Introduction

Genealogical research traditionally relies on historical documentation—parish registers, land patents, court records, and tax rolls—to trace family lineages and establish ancestral connections. While these sources provide valuable insights into our ancestors’ lives, they often contain gaps, inconsistencies, or missing records that limit our understanding of family origins and relationships.

The Lawson Family DNA Project addresses these limitations by combining classical genealogical methods with modern Y-chromosome DNA analysis. This integrated approach allows researchers to validate documentary evidence, resolve conflicting family traditions, and establish genetic relationships that span centuries.

The Science Behind Y-DNA Testing

Y-Chromosome Inheritance

The Y chromosome follows a unique inheritance pattern, passing exclusively from father to son with minimal genetic recombination. This characteristic makes Y-DNA an invaluable tool for genealogical research, as it preserves a direct genetic lineage that can be traced back thousands of years through the paternal line.

Testing Methodologies

The Lawson DNA Project employs two complementary Y-DNA testing approaches through FamilyTreeDNA:

Y-STR Testing (Short Tandem Repeats)

Y-STR tests examine specific repeating DNA sequences (markers) on the Y chromosome. The reliability and precision of matching increases with the number of markers tested:

• 12-25 markers: Provides basic matching capability with moderate confidence levels
• 37-67 markers: Offers improved discrimination and higher confidence in relationships
• 111 markers: Delivers the highest resolution for STR-based comparisons

Participants with matching or closely matching Y-STR profiles likely share a common male ancestor within a genealogically relevant timeframe (typically 500-1000 years). The Lawson 67 Markers Database serves as the primary analytical tool for comparing results and identifying genetic clusters.

Y-SNP Testing (Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms)

The Big Y-700 test represents the most comprehensive Y-chromosome analysis available, examining hundreds of thousands of positions for single nucleotide changes. Unlike STRs, SNPs are generally stable mutations that define specific branches of the human Y-chromosome phylogenetic tree. This testing method provides:

• Precise haplogroup classification
• Estimated timeframes for common ancestors
• Detection of private variants unique to specific family lines

Results from Big Y-700 testing are analyzed through specialized resources including the Time to Most Recent Common Haplogroup I-A6062 analysis and Big Y-700 Block Tree and Pedigrees documentation.

Project Structure and Participation

Membership Requirements

The project welcomes participation from multiple categories of individuals:

Primary Participants:

• Males bearing the Lawson surname or recognized variant spellings (Losson, Lauson, etc.)

Secondary Participants:

• Males with different surnames who have genealogical evidence suggesting Lawson ancestry through their direct paternal line
• Individuals investigating potential non-paternity events (NPEs) in their family history
• Males from families with oral traditions or documentary evidence of Lawson connections

Example Case Studies: The project currently includes several Fields family participants who may represent Lawson descendants through historical non-paternity events or surname changes. These cases demonstrate the value of genetic testing in resolving complex genealogical questions that traditional documentation cannot address.

Participation Process:

1. Order Y-DNA testing through FamilyTreeDNA (minimum 37 markers recommended)
2. Join the Lawson Surname Project
3. Submit available genealogical pedigree information and family traditions
4. Provide context for suspected non-paternity events or surname variations

While detailed pedigree submission is encouraged to enhance analytical capabilities, it is not mandatory for project participation. However, providing genealogical context significantly improves the project’s ability to interpret genetic results meaningfully.

Current Project Status

Based on Y-STR analysis of participant results, researchers have identified and catalogued 26 distinct genetic clusters within the project database. Each cluster represents participants who share sufficient Y-DNA markers to suggest common paternal ancestry within the past 500-1000 years.

These groupings are continuously refined as new participants join and additional testing data becomes available. The Family Tree DNA public spreadsheet provides access to complete 111-marker results for all participants.

Key Findings and Implications

Multiple Origin Theory

Initial analysis of project data supports the hypothesis that the Lawson surname represents multiple independent family origins rather than descent from a single progenitor. This pattern is consistent with the patronymic nature of the surname “Lawson” (meaning “son of Law”), where different families adopted the same surname based on a common given name rather than shared ancestry.

