George Lawrence

  General Notes:

George was one of the Butler 's Rangers, a Loyalist corp founded by Lieutenant Colonel John Butler (1725-1796). Butler was compelled to leave his Estates in the Mohawk Valley, New York at the outbreak of the American Revolution. He was ordered to Fort Niagara and in 1777 organised the Butler's Rangers corps. By the end of the war this unit with British regulars and Indian allies had effectively contributed to the establishment of British control south of the Great Lakes. The Rangers were disbanded in 1784 and many settled in the Niagara Peninsula under the leadership of their former Commander. Amongst those to settle was George Lawrence.

George was a prominent member of his community in Canada. The following plaque can be found at the Methodist - United Church Cemetery at Four Mile Creek Road in Virgil, Ontario, Canada.


METHODIST - UNITED CHURCH CEMETERY VIRGIL

ESTABLISHED 1840

THE METHODIST MEETING HOUSE AT THE CROSS ROADS WAS BUILT ON LAND OWNED BY GEORGE LAWRENCE, A PALATINE AND FORMER BUTLER'S RANGER, TO WHOM THE PROPERTY HAD BEEN DEEDED BY THE CROWN. GEORGE LAWRENCE WAS A CLASS LEADER AND HELD CLASS MEETINGS IN HIS HOME UNTIL THE MEETING HOUSE WAS BUILT IN 1840, WHICH HAS NOW BEEN DEMOLISHED. THIS CEMETERY IS CLOSED AND MAINTAINED BY THE TOWN OF NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE.

IN THIS GRAVEYARD IS A STONE READING "GEORGE LAWRENCE, BORN MARCH 26TH, 1757, DIED AUG. 5TH, 1849,AGED 91 YEARS". IN HIS HONOUR, CROSS ROADS WAS RENAMED LAWRENCEVILLE BEFORE RENAMED VIRGIL MANY YEARS LATER.

  Noted events in his life were:

• He had a residence in 1766 in St. Armand, Quebec, Canada.

• Military: Butler's Rangers, Fort Niagara, 1783.

• He owned District of Nassau, totaled 550 acres in 1792.

• He owned Newark in 1795.

• Military: War of 1812, 1812.

• He had a residence on 26 Oct 1813 in Albany, New York.

• He had a residence in 1814 in ??? Middlesex County, Wife And 3 Children---House Pillaged According To Col. Thomas Talbot..

• He immigrated to Limerick To Vermont.

• No Name: 18 Jan 1830, Warrant Of Appraisal; Sureties.

• He worked as a Soldier. Farmer.

• He owned Newark aka Niagara, and Ancaster.

• He owned Yarmouth Township, Elgin County.

George married Sarah Becraft. (Sarah Becraft died on 7 May 1843 in The Cross Roads, Ontario, Canada and was buried in Grace Methodist/United Cemetery, Niagara, Ontario, Canada.)