Josiah B Lawes
Born:
1825-1827
Louisville, Kentucky
1st Marriage:
Jane Robison
October 3, 1844
Flemings County, Kentucky
2nd Marriage:
Mary (Polly) McDonnell
June 15, 1857
Nelson County, Kentucky
Died:
1879/1880 Nelson County, Kentucky
Josiah B. Lawes was born about 1825. There are several records available that indicate that Josiah B. Lawes was the son of William Waller Lawes. Most available census records and marriage records enumerate Josiah as born in Kentucky 1825. An 1827 marriage record is available between William Waller Lawes and Elizabeth (Lawes) Beckwith. Available records offer that Elizabeth was the widow of Upton Beckwith when she united to William Waller Lawes, From the available records it looks like she was the daughter of Judge L. Lawes and possibly William Waller Lawes' cousin. In 1827 William Waller Lawes would have been about 36 years of age and very likely a widower himself suggesting that Josiah B. Lawes may have been his son from a previous marriage. An 1816 Somerset County Maryland marriage between William Lawes and Sarah Wilson is available also listed is a marriage for Tubman Lawes a brother of William Waller Lawes. William Waller Lawes traveled back and forth from Louisville, Kentucky to Somerset, Maryland since a young boy finally settling permanently in Louisville, Kentucky once united to Elizabeth.
Josiah B. Lawes unites first to Jane Robison (possibly Robinson) creating a son William I. Lawes born 1849. The 1850 Federal Census offers Josiah Lawes was born in Kentucky 1825 and is a plasterer by trade living not far from Louisville in Madison County, Indiana. In 1857 Josiah B. unites to Mary (Polly) McDonnell the widow of Samuel McDonnell in Nelson County, Ky. In 1860 J.B. Lawes and Mary are enumerated in Larue County, Kentucky. He is listed as born in Kentucky 1825 and a master plasterer by trade. The 1870 Federal Census enumerates him in Louisville, Kentucky as Joe Lawes born in Kentucky 1825 and a plasterer by trade. In 1869 Josiah B. Lawes is listed in the Edwards Louisville, Kentucky city directory as a plasterer renting at 499 3rd Street. W. W. (William Waller) Lawes is the only other "Lawes" in the directory and is listed as a city measurer renting at 234 3rd Street Louisville. The 1880 Federal Census enumerates Mary Lawes as a widow living in Nelson County, Kentucky and the mortality schedule for that census offers Joseph Lawes died February 1880 age 57 and a plasterer by trade. This would be the first and only record available that enumerates Josiah B. Lawes as having the given name "Joseph" B. Lawes. Researchers tend to create public family trees listing this member as Joseph B. Lawes likely due to available records have enumerated him with no consistency. It seems his given name at birth was Josiah B. Lawes.
When researching the genealogy of the first wife of Josiah B. Lawes the available records offer that Jane Robison was the daughter of Mary Robison. Robert J. Dabney proved the consent on behalf of Mary Robison and though the proofs are unavailable of his relationship to Jane Robison it seems likely that Jane Robison's father was deceased prior to the marriage. The marriage license was acquired in Jefferson County, Kentucky but the marriage itself was performed in the Methodist Episcopal Church in Flemings County, Kentucky. The 1850 census enumerates them with a 1 year old son named William I. Lawes. Move ahead 10 years to the 1860 Federal Census to find J.B. Lawes married to Mary (Polly) McDonnell in Larue County, Kentucky. No divorce record is available, but a Jane Lawes is listed as the head mistress of a "House of Ill Fame" in the 2nd Ward of Louisville, Kentucky in that year. She is enumerated with a female child age 7 listed as Alice Lawes and a male infant age 1 listed as Alex Gilmore Lawes. Alex Gilmore Lawes is enumerated as a person of color. The census record can be viewed below.
Louisville City Directories offer the home of Jane Lawes was located at 280 Green Street near Clay Street. Josiah B. Lawes unites in marriage to Mary McDonnell on June 15, 1857 in Nelson County, Kentucky. Alice Lawes mentioned above was born about 1853. What happens to Alice after 1860 is a mystery. A story was published in the Courier Journal dated August 13, 1882 that tells the account of a young girl named Sadie Rucker born about 1843. Miss Rucker, after the untimely death of her mother, is placed in a boarding school for young girls in Oldham County just east of Louisville. She is described as talented, intelligent, attractive and though she was just a young girl, she had "a very aggressive, defiant spirit, and created more mischief than all the other girls in school combined." Miss Sadie Rucker, after leaving the boarding school, finds herself in dire circumstances and eventually among those with Jane Lawes home on Green Street in Louisville probably just after 1860. The article refers to the home as Jenny Lawes Notorious Baguio.
Louisville City Directories offer the home of Jane Lawes was located at 280 Green Street near Clay Street. Josiah B. Lawes unites in marriage to Mary McDonnell on June 15, 1857 in Nelson County, Kentucky. Alice Lawes mentioned above was born about 1853. What happens to Alice after 1860 is a mystery. A story was published in the Courier Journal dated August 13, 1882 that tells the account of a young girl named Sadie Rucker born about 1843. Miss Rucker, after the untimely death of her mother, is placed in a boarding school for young girls in Oldham County just east of Louisville. She is described as talented, intelligent, attractive and though she was just a young girl, she had "a very aggressive, defiant spirit, and created more mischief than all the other girls in school combined." Miss Sadie Rucker, after leaving the boarding school, finds herself in dire circumstances and eventually among those with Jane Lawes home on Green Street in Louisville probably just after 1860. The article refers to the home as Jenny Lawes Notorious Baguio.
Jane Lawes continues to mistress the house at Green Street near Hancock and Clay until her death occurred on August 13, 1879.
Jane Lawes was 50 years old when she died, is listed as married though no man was ever enumerated in her household, cause of death is listed as inanition (malnutrition), and she is buried in Cave Hill Cemetery Louisville, Kentucky.
There are no records available to prove at 100% the Jane Lawes of this account is the estranged wife of Josiah B. Lawes but is likely.
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See more on JANE LAWES
Your thoughts are appreciated
1forevermore.sw@gmail.com