Lawrence Bankston b. 1704, Cont.

Editor's Note: The spelling "Bankson" was used in Pennsylvania; when Lawrence moved south to North Carolina and to Georgia the spelling was changed to "Bankston" over time.

TIME LINE LAWRENCE BANKSON -
1704: Birth by estimation, Lawrence BANKSON, son of Andrew BANKSON Jr. and Gertrude ( Lars Boore ) , in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

1725: Marriage - Rebecca Hendricks b. ca., 1705, daughter of John Hendricks and Rebecca Groesbeck Wells.

1726-1735: Birth of a daughter married to James LEA about 1747.

1727: Birth by estimation: Andrew BANKSTON, died intestate in Montgomery County, North Carolina, in 1782 or 1783. His widow Ann BANKSTON became administratrix of his estate.(The Journal of North Carolina Genealogy, 8:1042.

1729: Birth by estimation, BANKSTON, died intestate in Clarke County, Georgia, in 1803. Administration of his estate was granted to his widow Priscilla. Probate records show that he was survived by four sons (John, Lawrence (also called Lary, which some have misread as Levy), William and Andrew) and four daughters, Judith, married to Nimrod Taylor; Rhoda, married to Shadrack Carpenter; another daughter married to Thomas Davis, and another married to William Browning.

5 August 1729: The Lawrence Bankson family had moved to Lancaster Co., PA by 5 Aug 1729 when Lawrence Bankson served as a juror during the first session of the Lancaster County court. (Ron S. Beatty in written communication with Cynthia Forde)

1730: Birth of a son, Lawrence, Jr. who was probably deceased by 1787 when his brothers filed claim on their mother's property in PA (Source: Depostion of James LEA, see full deposition below).

1731: Birth by estimation, Daniel BANKSTON, died in Morgan County, Georgia, in 1811: His will named his wife Rachel, sons Thomas, Abner, Isaac and Spencer BANKSTON and daughter Edith and Patty.

1738-1740: Birth by estimation, Jacob BANKSTON, died after 1804, probably in Clarke County, Georgia. His sons included Elijah and possibly, Jacob, Jr., John and Henry.

1736-37: Lawrence BANKSON was jailed with John Hendricks in Lancaster, Pennsylvania; John Hendricks was required to provide bail for his and Lawrence BANKSTON'S good behavior at Lancaster County Court in early 1737 (they participated in the riot of Marylanders, including the sack of Henry Hendricks' (of Tobias, Sr. house in the Fall of 1736. Lawrence BANKSON's land claims in York County was by Maryland warrant; it was worthless after 1769 and had no Pennsylvania status before. The 1785 Georgia deed of this land claim by BANKSTON's heirs for 10,000 (Continental) dollars was an exchange of worthlessness for worthlessness. These Hendricks were Quaker converts , but became Baptists, Dunkers, etc. John, Sr.'s first wife was Frances Bezer; second wife was Rebecca, widow of Wells(from the Hendricks Family Website).

1739-1744: Migration - Lawrence BANKSON moved to Edgecombe County, North Carolina. He is listed in the Colonial Census, November 24, 1744.

24 November 1844: Lawrence was admitted to the Council to prove his rights in Edgecombe County, North Carolina; He received a fifty acre grant for every two members of his family; the grant record could not be located to learn the total amount of land he received. This land became a part of Granville County, North Carolina in 1746. There are several records showing Lawrence in the area. 1.) Colonial Census, 2.) St. Matthew's Parish Church appointed Lawrence as a vestryman.

Rebecca's death has not been proved, but it was thought that Lawrence BANKSON went to Edgecombe e)Co., North Carolina after her death in 1740. In a colonial "census" of 24 Nov 1744, Laurence was granted 50 acres of free land for each of the two members listed as his family citing Council Journal File #G.O.115 page 94 at the Archives in Raleigh) The area he settled (near Marlow's Creek) became part of Granville County when it was formed from Edgecombe County in 1746, and Lawrence BANKSON enumerated the inhabitants in his area for a tax list in 1750. He was listed as 3 polls. Lawrence BANKSON served as a Justice of the the Granville County Court from 1747 to 1752.

Soon after Orange County was created from Granville, on 12 Jun 1752, Lawrence BANKSON was one of sixteen men appointed justices of the peace in the new county, p. 166) and he presided as chief justice at the first session held on 9 Sep 1752. Orange Co., North Carolina Court of Pleas and Quarter Session Minutes, 1:1-2) Lawrence BANKSON, Sr. probably died before 1771 in Orange Co.[now Caswell Co.], North Carolina or before the Revolutionary War in Anson Co. according to James LEA deposition of 1793.(Ron S. Beatty)

1752-1760: Lawrence received an appointment to Justice of the Peace - Orange County, North Carolina. Information from Michael S. Parks states that Lawrence was one of six original Justices of the Peace when Orange County was first organized in 1752 and that he served successive terms throughout the decades of 1750 and 1760. He owned property in Orange, Edgecombe, and Craven County, as well as the land he inherited in Philadelphia.

