property for an during her natural life. 3rd- the death of my wife if she should out live me, this my wish and desire that my whole estate be given Thomas Lawson my son as I wish him to take care of his mother.
I will David Lawson my gun and William Lawson one dollar and one dollar to Hannah Sutton this is my last will and testament given under my hand and seal this 18 day of September 1847.
Signed Drewry (X) Lawson my mark
Attest
William Riley
Levi Nun
William Lawson
The 1850 Claiborne County census finds Hannah Lawson (nee Potts) living in the household of my third great-grandparents, Thomas and Hannah (nee Lawson) Sutton. His son, Thomas, had moved to Iowa by this time. A marker has been created to honor his US Army Revolutionary War service and was placed in the Lawson Family Cemetery in Sneedville, Tennessee. Thank you for your service.
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