Margaret Peggy Lawerence (6th Great-Grandmother)

Margaret “Peggy” Lawrence (1709-c1739)

She was born on April 10, 1709 in Wem, Shropshire Co., England, the presumed fourth child of Thomas Lawrence* and Mary Peploe*.  Margaret was also christened on April 10, 1709 at the Battlefield Parish Church at Battlefield, Shropshire County, England.  As a young woman, about 19-20 years old, she was banished from Wem, England, because she left the Church of England for the Puritan Faith.

Margaret was residing in London, Middlesex Co., England, when she was indicted, along with eight other accessories, on a felony charge of several petty thefts and larcenies on July 9, 1729.  She was tried and convicted in the Hall of Justice of “Old Bailey”, located in the suburbs of London, on February 25, 1730 and placed in Newgate Prison, the only way out for her was to accept an offered pardon in exchange for “volunteering” to be transported to his Majesty’s Colonies and Plantations in America.  For her sentence, she was given an edict by King George I, “His Majesty’s royal mercy on condition of transportation to some parts of America for a spare of fourteen years”.  This edict stated that she would not be allowed to return to any part of Great Britain or Ireland for the term of her banishment.  Her Transportation Bond was issued on March 9, 1730.

 Margaret became one of 106 prisoners whom Jonathan Forward contracted to transport aboard the “Patapscoe Merchant” from the Newgate Prison, City of London, County of Middlesex, England to Maryland on March 17, 1730.

Such trips took between five to nine weeks to complete, depending on the weather and illnesses aboard ship, twelve people died on this particular voyage, which apparently was about typical.  Capt. Darby Lux, the captain of the ship, was paid five pounds per head, even for prisoners who died en route, thus there was little incentive to see that they arrived safely.  The convicts only received from one to five ounces of food per day and had to remain below decks in deplorable unsanitary conditions. Margaret amazingly survived the whole ordeal but one must wonder how much her health actually suffered.  Upon arrival and in order to pay her passage, Margaret was cleaned up to be sold as a white slave on the auction blocks at Annapolis, Maryland.

Tobias Phillips, a successful second generation tobacco planter from Old Rappahannock (now Richmond Co.) Co., Virginia, learned of the ship arriving in Baltimore, Maryland, and traveled 100 miles to meet Capt. Darby Lux and inspect the 94 surviving prisoners.  Tobias Phillips purchased Margaret’s Bond which entitled him to fourteen years of service, and brought her back to his tobacco plantation in Virginia.

While at the tobacco plantation, Margaret bore her slave master, TOBIAS PHILLIPS (1687-c1739)*, two illegitimate sons.  Life on the plantation was hard on Margaret, as she did not live out her entire Bond of fourteen years, and she died there on the Richmond, Rappahannock Co., Virginia plantation before 1739.  This is in evidence as there is no record that she ever received her “Freedom Dues” and she was also not mentioned in Tobias Phillips’ will dated on September 10, 1739.

Margaret Laurence, Theft: Specified Place, about August of 1729
The Proceedings of the Old Bailey
Ref: t17290827-32 ~ Original Text

Margaret Laurence, of St. Andrew’s Holborn, was indicted for that she, together with Esther Morgan, not taken, did feloniously steal a Gold Watch, Chain, and Seals, value 24 1. a Gold Snuff-Box, value 18 1. a Diamond Ear-ring, one Velvet Gown and Petticoat, and other Suits of silk Cloaths, and divers other wearing Apparel, Silk and Linen, as Head-Dress, Ruffles, Laces, &c. to the sum of 10 1. and 40 Guineas, the Goods of Martha Thorold, in the Dwelling-House of the said Martha Thorold, the 9th of July last.

Madam Thorold depos’d, That the Prisoner had been her Servant, but had been gone from her about a Fortnight; and that she went out to pay a Visit about half an Hour after Five a-Clock in the afternoon, the 9th of July last, and returning Home about a half an Hour after Eight, could not get any Entrance; whereupon her Footman went round about, and got in the Back-way, where he found the Doors backwards all open, and opening the fore-Door, let her in, saying, Madam you are robb’d; that she going into her Rooms, found her Cabinet broken open, and the Drawers, &c. all thrown about the Room, and the Goods and Money mention’d in the indictment, gone, and finding her Servants, and examining them; Betty Loyd pretended to have been found, and that the Robbery was committed by two Persons, who they did believe were Men in Women’s Cloths; and that the Servants did not own for a considerable time that they knew who the Persons were that had commited the Robbery.