Geographic Distribution Patterns

Preliminary analysis of participant pedigrees suggests several migration patterns, with documented family lines tracing from:

• Early colonial Virginia settlements
• Expansion into southeastern states during the 18th and 19th centuries
• Westward migration following frontier development

However, comprehensive geographic analysis requires additional participant data and more detailed pedigree documentation.

Research Methodology and Validation

Integration of Evidence Types

The project employs a multi-source validation approach:

1. Documentary Evidence: Traditional genealogical sources provide names, dates, locations, and family relationships
2. Genetic Evidence: Y-DNA results establish biological relationships and validate or challenge documentary claims
3. Geographic Analysis: Migration patterns and settlement histories inform both genetic and documentary interpretations

Limitations and Considerations

Participants should understand several important limitations:

• Y-DNA testing only traces the direct paternal line
• Non-paternity events can disrupt genetic lineages
• STR mutations can create false differences between related individuals
• Documentary evidence may contain errors or gaps
• Sample size limitations may affect statistical confidence

Project Goals and Future Directions

Primary Objectives

1. Validation of Genealogical Research: Use genetic evidence to confirm or refute traditional family histories
2. Resolution of Conflicting Claims: Apply DNA analysis to resolve disputes between competing genealogical theories
3. Discovery of New Connections: Identify previously unknown relationships between Lawson family branches
4. Historical Context: Develop comprehensive understanding of Lawson family migration patterns and origins

Conclusion

The Lawson Family DNA Project represents an evolving research initiative that combines the precision of modern genetic analysis with the historical context provided by traditional genealogical methods. While significant progress has been made in organizing participants into genetic clusters and identifying potential family relationships, much work remains to fully understand the complex history of the Lawson surname.

Success in this endeavor requires continued participation from Lawson descendants, ongoing refinement of analytical methods, and careful integration of multiple evidence types. Through this comprehensive approach, the project aims to preserve and illuminate the rich heritage of Lawson families while providing a model for surname-based genealogical research.

Future participants and researchers are encouraged to view this work not as definitive conclusions, but as hypotheses to be tested and refined through additional evidence and analysis. Only through such careful, evidence-based methodology can we hope to accurately reconstruct the complex tapestry of family history that connects us to our ancestors.

My Interpretation of the Results

Rather than repeat information already published on my website, I will provide links to relevant pages for further detail and context.

Group 1 – Falling River Lawsons

The earliest documented relative for this group is William Lawson of Falling River. William received a patent for 143 acres of land on the north side of Falling River in Brunswick County, VA on 20 August 1745. The county name changed to Lunenburg in 1746, then to Bedford in 1754, and finally to Campbell County in 1782.

By 2 April 1754, William Lawson had died, and his three sons—John, Jonas, and Bartholomew Lawson—sold the land to Thomas Watkins for 30 pounds. John Lawson executed the sale, suggesting he was the eldest of the three brothers. These are currently the only proven sons of William Lawson of Falling River.

William’s three sons are listed in Lunenburg County tax records from 1748 to 1751. John Lawson is shown with three sons: William, John Jr., and Jonas. Bartholomew and Jonas are not shown with any other males of taxable age.

The Falling River area, initially in Lunenburg County, became Bedford County in 1754. Early records from Bedford County include John, John Jr., William, Bartholomew, Jonas, and a new name, David. Financial difficulties are indicated by the “Insolvents List of 1762” and numerous 1763 court judgments against the Lawsons. The records also mention John B. E. Lawson, possibly John Lawson Jr. Additionally, Bartholomew Lawson was married to Susannah Simpkins, daughter of John Simpkins, and sold part of her inheritance in 1763.

After 1763-64, the brothers separated. Bartholomew and Susannah moved from Bedford County, VA, to Cumberland County, NC, where Bartholomew died in1765. The family later moved to Henry County, VA, which became Patrick County, VA, putting them near John Lawson’s family that had relocated to Surry/Stokes County, NC.

