Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Mertz Genealogy - Person Sheet
Birthabout 1820, Henrico Co, VA
Death9 January 1892
BurialBlandford Cemetery, Petersburg, VA
FatherThomas Lawther (~1790-~1834)
MotherAnn Schofield (~1790-1821)
Spouses
Birthabout 1823, VA
Death19 November 1882
BurialBlandford Cemetery, Petersburg, VA
FatherRichard Harrison
MotherDorothy Revel (~1795-~1864)
Marriage2 February 1846, Greensville Co, VA
Census History notes for Theophilus Rivers Lawther
1870. Theop Lawther age 50 engineer lives in Petersburg, VA with Mary 45 and Thomas 22. Thomas is also an engineer. However, Theophilus age 45 RR engineer born Virginia and Thomas age 22 RR engineer are a, lso present in Wilmington, NC in the household of John T Divine.
1880. T R Lawther age 60 RR engineer lives in Wilmington, NC. He was born in VA, his father England and his mother VA. Present in the household are: M G his wife age 70 and Thomas age 31 their son als, o a RR engineer. Quite a number of boarders are present including Robt McDougles age 60 born Scotland and Bella McDougles age 24 also born Scotland.
1880. T R Lawther age 60 RR engineer lives in Wilmington, NC. He was born in VA, his father England and his mother VA. Present in the household are: M G his wife age 70 and Thomas age 31 their son als, o a RR engineer. Quite a number of boarders are present including Robt McDougles age 60 born Scotland and Bella McDougles age 24 also born Scotland.
Notes for Theophilus Rivers Lawther
TR Lawther starts showing up in the personal property tax records of Petersburg in 1845. His 1846 marriage in Greensville County is recorded and he appears in Petersburg in the 1850 Census. No Lawther has ever previously been reported there in any previous Census — the closest being the Lawthers (Thomas, Ann, Mary or Polly) in Henrico.
It is the presence in this household in 1850 of the older Mary Lawther that ties Thomas (Ann and Mary) Lawther of Henrico to Theophilus — Mary is TR“s step-mother, the former Mary Lacy I believe.
Thomas Alonzo (the first one) had a sister Mary and brother Richard. Richard dies young (1851) and is buried in Blanford Cemetery in the same plot where his parents are eventually buried. Mary will come to be called Fannie and she marries Walter G Ford in 1868.
The 1870 Census shows TR in Petersburg, VA with his whole family but it also shows him living in Wilmington with his son Thomas, looking like boarders. They must have just moved in 1870 and were double counted, Mary had not yet made the move. An 1871 City Directory of Wilmington shows him here, too.
The 1880 Census says that his father was born in England, his Mother in VA and he was born VA.
TR does not appear in Wilmington City Directories after 1882.
I believe he was born in about 1820 most likely in Henrico County (Richmond area), VA, though his obituary stated that he had been born in Manchester, England. He moved to Petersburg, VA about the time of his marriage in 1846 and lived there until about 1870. Therefore he spent the Civil War years as a railroad man in Petersburg, VA and it is interesting to speculate about what TR's life must have been like during the war. The railroad from Wilmington to (near) Petersburg, VA was the lifeline of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. The battles just before the South's surrender were centered in and around Petersburg, from where Lee eventually retreated along the westward railroad lines to Appomattox and his ultimate surrender. TR must have been in the thick of things, I would guess. He died 9 Jan 1892 in Wilmington and was then taken to Blanford Cemetery (a wonderful old cemetery) in Petersburg, VA for burial. He married Mary G Harrison on 2 Feb 1846.
His wife was Mary, born 1823, buried in Oakdale in November,1882 -- then moved to Petersburg in 1890.
His step-mother was also Mary, as she is probably the Mary Lawther shown in the 1850 Census, age 68 years, living with TR and his wife Mary.
His marriage record spells it Theophilas, the 1870 Census says Theophilus.
The 1850 Census also shows a 58 year old Elizabeth Jackson living in the household. I thought for awhile this could be wife Mary's mother and therefore maiden name but then I found that Mary was a Harrison. So Jackson is unexplained.
The 1880 Census shows TR living in Wilmington, age 60. His wife is all of a sudden 70. Son Thomas is living there, age 31. And 8 other people live in the HH, 4 born in Scotland, 2 named McDougles, one of those is Belle -- to be young Tom's wife. It is said Belle is 24.
Only two Lawthers are listed in the 1800 Census, both named Robert. One lived in Cumberland Co, Portland, ME; the other in Huntingdon Co, Barree Twp, PA.
A Thomas Lawther is also shown on the Marriages of the South CD in VA, marrying Mary Lacy 26 Mar 1827 in Henrico Co. This is too late to have had TR in 1820, unless we have a second marriage for him. It could be the Mary Lawther shown living with TR in the 1850 Census is this Mary and not TR's mother.
Subsequent Censuses.
