Ann, possibly Schofield, wife of Thomas Lawther, was born around 1790, possibly in Lancashire, England. She died 2 Jan 1821 in Henrico County, VA, possibly from complications after the birth of her child Theophilus. I have seen listings of the estates of many dozens of persons from those early days and I must say that the estate of Ann Lawther was unique. She had a large (for 1820) amount of money in the currency and coins of several different nations, including over 2000 coins. It is a matter of great curiosity. Ann may be the granddaughter of Theophilus Schofield and Rebecca who baptized a daughter Ann in 1766 in Lancashire, England. The timing is not right for that Ann baptized in 1766 to be this Ann, but this Ann could still well be a descendant of Theophilus Schofield.

1. Pallot“s Marriage Index for England 1780-1837.
This is an online computer database in which I found the following record: ”Thos Lawther and Ann Schofield marry in 1814 at St. Clements Danes parish.• The record indicates that Thomas was from Cowpen, Northumberland.

I have no idea if this record has any relevance to Theophilus“ ancestry whatsoever, but it sure is intriguing because of the fact that everything points to the conclusion that Theophilus“ parents were Thomas and Ann Lawther who appear in Virginia in about 1817 and whose ages from Census listings show them to have been age early-to-mid-20“s in 1814. It took a long time to determine that St. Clements Danes parish is in Middlesex which is a county in the greater London area. The only other specific geographic reference to England I have found in connection with the Lawthers is that his obituary says that Theophilus was born in Manchester, England — well upcountry from London though not as far north as Cowpen, Northumberland. [There is another record I found in a different on-line database of the marriage of Thomas Lowther and Ann King in Yarmouth, Norfolk, England in about 1811, which could also possibly be the marriage of interest.]

Bottom line: as of now, I have no way to prove that the Thomas Lawther who ends up in Richmond, Virginia by about 1817 came from England (might have been Ireland in fact) and if so, whether he is one and the same with the Thomas Lawther who married Ann Schofield. But, it“s a reasonable guess.
2. 1820 Census Henrico County, Virginia.
The only Lawther in Henrico County in 1820 is Ann Lawther. She is the head of household and 3 persons are reported: one male age 16-26, one male age 26-45 and one female age 26-45.

This is a curious record because a female is head of household and yet it appears there is a male present of the same age. [The custom in 1820 was, of course, that an adult male, if present, would be the named head of household.] Married couples in all cases in 1820 were listed by the name of the male head of household. My theory is that the male age 26-45 was in fact her husband Thomas whom she was reporting as being domiciled there, but since he was in prison he was not treated as head of household. This record would also be very interesting if a young male of age less than 10 were present as I would be prepared to proclaim him to be young Theophilus. But because of this record, I have concluded that if Ann is Theophilus“ mother, then clearly he wasn“t born until after the Census was taken in 1820, thus after April 1, 1820. Since Theophilus“ birth year has some uncertainty to it, 1820 is not ruled out. The timing is tight depending upon when Thomas was actually incarcerated, but possible.

3. Henrico County, Virginia Probate Court Records. Inventory of Ann Lawther.
”Inventory of Mrs. Lawther“s property remaining on hand when she died 2nd January, inventory taken 4th January 1821.• In Spanish Dollars 425.00, In Half Dollars 269 pieces 134.50, In Crowns 48 pieces52.80, In Five Francs 47 pieces 44.18, In Quarters 323 pieces 80.75, In Twenty Cents 108 pieces 21.60, In Ninepences 327 pieces 40.87, In Ten Cents 188 pieces 18.80, In Fourpence half pennys 787 pieces 48.19, In Gold 2 pieces value unknown, In Notes 47.00, In Odd Change 5.90. Cash left in Mr. Brown“s hands for the use of the house -47.90. Total $872.69.

[Note that a few of the amounts showed fractions, I have rounded, but I cannot account for the difference of $1.00 in the total since the line items add to $871.69, not $872.69].

There was also an inventory of her personal property which starts: 1 large box containing rags, 6 peaces gensburgs containing 84 yards, 1 peace bed ticking, 5 yards bleu cloth, 1 chest of waring apparel… This continues for maybe 50-75 specific items, not a one of which seemed of any special value and therefore was beyond my interest to transcribe. It is signed — the foregoing is a correct inventory taken at the request of Mr. Randy Brown by legal information — D G Pleasants, William Piggot. And then is written: Returned unto Henrico County Court February the 5th 1821 and ordered to be recorded.

The inventory is really quite interesting — all that cash and all those coins and of so many different currencies.