 Elizabeth Loyd depos’d, That the Prisoner came about a Fortnight after she had left Madam Thorold’s Service, along with Hester Morgan, to their House; that they ask’d them to stay all Night, which they did, and all the next Day, ‘till her Mistress were gone out; after which, Margaret Laurence pull’d her into th Men’s Room, telling her, She had her Mistress and thrown her down on the Bed, took off her Garters, and tied her Hands, &c. with her Garters, and then went and rifled the House; that they were busy in doing it for about 3 quarters of an Hour, and afterwards she say the go out at the Back-Door, having each of them a large Bundle under their Riding-Hoods; but she could not tell what was in them.

Lucy Hart depos’d, That She being busy in getting up Mrs. Thorold’s Head-cloaths, heard Betty Loyd shriek out, and presently the Prisoner and Hester Morgan came into the Room, and told her, They had a mind to rob Mrs. Thorold of her Money; that she desir’d them not to talk of any such thing; her Conscience would not let her consent to it; the the Prisoner replied, If Taylor and Weldon (two former Servants) had been there, they would have been glad of the Opportunity; that she not consenting, but crying out, Hester Morgan damn’d her, and threatened her, that if she made any Noise of Opposition, she would kill her; that they at first ty’d her, but afterwards let her loose again, and lock’d her up.

Thomas Booth, the Constable, depos’d, That the Prisoner being apprehended, did at last own the Fact; that she had pawn’d a Pair of Stays a Gown and Petticoat of Mrs. Thorolds, and told them where Hester Morgan lodged, at one Forster’s, a Shoemaker in Tash-Street; that he went thither, and Hester Morgan being gone out, he demanded the Key; but that not being deliver’d, he search’d the Room, but not finding them; after menacing the People of the House, was told, that the Goods had been carried to a Trunkmaker’s in Holborn, which by Enquiry being found, they were inform’d that Morgan having bought a large Trunk the Things were put into it, and carried away by a Porter; the the Porter being found, he carried him to one Mr. Busby’s, where it was found; but Hester Morgan was not there, not had they yet had an Opportunity of apprehending her.

Mr. Busby depos’d, That she had known Hester Morgan several Years, and took her for an honest Person; that meeting with her, she said she was coming out of Place, and desir’d her to recommend her to a Lodging in an honest House, whereupon she told her she might lodge with her, and the Trunk and a Bundle was brought in: The Constable added, That the Prisoner being ask’d the reason whe she had robb’d Madam Thorold? she replied, That she did it not for Want, but for Spite, she having us’d her ill.

Mr. Chambers, the Pawn-broker, depos’d, That having heard of Madam Thorold’s being robb’d, and suspecting that the Stays, Gowns, &c. which the Prisoner had pawn’d to him, were Madam Thorold’s, he went and acquainted her he had such Things, which she having own’d, they were produced in Court, own’d by the Prosecutor, and sworn to be pawn’d by the Prisoner.

 The Prisoner in her Defence pleaded, that she receiv’d those Cloaths from Hester Morgan, to pawn for her, who pretended that Madam Thorold had given them to her.  She pleaded likewise, that Elizabeth Loyd desir’d her to take off her Garters, and bind her with them and likewise to Gag her, that her Mistress might have no Suspicion of her; that the Evidences, Loyd, Hart, and Morgan, had contriv’d the Robbery, and she had been sent to for Several times to commit it, and that they were all four to have gone down into Wales; and that she had note of the Things but the Gown, Petticoat and Stays before-mention’d, and knew but of 12 Guineas to have been taken by Morgan.  The Fact being plainly prov’d, the Jury found her guilty of the Indictment.  Death.

 At receiving Sentence, the Prisoner did not, as usual, plead her Belly, but begg’d of the Court to consider that she was a young Person, and threw herself upon the Mercy of the Court.

Esther Morgan

On October 15, 1729 Esther Morgan was charged in Court with the same charges as Margaret, with the same result, Guilty of the Indictment.  Death.