John Lawrence (New York)
| John Lawrence | |
|---|---|
| 7th and 19th Mayor of New York City | |
| In office 1673–1675 |
|
| Preceded by | Matthias Nicoll |
| Succeeded by | William Dervall |
| In office 1691–1691 |
|
| Preceded by | Peter Delanoy |
| Succeeded by | Abraham de Peyster |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1618 St Albans, Hertfordshire, England |
| Died | 1699 (aged 80–81) |
| Spouse(s) | Susanna Lawrence |
John Lawrence (1618–1699) was Mayor of New York City from 1672 to 1674, and again in 1691.
Life
Lawrence arrived at Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1635, and later removed to Ipswich, Massachusetts and later to Long Island. In 1644, he was one of the patentees of Hempstead under grant by Dutch Colonial Governor Willem Kieft. In 1645, Kieft granted the patent of Flushing to Lawrence and 16 others, which was confirmed by English Colonial Governor Richard Nicolls in 1666.
In 1658, Lawrence removed to New Amsterdam. In 1663, he was appointed by Governor Pieter Stuyvesant as a Commissioner to negotiate with the General Court at Hartford to determine the boundary between New England and New Netherland.
Lawrence was one of the first aldermen of New York City when the city was incorporated in 1665. He was Mayor of New York from 1672 to 1674 and again in 1691. He was a justice of the Supreme Court of the Province of New York from 1692 until his death.
Lawrence married Susanna, and they had six children, among them John Lawrence who married Mrs. Sarah Willett, the widow of Mayor Thomas Willett; Susanna Lawrence who was married first to Mayor Gabriel Minvielle, and second to Alderman William Smith; and Mary Lawrence who married William Whittinghame. The latter couple's daughter Mary Whittinghame (d. 1728) was married to Gov. Gurdon Saltonstall.
Sources
- Historical Genealogy of the Lawrence Family by Thomas Lawrence (1858; pages 21f)