TR is 40 in 1860. He lives with Mary G 32, Fannie 13, Thomas 12 and Mary 79. All are stated to have been born in Virginia. In 1870, he is reported on Aug 1 as age 50 with Mary 45 and Thomas 22 in Petersburg (all stated as born in Virginia) and he and Thomas are also reported as boarding house residents in Wilmington. His appearance in town is confirmed by his first listing in early Wilmington City Directories in 1871. I believe he and Thomas came to Wilmington in 1870 to get re-settled and then Mary came a little later. She simply listed them as household members in Petersburg not knowing they would also get counted in Wilmington. I don“t know when or where Mary Lacy Lawther died, probably soon after the 1860 Census and in any event before the Lawthers moved to Wilmington.
In 1880, TR is 60, MG 70 (typo, of course, see Harrison chapter for discussion of her age) and Thomas 31. Eight additional and unrelated people live in their household in Wilmington (including Robt McDougles 60 and Bella McDougles 24 (see McDougall section for further discussion of this interesting fact). When asked where he was born and where his parents were born, TR (or whoever answered the questions for his household) says he was born in Virginia, his father in England and his mother in Virginia. I believe that is all true except that the mother he was referring to was perhaps Mary Lacy and not Ann Schofield.
The rub is that the same question was answered for son Thomas stating that he was born in Virginia, his father in England and mother Virginia. The Census taker apparently did not notice the clear discrepancy.
Note that the ages in all these Censuses uniformly agree with a birth in late 1819-mid-1820.
Tombstone and Obituary TR Lawther.
His tombstone says ”Grandfather Theophilus R Lawther 1819-1893•. His obituary published January 10, 1892 says ”We are sorry to chronicle the death of Mr. T. R. Lawther, one of the oldest locomotive engineers in the South. He died of heart failure yesterday morning at 7 o“clock at City Hospital where he has been for a week under treatment. The deceased was born in Manchester, England and had been a resident of this city about 15 years. His age was 73 years.
There are any number of issues raised by these items. His tombstone was clearly placed there by a grandchild as it was one of four identical stones for Mother, Father, Grandmother and Grandfather. I think 1819 is just not right. Nor is 1893, it was in fact 1892. I think the paper erred too as to his age, I think he was 71. And I don“t think he was born in Manchester, but I think that may be a clue as to where his parents came from.
It is the presence in this household in 1850 of the older Mary Lawther that ties Thomas (Ann and Mary) Lawther of Henrico to Theophilus — Mary is TR“s step-mother, the former Mary Lacy I believe.
Thomas Alonzo (the first one) had a sister Mary and brother Richard. Richard dies young (1851) and is buried in Blanford Cemetery in the same plot where his parents are eventually buried. Mary will come to be called Fannie and she marries Walter G Ford in 1868.
The 1870 Census shows TR in Petersburg, VA with his whole family but it also shows him living in Wilmington with his son Thomas, looking like boarders. They must have just moved in 1870 and were double counted, Mary had not yet made the move. An 1871 City Directory of Wilmington shows him here, too.
The 1880 Census says that his father was born in England, his Mother in VA and he was born VA.
TR does not appear in Wilmington City Directories after 1882.
I believe he was born in about 1820 most likely in Henrico County (Richmond area), VA, though his obituary stated that he had been born in Manchester, England. He moved to Petersburg, VA about the time of his marriage in 1846 and lived there until about 1870. Therefore he spent the Civil War years as a railroad man in Petersburg, VA and it is interesting to speculate about what TR's life must have been like during the war. The railroad from Wilmington to (near) Petersburg, VA was the lifeline of Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. The battles just before the South's surrender were centered in and around Petersburg, from where Lee eventually retreated along the westward railroad lines to Appomattox and his ultimate surrender. TR must have been in the thick of things, I would guess. He died 9 Jan 1892 in Wilmington and was then taken to Blanford Cemetery (a wonderful old cemetery) in Petersburg, VA for burial. He married Mary G Harrison on 2 Feb 1846.
His wife was Mary, born 1823, buried in Oakdale in November,1882 -- then moved to Petersburg in 1890.
His step-mother was also Mary, as she is probably the Mary Lawther shown in the 1850 Census, age 68 years, living with TR and his wife Mary.
His marriage record spells it Theophilas, the 1870 Census says Theophilus.
The 1850 Census also shows a 58 year old Elizabeth Jackson living in the household. I thought for awhile this could be wife Mary's mother and therefore maiden name but then I found that Mary was a Harrison. So Jackson is unexplained.
The 1880 Census shows TR living in Wilmington, age 60. His wife is all of a sudden 70. Son Thomas is living there, age 31. And 8 other people live in the HH, 4 born in Scotland, 2 named McDougles, one of those is Belle -- to be young Tom's wife. It is said Belle is 24.
Only two Lawthers are listed in the 1800 Census, both named Robert. One lived in Cumberland Co, Portland, ME; the other in Huntingdon Co, Barree Twp, PA.
A Thomas Lawther is also shown on the Marriages of the South CD in VA, marrying Mary Lacy 26 Mar 1827 in Henrico Co. This is too late to have had TR in 1820, unless we have a second marriage for him. It could be the Mary Lawther shown living with TR in the 1850 Census is this Mary and not TR's mother.
Subsequent Censuses.
