Sir John Lawrence

     Sir John Lawrence was born circa 1588.¹ He was the son of Thomas Lawrence and Martha Cage. Sir John Lawrence was baptized on 1 December 1588 at England.¹ He married Grissell Gibbons in 1609 at England.¹ Sir John Lawrence died on 12 November 1638 at England.¹ His estate was probated on 21 January 1638/39.¹
     He left a will;
I, Sir John Lawrence of Delefords and Iver, Bucks Kt. and Bt., desire to be buried in my Chapel at Chelsea. All my interest in the Parsonage of Dorking, Surrey, which I, with my brother-in-law Richard Colville, purchased of Richard Hollman, to my sister Martha Jackson, widow, and she be dead at my decease same to her daughter Martha. 300 pounds to my oldest daughter, Ann Lawrence; 200 pounds to my second daughter Frances Lawrence; bequests to servants; all my interest in 7010 pounds which long since I recovered my judgement of Anne Babington, executrix of Vry Babington, dec., in H. M. Court of Exchequer due me from the estate of Robert Bromley, dec. Of what can be recovered 1/2 to my eldest son John Lawrence and the other moiety to my younger children. 100 marks towards the finishing of my house at Iver. Rest of personal estate to my younger children, Anne, Robert, Frances, Grissell, and Henry, those age 21 to be paid soon as possible and the others to be paid at 21 or marriage. All portions of my younger children to amount to 900 pounds apiece and all my houses and land at Chelsea to provide this. * * * The settling of wife's estate has cost me more at this date than double the value of her inheritance, were it to be sold. The legacies of 5000 pounds which I have given her younger children is more than double the value of her estate after her decease. Wife Dame Grissell to sole extrx. provide she shall settle within 12 months after my death all her estate in lands and tenements on her eldest son John Lawrence and heirs male and in default of same to son Robert Lawrence, etc. Witnesses Pugh Flood, clarke; Samuel Forest, John Hynde, Martha Jackson, Rice Thomas.¹ "Sir John Lawrence, Knight and Baronet, was a wealthy merchant of London. He purchased on share of stock in the Virginia Company in Virginia on June 23, 1620, a fact that may entitle his descendants to membership in the Order of the First Families of Virginia. In June 1632, Sir John Lawrence, "Adventurer", and others, recorded their plans to transport three hundred colonists for agriculture, mining, etc., to Long Isle, about one hundred fifty miles north of Jamestown. On August 24, 1635, he was party to a suit in the High Court of Admiralty in London, and his kinsman and factor, Richard Bennett, testified concerning goods sent to Virginia on the ship Revenge."
He entered Oxford (St. John's College) 27 May 1603 at age 14. He received a B. A. from Oriel College on 29 October 1604 and a M. A. from St. Edm Hall on 7 July 1615. John was knighted at Royston 26 January 1609/10 and was made a baronet on 9 October 1628.¹