The exact timing of John Lawson Sr.’s move to Surry and Stokes Counties is unknown, but his family was present by 1772, according to various records. The oldest John Lawson is referred to as John “Black Eye” Lawson or John B. E. Lawson, possibly the same John B. E. Lawson from Bedford County, VA. The Lawsons frequently reused first names, prompting tax collectors to use nicknames like Black Eye, Goober Pea, Big Head, Big Billey, and Bony for differentiation.

Identifying the third brother, Jonas Lawson, is challenging. He appears on the 1763 Bedford County tax list and has a court judgment in the same year. He might be the Jonas Lawson found in Pittsylvania County, VA with William and John Lawson, but further documentation is needed to clarify this.

Many Lawsons from Surry/Stokes Counties, NC, and Patrick County, VA, moved west into Lee County, VA and eastern Tennessee after the Revolutionary War and before 1800.

Jonas and John Lawson

Before 1745, records show a William Lawson in Goochland County, VA, along with Jonas, John, and David Lawson. The Falling River William named one of his sons Jonas and another John. Bartholomew Lawson married Susannah Simpkins, daughter of John Simpkins, who lived in Goochland County before moving to Falling River.

John Simpkins obtained a patent in Goochland County in 1731, bought additional land in 1737, and sold his land in 1742/43. He received a patent in July 1746 for 200 acres on Falling River, about 11 months after William Lawson’s patent.

William Lawson’s records in Goochland County from 1732 to 1743 show he was frequently absent, suggesting extensive travel. In 1732, a case involving William Lawson Sr. was dismissed due to lack of prosecution, indicating there were two William Lawsons in the county at that time.

In 1743, Goochland County’s Sheriff sought William Lawson but could not find him. Records from 1741-1742 in Brunswick County, VA, show similar issues. On 20 August 1745, William Lawson acquired land on Falling River. By April 1754, William had died, leaving at least three sons.

Given that William named his sons Jonas and John, it is plausible that William Lawson of Falling River is related to Jonas and John of Goochland and New Kent Counties, VA. The Simpkins family’s presence in Goochland County further supports this connection.

Jonas Lawson first appears in New Kent County, Virginia in March 1708/09, along with John and Nicholas Lawson. The relationship among them is unclear. John Lawson, married to Judith, had a son baptized in 8 May 1690 and a daughter, Elenor, baptized in 10 July 1698. Nicholas Lawson is mentioned briefly, stating he did not reside in John and Jonas’s parish.

Jonas Lawson, who owned land in New Kent in 1709, was likely born on or before 1688. His wife was Elizabeth, as shown by documents from Goochland County, VA.

John Lawson, listed in the 1704 Rent Roll of St. Peters and St. Paul’s Parish, held 50 acres. John and his wife are mentioned in parish records between 1690 and 1709. Jonas Lawson obtained a patent on 16 June 1727, for 400 acres on the north side of the James River, on Byrd Creek in Henrico County, VA. In 1728 this land became part of Goochland County. Other men from New Kent County, including Andrew Moorman, Robert Horsley, and John Bostick, also acquired land on Byrd Creek.

David Lawson, Jonas’s son, lived near his father in Goochland County and named a son Jonas. John and William Lawson were also in Goochland, though their exact relationship to Jonas is unclear—they could be brothers, uncles, or cousins.

The John Lawson in question could either be the John and Judith Lawson of New Kent or their son. John Lawson is mentioned in the Goochland County court records from 1728 to 1738. However, there is no record of him obtaining land, which would be expected if he were the older Lawson. There are a couple of intriguing entries that might explain his disappearance from the records:

1. In the Goochland County, Virginia Wills and Deeds (1734-1736), Book 2, Page 230, dated 20 February 1735/36, Noble Ladd of Goochland County, planter, sold 100 acres to James Nevill of the same county for 10 pounds. The property was described as being bounded by the Point of Rocks, where “the Indians shot John Lawson,” near the Seven Islands and the James River. This deed was recorded on 15 June 1736.
2. In the Albemarle Deed, Book 1, Page 316, dated 14 May 1751, Noble Ladd bequeathed 300 acres on the north side of the Fluvanna River, adjacent to New Breamer (Bremo) Creek, to his son, Amos Ladd. The deed references the head of a branch where “the Indian shot John Lawson.” Witnesses included John Peter, Amos Ladd, and John Moor.

