Josiah T. Lawton
Birth:  05 DEC 1785 Rhode Island Note:  Of Welsh ancestry. Occupation: Was a millwright and a mechanic in his younger days.  Later on, he took up farming. Moved to: ABT 1806 Place:  St. Lawrence Co, New York
Marriage: 26 NOV 1809  Gouveneur, St. Lawrence County, New York 1810 Census:  Cambray, St. Lawrence Co, New York Note:  1 male 16-25; 1 female 16-25 Birth of Son:  20 FEB 1811 Name:  Henry Lawton Place:  Gouveneur, St. Lawrence County, New York Military:  Fought in the War of 1812 Details:  In the New York Militia, in Benedict's Regiment and Nellis' 1st Regiment. Note:  Helped begin the new settlement of Fowler, New York (then called Little York)
Birth of Son:  10 APR 1814 Name:  Daniel Bradley Lawton
Birth of Son:  13 APR 1817 Name:  Harvey S. Lawton Birth of Son:  24 AUG 1818 Name:  Perley Lawton Place:  Fowler, St. Lawrence Co, New York Birth of Daughter:  29 APR 1822 Name:  Sally Lawton
Religion:  30 JAN 1822 Place:  Fowler, New York Note:  One of the original members of the first Fowler Baptist Church.	Fowler Baptist Church
Birth of Daughter:  26 APR 1825 Name:  Mary Ann Lawton
Birth of Son:  02 APR 1828 Name:  Albert Lawton
1830 Census:  Fowler, St. Lawrence Co, New York Note:  1 Male < 5; 2 Males 10-15; 1 Male 15-20; 1 Male 40-50            1 Female 5-10; 1 Female 40-50 Birth of Son:  04 JAN 1832 Name:  Lewis Lawton 1840 Census:  Fowler, St. Lawrence Co, New York Moved to:  1845 Place:  Coopersville, Polkton Twp, Ottawa Co, Michigan Details:  They settled in a log cabin on 120 acres of wild and wooded land, thick with pine and hemlock, where the present high school is located.  At that time there were only six families in the community and no roads.
Note: 1847 Details: Josiah and son Albert built the first frame house in what was later to be called Coopersville.
1850 Census:  08 OCT 1850 Place:  Polkton Twp, Ottawa Co, Michigan Note:  Wife, Elizabeth, and two sons were living in his household. Overseer of the Poor: 1852 1854 Census:  Polkton, Ottawa Co, Michigan 1860 Census:  21 JUN 1860 Place:  Polkton Twp, Ottawa Co, Michigan Note:  Living with his son, Albert, and his family.
Died:  18 MAY 1863  Coopersville, Ottawa Co, Michigan Burial:  Coopersville Cemetery, Ottawa Co, Michigan. Click here to see parents:  Thomas Lawton and Anne Richmond

Josiah and his wife were one of thirteen couples that started the Baptist Church in Fowler, New York on January 30, 1822. The Church was down to seven members in 1876 and stopped holding services. In 1852 Josiah was Overseer for the Poor in Ottawa County.

He remained in Rhode Island till about 21 years of age, and then removed to St. Lawrence Co, NY. In 1845 the family journeyed to Michigan and settled in Coopersville, Wright Township, Ottawa Co, Michigan.

In his younger days he was a millwright and mechanic, later gave his entire attention to agriculture, and when he came to Michigan bought a farm of one hundred and twenty acres all wild and wooded land. There were no public roads leading to it, and the country was very new, most of the business in that part of the state being done in Grand Rapids. There were then only six families in the settlement, and the homestead of the father lay out a little distance from Coopersville, the land all about being densely covered with a growth of pine and hemlock.

He served bravely in the War of 1812, and after a life of busy industry passed away in 1863.

 

Elizabeth Bradley
Birth: 12 MAR 1786  Connecticut or New York Name Var:  Betsey
Death: 16 AUG 1857 Burial:  Coopersville Cemetery, Ottawa Co, Michigan. Note:  She was the first person to be buried in this cemetery. Father is thought to be Daniel Bradley

Return to Smith Home Page
Return to Genealogy Home Page