TR is 40 in 1860. He lives with Mary G 32, Fannie 13, Thomas 12 and Mary 79. All are stated to have been born in Virginia. In 1870, he is reported on Aug 1 as age 50 with Mary 45 and Thomas 22 in Petersburg (all stated as born in Virginia) and he and Thomas are also reported as boarding house residents in Wilmington. His appearance in town is confirmed by his first listing in early Wilmington City Directories in 1871. I believe he and Thomas came to Wilmington in 1870 to get re-settled and then Mary came a little later. She simply listed them as household members in Petersburg not knowing they would also get counted in Wilmington. I don“t know when or where Mary Lacy Lawther died, probably soon after the 1860 Census and in any event before the Lawthers moved to Wilmington.
In 1880, TR is 60, MG 70 (typo, of course, see Harrison chapter for discussion of her age) and Thomas 31. Eight additional and unrelated people live in their household in Wilmington (including Robt McDougles 60 and Bella McDougles 24 (see McDougall section for further discussion of this interesting fact). When asked where he was born and where his parents were born, TR (or whoever answered the questions for his household) says he was born in Virginia, his father in England and his mother in Virginia. I believe that is all true except that the mother he was referring to was perhaps Mary Lacy and not Ann Schofield.
The rub is that the same question was answered for son Thomas stating that he was born in Virginia, his father in England and mother Virginia. The Census taker apparently did not notice the clear discrepancy.
Note that the ages in all these Censuses uniformly agree with a birth in late 1819-mid-1820.
Tombstone and Obituary TR Lawther.
His tombstone says ”Grandfather Theophilus R Lawther 1819-1893•. His obituary published January 10, 1892 says ”We are sorry to chronicle the death of Mr. T. R. Lawther, one of the oldest locomotive engineers in the South. He died of heart failure yesterday morning at 7 o“clock at City Hospital where he has been for a week under treatment. The deceased was born in Manchester, England and had been a resident of this city about 15 years. His age was 73 years.
There are any number of issues raised by these items. His tombstone was clearly placed there by a grandchild as it was one of four identical stones for Mother, Father, Grandmother and Grandfather. I think 1819 is just not right. Nor is 1893, it was in fact 1892. I think the paper erred too as to his age, I think he was 71. And I don“t think he was born in Manchester, but I think that may be a clue as to where his parents came from.
Find-a-Grave notes for Theophilus Rivers Lawther
Notes for Mary G (Spouse 1)
We know that the wife of Theophilus R Lawther was Mary G Harrison from a list of Greensville County, Virginia Marriages, 1781-1853 and it says: ”Lawther, Theophilus R and Mary G Harrison 2 Feb 1846; Samuel Ford posted bond.”
Her tombstone says Mary Harrison Lawther 1824-1882. In Census records, she is Mary age 24 in 1850, Mary G age 32 in 1860 and Mary G age 70 in 1880. Thus, one would conclude she was born in 1826, then 1828 and finally 1810. I have a feeling she meant to say 50 in 1880 implying 1830 — and I think she subtracted two years every decade from her age. I think she was born around 1825, plus or minus a year.
Mary G Harrison was born, I'll say, in about 1823 in Virginia, most likely in Southampton County. I believe she was raised in Southampton County, by her mother after her father died when she was a young girl. Then, after her older sister married Samuel Ford of Emporia, she and her mother moved to Emporia, where she was living at the time of her marriage.
She came to Wilmington soon after her husband in about 1871 and here she operated a rooming/boarding house. Mary G died on 19 Nov 1882 in Wilmington and was first buried at Oakdale Cemetery and then after her husband died, she was re-interred in Petersburg. The reason that TR and Mary were buried in Petersburg and not Wilmington is not known for sure. Neither had been born there though they lived there as a married couple for about 25 years. Perhaps more importantly, they had had a son Richard who died young and was buried in Petersburg before the family moved to Wilmington so the likely explanation is that they had bought their burial plot back then and that is where they wanted to return.
Her tombstone says Mary Harrison Lawther 1824-1882. In Census records, she is Mary age 24 in 1850, Mary G age 32 in 1860 and Mary G age 70 in 1880. Thus, one would conclude she was born in 1826, then 1828 and finally 1810. I have a feeling she meant to say 50 in 1880 implying 1830 — and I think she subtracted two years every decade from her age. I think she was born around 1825, plus or minus a year.
Mary G Harrison was born, I'll say, in about 1823 in Virginia, most likely in Southampton County. I believe she was raised in Southampton County, by her mother after her father died when she was a young girl. Then, after her older sister married Samuel Ford of Emporia, she and her mother moved to Emporia, where she was living at the time of her marriage.
She came to Wilmington soon after her husband in about 1871 and here she operated a rooming/boarding house. Mary G died on 19 Nov 1882 in Wilmington and was first buried at Oakdale Cemetery and then after her husband died, she was re-interred in Petersburg. The reason that TR and Mary were buried in Petersburg and not Wilmington is not known for sure. Neither had been born there though they lived there as a married couple for about 25 years. Perhaps more importantly, they had had a son Richard who died young and was buried in Petersburg before the family moved to Wilmington so the likely explanation is that they had bought their burial plot back then and that is where they wanted to return.
Find-a-Grave notes for Mary G (Spouse 1)