1755 Tax List:- Orange County, North Carolina - Lawrence BANKSON, Esq. and sons - 5 white polls. To be counted in the poll, each son had to be over 16 years of age which gives us 4 sons born before 1739.

April 1757: Named Road Commissioner Orange County, North Carolina.
23 January 1761: Land Grant: 595 acres in Orange County, North Carolina by Lord Granville. Patent Book 14, p. 343 which was surveyed July 12, 1754.

August 1765: Court Records - Orange County, North Carolina court records list Andrew BANKSTON, Lawrence BANKSTON Sr. and Lawrence BANKSTON, Jr. (Haigler, op.cit.)
4 January 1787: Land Sale - Wilkes County deed book AA -
Peter BANKSTON, Jacob BANKSTON and Daniel BANKSTON all of Wilkes County sell to Matthew Wood of Greene County, Georgia, 440 acres which came to them from their father, Lawrence BANKSTON. The same three men sold to Wood 371/2 acres located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, which was willed 'to our mother, "Rebecca Hendricks and is recorded in the State of Pennsylvania, November 27, 1786. Rebecca Hendricks could not inherit land in 1786 if she died in 1740 unless it was willed to her or to heirs of her body; otherwise, for Lawrence to have married in 1747 and had four more children, he would have had to divorce Rebecca. Unfortunately, the Archives in Philadelphia could not locate the land deed, nor have I found any record of a divorce. ( Haigler, op.cit. p.5) (Editor's Note: It is myopinion that Lawrence was widowed as tradition suggests.

1 January 1788: Estate Records - Deed Book J. {p. 239-240) in Caswell County, North Carolina, James BANKSTON, son of Andrew BANKSON, is proved to be heir-at-law as the grandson of Capt. Lawrence BANKSON, deceased.

1783: Estate Records - Montgomery County North Carolina, Andrew BANKSON is deceased. To be the heir at law, James BANKSTON would have to be the oldest son of the oldest son.
Dr. Peter S. Craig F.A.S.G., Historian for The Swedish Colonial Society, Washington, D.C., writes, "Despite claims in various BANKSTON genealogies, there were no additional sons. Andrew BANKSTON, the eldest son, had died before 27 November, 1786 when the remaining three BANKSTON brothers sold their parents' lands in two deeds recorded in Wilkes County, Georgia. "January 4, 1787, in Wilkes County, deed book AA:127, Peter BANKSTON, Jacob BANKSTON and Daniel BANKSTON all of Wilkes Co, sell to Matthew Wood of Greene Co, Georgia 440 acres which came to them from their father, Lawrence BANKSTON. The same three men sold to Wood 37 1/2 acres located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania which was "willed to our mother, Rebecca Hendricks and is recorded in the State of Pennsylvania, November 27, 1786." This land was three miles above York on the Great Road leading to Comewago, being the same tract run from (surveyed for) our father Lawrence BANKSTON by one Thomas Cresap when the (temporary) dividing line was run between Pennsylvania and Maryland. (Wilkes County deeds, BB: 114.

These deeds contradict the claims in several BANKSTON genealogies that Lawrence BANKSTON had a second wife (Ann Major) and more sons. Had there been other sons by a second wife, it would have been necessary for them to join in the second deed.
Andrew BANKSTON, the eldest son, and his brother Peter BANKSTON both served as chain carriers for a land survey in July of 1751 (Hofman, Granville District Land Grants). Daniel BANKSTON and Jacob BANKSTON do not appear until later records, both being appointed to a road commission in Anson County on 12 October 1771 (Anson County Minutes).

Dr. Craig continues, " The 1782 tax list for Montgomery County North Carolina lists Lawrence BANKSTON; it also lists Ann BANKSTON on that same list. She was the widow of Andrew BANKSTON and not the wife of Lawrence BANKSTON. I am 100% certain of the above and find absolutely no evidence that Lawrence BANKSTON married an Ann Major or any other Ann. Indeed, he died well before Vacher's claim. Her "conclusions" seem to be created out of thin air." (February 16, 2003 letter to Ron S. Beatty)


NOTE: Carl Strickland, New Braunfels, Texas, a descendant - writes, "Lawrence BANKSON was a Captain in the King's Military who moved to Edgecombe County, North Carolina between 1740 and 1744 - followed by a move to New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina."