Eleazer Lawrence and Mary Scripture

Return to main file

22. Major Eleazer Lawrence (1674–1754), son of Peleg Lawrence and Elizabeth Morse

Eleazer Lawrence, the son of Peleg and Elizabeth, was born on 28 February 1674 in Groton. [VRG, 1:135][VRL, 451] He died on 9 March 1754, age 79, and is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Littleton. [FG] He married Mary, the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Scripture, about 1698. [HS]

23. Mary Scripture (1680–1761), daugher of Samuel Scripture and Elizabeth Knapp

Mary, the daughter of Samuel and Elizabeth Scripture, was born on 7 February 1680 in Cambridge. [VRC, 213][VRL, 451] She died on 29 July 1761. [VRL, 451]

The inscription on Mary's gravestone in the Old Burying Ground in Littleton says, "Her lyes the Body of Mrs. Mary Lawrence widow of Major Elezer Lawrence who departed this life june ye 29th AD 1701 in the 82nd year of her age." [FG]

Inhabitants of Nashoba (later Littleton) bought land from the Indians and later agreed to pool their purchases for the good of town and allocate it according to "interests & former agreements." The agreementwas signed on 15 December 1714 by 18 proprietors, including "Eliezer Lawrence." [HS]

Eleazer was frequently chosen moderator of town meetings in Littleton. He served as selectman and constable and received the title "major" about 1734. On 17 January 1724/5 Lieutenant Lawrence was on a committee to hire a school teacher. On 8 December 1729 Captain "Elezer" Lawerence was on a committee to hire a school teacher. [HS]

Eleazer Lawrence of Littleton, gentleman, made his will on 29 December 1749. He left bequests to his wife Mary; his sons Peleg, Jonathan, David, Eleazer and Samul; his daughters Elizabeth Buttrick, Mary Fletcher, Sarah Cummings, Experience Keep and Prudence Parker. Inventory was requested on the estate of Major Eleazer Lawrence on 8 April 1754. Jabez and Experiece Keep, John and Sarah Cummings, Peter and Prudence Parker, Peleg, David, Eleazer and Samuel Lawrence, Benjamin and Sarah Dvis and Isaac and Mary Rupell asked that their mother be named administratrix on79 19 December 1754. Eleazer's will was probated on 19 January 1755. [PFP]

Children of Eleazer Lawrence and Mary Scripture: The births of the first four are recorded as the children of Eleazer and Mary in [VRG, 1:137,143,138,136]

i. Elizabeth Lawrence was born on 28 February 1699 in Groton. She died on 8 December 1734, age 35. [VRL, 360] She married Joseph Buttrick. Joseph died on 13 November 1751 and is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Littleton. [FG]

Elizabeth's gravestone in the Old Burying Ground in Littleton says, "Here lies Buried the Body of Mrs. Elisabeth Buttrick Wife of Joseph Buttrick Who Died December [overgrown]." [FG]

ii. Deacon Peleg Lawrence was born on 1 June 1701 in Groton. He died on 27 July 1752, age 56, and was buried in the Walton Cemetery in Pepperell. [FG] Peleg of Groton married Ruth Brown after 23 April 1728 (intention) in Stow. [VRS] Ruth, the widow of Deacon Peleg Lawrence, died on 4 September 1757 and is buried in the Walton Cemetery. [FG]

Deacon Peleg Lawrence moved to Groton West Pareish, afterwards Pepperell. He was selectman of Groton for three years and a deer reeve. [HS]

iii. Deacon Jonathan Lawrence was born on 4 October 1703 in Groton. He died on 8 December 1789, age 86, in Littleton. [VRL, 451] He is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Littleton. [FG] He married first Tryphena Powers in 1727. [VRL, 451] Tryphena, the daughter of Isaac and Mary (Winship) Powers, was born on 22 May 1711. [VRL, 401–2] She died on 25 August 1752 and is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Littleton. [FG] He married second Lydia Fletcher in 1754. [VRL, 451] She died on 21 March 1805 and is buried in the Congregational Church Cemetery in Hollis, Hillsborough County, New Hampshire. [FG]

iv. Captain David Lawrence was born on 26 December 1705 in Groton. He died on 28 September 1790 and is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Littleton. [FG] He married Hannah Sawtell of Groton. [VRL, 451] Hannah is possibly the daughter of Hezekiah and Joanna Sawtell, born on 11 October 1730 in Groton. [VRG, 209] She died on 8 May 1791 and is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Littleton. [FG]