4. IGI Record 1766 Christening of Ann Schofield.
There is a very intriguing record saying that in October 1766, Ann Schofield, daughter of Theophilus Schofield and Rebecca was christened at St. Mary Oldham, Lancashire, England.

I found this record totally by chance. The name Theophilus is so interesting that I just decided to enter the name Theophilus Schofield into the LDS IGI database and see what it produced and this record resulted. It may be a red herring (no pun intended). First of all, this cannot be the Ann Schofield who marries Thomas Lawther due to age problems. She is 16-25 in 1820, so born 1775 —1790, he is 30-40 in 1830, so born 1790-1800. The best guess would be that they were both born about 1790. Now, it still could be a clue; maybe Ann who marries Thomas Lawther was the granddaughter of this Theophilus and niece of Ann born in 1766. But then there is the issue of geography. How does Thomas Lawther from Northumberland meet Ann Schofield from Lancashire and marry her in the London area? Were people that mobile in England in 1814? But then guess where Manchester, England (remember Theophilus“ obituary) is — it“s in Lancashire.

In a separate Ancestry database on English vital records, the death of Theophilus Schofield age 0 (or missing?) of Staffordshire in Sep 1866 was recorded. Whatever his age, this is a generation or two later than the original Theophilus. So, at this point, the link to Theophilus Schofield is a pretty far-fetched speculation — but still intriguing. And it is about the only avenue open to me for further research.

5. Rine Brown (remember him from Ann Lawther“s estate accounting) first appears in the personal property tax records in 1817 and last appears in 1821. He is only ever taxed for himself. I have paid attention to Rine/Raney Brown in these early records thinking he may have had custody of Theophilus during at least the prison years but have never gotten any real leads on him.

6. The links between Thomas and Ann seem pretty strong. He is listed as a taxable of Henrico in 1817-1820 then apparently goes to jail, she is in the Census in 1820. She dies in 1821 and leaves an estate of somewhat over $800. When Thomas is released from jail, he lays claim to some estate that the Sheriff had custofdy of in the amount of a little over $800.

But the real proof of Ann's link to Thomas is that, while the court records for his trial are missing, Ann was tried at the 6 Nov 1819 Court for breach of peace on the complaint of Ben Shepphard. Parties heard and defendant found guilty. And it is ordered that said Ann Lawther give security in the sum of $1000 to keep the peace for six months and she then entered into such security.

Our perusal of these court records revealed other breach of peace hearings and generally the complainant was some unknown person and we also came to recognize that Ben Shepphard was an officer of the court. It is my guess — and I think it is quite reasonable — that perhaps Ann became unruly during the trial or sentencing of her husband Thomas or soon thereafter — that would have been August. So she was hauled into court and made to stand for it. On 6 Mar 1820, Commonwealth versus Ann Lawther was dismissed, this is less than 6 months from her sentencing but more than 6 from the date of Thomas“ trial.

7. And finally. 7 Mar 1821. Ordered that the estate of Thos Lawther, a prisoner now confined in the penitentiary and who was sent there for a term of years more than one, be committed to the hands of Reuben Tankhorsely as trustee who with Robert Douthat and Izard Bacon Whitlock his securities entered into and acknowledged a bond in the penalty of $3000.

Also on 7 Mar 1821. An account of A Sweeney agent Ann Lawther“s estate amounting to $821.36 which is proved by affidavit allowed and ordered to be paid by Reuben Tankhorsely, trustee for Thomas Lawther, out of monies now in his hands and which belonged to said Ann Lawther.

This citation leaves no doubt that it is Ann Lawther“s $800 estate that is definitely given to Reuben Tankhorelsy for safe keeping and it is definitely established that the estate of Ann Lawther and the estate of Thomas Lawther are in fact the same estate.

I believe that the parents of Theophilus Lawther were Thomas Lawther and Ann whose maiden name may have been Schofield. The earliest I can document Theophilus is in the late 1840's, he is a young man living in Petersburg, VA. There are no other Lawther's in Virginia then but starting in about 1817 and continuing through the 1840 Census I can catch glimpses of a Thomas Lawther of Henrico County (Richmond area) and his first wife Ann and then second wife Mary. It is the presence of Mary in the household of Theophilus in the 1850 Census that ties it all togther.