Seven Islands is located in present day Fluvanna County, VA and about 20-30 miles up the James River from Byrd Creek, where Jonas and David Lawson had their patents

These records indicate that a John Lawson was living in the area and was shot by Indians sometime before June 1736. This could explain why there is no record of him obtaining a patent around the same time as Jonas Lawson

Records from Albemarle County, VA show another John Lawson who acquired patents and sold land along the Mechums River. Additionally, Thomas Lawson, in his Iredell County, NC Revolutionary Pension Application, stated he was born in Albemarle County in December 1752. It is possible that this John or members of his family moved to Bedford, Pittsylvania, and Halifax Counties, VA, and eventually further south into NC and SC.

The older Jonas Lawson and his family resided in Goochland County, VA, from at least 1727 to 1767. Jonas, along with his son David and grandson Jonas Lawson, sold their land in Goochland County in 1767 and subsequently moved to Bedford County, VA, and possibly to Pittsylvania County, VA.

Jonas Lawson made a will on 5 April 1770, in Bedford County, Virginia, which was filed on 24 September 1771. In his will, Jonas mentioned his son David and grandsons David, William, John, and James Lawson. The fact that grandsons David and William Lawson were named executors of the will suggests that Jonas’ son David had already passed away.

It is believed that most, if not all, of the older Jonas Lawson’s family eventually moved to South Carolina.

There are several members in Group 1 whose documentation does not connect them to the Lawsons mentioned above or to their known locations. Although Y-DNA indicates a familial relationship, the exact connection remains unclear.

Groups 8

This group, sometimes referred to as Mary on the Dan’s Lawsons, includes descendants of a Mary Lawson, who completed a will on 15 October 1749, recorded on 2 April 1751, in Lunenburg County, VA (now Halifax County, VA). She had seven known children. The names of the males were Francis, John, David and William.

The family is believed to have emigrated from Antrim County, Ireland, to Carlisle, Pennsylvania, where they initially purchased land. They then moved to Lunenburg County, VA, purchasing several land tracts from William Byrd or his estate on or near the Dan River.

Francis, John, and David died in Halifax County. Francis’s son John moved to Caswell/Person County, NC, where his family is well-documented. John Sr. remained in Halifax County, dying around 1782. David died in November 1774, and his children moved west to Kentucky and Illinois.

William Lawson, the youngest son, married Jane Banks in 1758 in Halifax County, VA. After serving in the Revolutionary War, he received land in Georgia, where he moved with his family and died in October 1800 in Hancock County, Georgia.

Groups 12

A notable group of Lawsons can trace their lineage back to William Lawson, known to many as “The Scottish Rebel.” This family has created several excellent websites, which can be found through a quick Google search, providing extensive information on many of William’s descendants. One member, Nancy Lawson, who has conducted thorough research on William Lawson, has gathered sufficient documentation to conclude that their William is not the same William Lawson who was “transported” as a prisoner on the ship Gildart on 5 August 1747. They now refer to their ancestor as “William Lawson from Montrose, Scotland.” Nancy’s detailed findings can be reviewed in her publication titled “Finding Our True William.”

Groups 15

This group traces its lineage to Jincy or Ginsey Lawson through Andrew Jackson Lawson of St. Clair/Etowah County, AL. It is believed that Jincy never married, and her children took her maiden name. A second son, Pickens Lawson, was tested and is placed in Group 4.

Groups 17

This group is associated with a John Lawson, born in Annapolis, Maryland, or Scotland, who married Rebecca. He is believed to have had the following male children: John, Alexander, Theophilus, William, and Holsey or Holzen Lawson. Most of his descendants remained in the West Virginia area.

Groups 19

This group traces back to William Lawson of Union County, South Carolina, who was born around 1740 and died in 1827 in Union County. He is believed to have been married at least twice, with his second wife being Susannah Bailey. His sons may include Sion, Reuben, John, Jacob, Bailey, and Julius, most of whom lived and died in Union County before their descendants moved west.