David was admitted to full communion on 27 December 1761. He was a captain in the militia. [HS, 25]

v. Eleazer Lawrence married Lucy Tuttle on 25 June 1731 in Littleton. [VRL, 451] Lucy was probably the daugher of Simon and Mary Tuttle, baptised on 13 (20 1712 in Ipswich. [VRI]

vi. Mary Lawrence was born about 1710. [VRL, 451] She died on 4 December 1780, age 70, and is buried in the Westlawn Cemetery in Westford. [FG] Mary Lawrence of Littleton married Samuel Fletcher, Jr. of Chelmsford on 17 September 1729 in Westford. [VRW, 198] Samuel, the son of William Fletcher, was born about 1707 and died on 11 March 1780. [VRL, 439] Captain Samuel Fletcher died on 11 March; 1780 and is buried in the Westlawn Cemetery. [FG]

vii. Samuel Lawrence was born on 22 May 1714 in Littleton. [VRL, 451] Samuel Lawrence of Littleton married Mary Hildreth on 5 May 1737 in Littleton. [VRW, 198] She died in 1788, age 70, in Littleton. [VRL, 451]

Phillis, a Negro child belonging to Sam[ue]l Lawrence, was baptised on 2 June 1745 in Westford. [VRW, 128]

After Mary's death, Samuel moved to Ashby and died there. [VRL, 451]

viii. Exerience Lawrence was born on 22 June 1719 in Littleton. She died after 9 August 1774. She married Captain Jabez Keep.

ix. Sarah Lawrence died on 3 October 1799 and is buried in the Pine Ridge Cemetery in Hancock, Hillsborough, New Hampshire. [FG] She married John Cummings, possibly John Cummings, on 2 January 1735/6 in Littleton. [VRL, 451]

x. Prudence Lawrence was born on 7 April 1722 in Littleton. [VRL, 451] She married Peter Parker on 4 March 1742 in Littleton. [VRL, 451] Peter Parker, the son of James and Abigail (Prescott) Parker, was born on 6 August 1719. [VRL, 456] He died on 6 January 1788 and is buried in the Old Burying Ground in Groton. [FG] The widow Prudence Parker married Shubael Hobart of Hollis, New Hampshire on 28 July 1790 in Hollis. [VRG, 2:130] Shubael, the son of Shubael and Martha (Prescott) Hobart, was born on 29 September 1715 and died on 30 September 1805 in Westford, Vermont. [JPH] He married first Esther Parker on 7 June 1739 in Groton. [JPG] Esther, the daughter of Phinehas Parker and Abigail Scripture, was born on 23 January 1721/2 in Groton and died on 20 November 1789 in Groton. [JPG]

Endnotes:

VRG. Vital records of Groton, Massachusetts, to the End of the year 1849, 2 vols. (Salem: The Essex Institute, 1926, 1927).

VRC. VRCa. Thomas W. Baldwin, Vital Records of Cambridge to the Year 1850, vol. 1. (Boston: NEHGS, 1914).

VRW. Vital records of Westford, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849 (Salem: The Essex Institute, 1915).

VRL. Records of Littleton, Massachusetts (Charlestown: Acme Bookbinding, 1994).

PFP. "Middlesex County, MA: Probate File Papers, 1648-1871," database with images, AmericanAncestors, 13676.

FG. Findagrave: "Major Elezer Lawrence," 16532428 (source of photo); "Mary Scripture Lawrence," 16532430; "Elisabeth Lawrence Buttrick," 16532258; "Joseph Buttrick," 16532259, inscription; "Peleg Lawrence," 36553713 (date in photo of gravestone); "Ruth Brown Lawrence," 36619310, inscription; "Deacon Jonathan Lawrence," 24564474; "Tryphena Powers Lawrence," 24564506, inscription; "Lydia Fletcher Lawrence," 77020138, inscription; "Captain David Lawrence," 16532426; "Hannah Sawtell Lawrence," 16532429; "Mary Lawrence Fletcher," 35778289, inscription; "Capt. Samuel Fletcher," 35778267, inscription; "Sarah Lawrence Cummings," inscription, 50438795. "Peter Parker," 83940022, inscription.

HS. Robert M. Lawrence, Historical Sketches of the Some Members of the Lawrence Family (Boston: Rand Avery Co., 1888), 19–21.

VRS. Vital Records of Stow, Massachusetts, to the Year 1850 (Boston: NEHGS, 1911), 171.

VRI. Vital records of Ipswich, Massachusetts, to the End of the year 1849, vol 1. (Salem: The Essex Institute, 1910), 373.

JPG. Marilyn Fitzpatrick, "James Parker of Groton," Essex Genealogist, vol. 14 (1994): 30–34.

Revised 31-Dec-2019