Thomas Lawther was born about 1790 probably in England. He may be the Thomas Lawther of Cowpen, Northumberland who married Ann Schofield in 1814 in Middlesex, London, England. Thomas and Ann Lawther appear in early records for Richmond, VA starting in about 1817. Thomas has some trouble with the law and serves time in jail from about 1819-1824, during which time, I believe, his wife gives birth to son Theophilus and not long thereafter dies. After his release from jail, he marries second on 26 Mar 1827 Mary Lacy, widow of John, and continues to live in Henrico County, Virginia until his death in about 1834.

While there is no direct proof that Thomas and Ann were the parents of Theophilus, the series of facts revealed by the documents that I can find make the conclusion incontrovertible.

1. The personal property tax records of Henrico County first document the presence of Thomas Lawther in 1817 when he is taxed just for himself. In 1818, he has a horse and in 1819, he has a horse and a slave. He then disappears from 1820 to 1829 only to reappear in 1830.

John Lacy is taxed every year from 1815 to 1826 and among other property always has a ”gig• — a kind of carriage not very common on these lists. In 1827, just below John Lacy on the list the name of Mary Lacy appears for the first time (like perhaps John has died and so Mary is of record). John has a gig. In 1828, it is only John Lacy, no Mary Lacy and John has his gig. In 1829, John Lacy disappears and Mary Lacy is taxed with a gig. When Thomas Lawther reappears in 1830, he has a gig. No Lacys are listed.

In 1831 and also 1832, Thomas Lawther has a slave, a horse and a gig. In 1833, Thomas Lawther is taxed for himself, another male over 16, 2 horses but no gig. And then Thomas disappears forever. No Lawther appears in 1834. And then in 1835 to 1839, Polly Lawther (Mary Lacy Lawther I assume) is taxed. (Polly is a known nickname for Mary). In 1836 and 1837, there is a male over 16 present. (I think the male may be Theophilus and then he leaves the household by 1838). And then Mary/Polly disappears in 1840 and thereafter.

This all is pretty consistent with the chronology of Thomas Lawther“s life. He disappeared in 1820 because he went to jail. He was out by 1825 and married by 1827 and it must have taken a few years for the personal property tax lists to catch up. Mary Lacy, I believe, was the widow of John Lacy. And then Thomas dies in the early 1830“s — about 1834.

2. From Records of the Henrico County Court. On July 10, 1819, a court was held to review the case of Thomas Lawther, and the crime he had alledgedly committed the twenty eighth day of June last. It was deemed that Thomas was not prepared for trial and the review held over to the next court -- however, try as I might, the records covering his actual trial and that would reveal the details and circumstances of the crime cannot be found.

3. Henrico County, Virginia Probate Court Records. On January 3rd 1825, Thomas Lawther a convict late in the penitentiary, brought suit to force Byrd George Executor of Reuben Tankhorsely deceased who was trustee of said Lawther“s estate to pay over to the said Thomas Lawther whatever balance may be found due from the estate of the said trustee.

Then on January 18, 1825, Byrd George stated that he had no materials from which to render the account and the court considered the exhibit submitted on the part of Lawther. After a good deal of conversation among the parties, Byrd George proposed to settle provided Thomas Lawther would distinctly state and agree that the sum of $825.34 mentioned in the exhibit embraced the whole and every part of any claim he had against the estate of Reuben Tankhorsely deceased.

Finally on the 15 Inst the said Byrd George again attended at this office and after stating that he had just found from among his testators papers produced sundry vouchers from which the said Exhibit A your commissioner has produced the annexed account showing a balance due Thomas Lawther of $686.15.

The foregoing is quite interesting for several reasons. We can conclude that Thomas Lawther must have been found guilty at his trial and must have been sent to prison and therefore must have served something like 5 years from late 1819 until late 1824 or so. When he gets out, he wants what can only be his wife“s estate which had been turned over to the Henrico Sheriff (Tankhorsely) for custody. Whoever did her cash inventory found about $872.69 but that was obviously an estimate considering that much of the cash was in various foreign currencies — so it seems to me that when this was taken to the bank, perhaps they determined it to be worth $825.34 — or maybe bank fees were deducted for currency conversion. In any event, I feel very strongly that it is Ann Lawther“s $800+ that Thomas Lawther is seeking (reduced to $671 by funeral and other expenses paid) even though that is not really stated anywhere.

8. 1830 Census Henrico County, Virginia.
The only Lawther in Henrico County is Thomas Lawther. His household includes 5 persons. There are two males age 5-10, one male age 15-20, one male age 30-40 and one female age 40-50.

So, this is the ex-con Thomas, his wife the former Mary Lacy and maybe some combination of her kids and his kids — one of whom may or may not be Theophilus.