In Hotten's Book on Ye Original Person's of Quality in Virginia, I found what I assume to be the beginning of our Lawson line in America. My Grandmother Rogers was Alcy Lawson . Papa spelled her name Alcy, but J.L. David, Aunt Mahala Ann Rogers husband, spelled it Ailcy. Spelling, quite often, gets changed by different people and isn't too important. Due to the name, Alcy, I think that I found our American beginning.
On page 174 of Hotten's book, Christopher Lawson is listed in the list of the living on Ye Old Plantation over against James Citte.
"February 16, 1623, Living on Ye Plantation over against James Citte:
Capt. Roger Smith
Mrs. Smith
Elizabeth Salter
Sara Macocke
Eizabeth Rolfe
Christopher Lawson
Uxor Eius (his wife)
Francis Fouller (Fowler )
Henry Booth
On another page, some of the same people are listed but some of the spelling is different. The comments say they are the same people.
Francis Fowler (Fouller) age 23
Christopher Lawson -- no age given
Christopher Redhead --age 24
Stephen Webb --age 25
John Butterfield --age 23
William Baker --age 24
Richard Alford --age 26
Thomas Harvie --age 24
Thomas Nollon --age 25
Feb. 16, 1623- List of the Dead on the Plantation near James Citte:
Thomas Lawson
William Dier (Dyer)
Mary Dier (Dyer)
Since my Great Grandfather Lawson was named Dyer Lawson , I assumed there had been an alliance between a Dyer and a Lawson. This shows them in close proximity as early as 1623. In the Census reports on Great Grandfather Lawson, he is listed as Dyer, Dier, and Dire Lawson . As I said before, the spelling depends on the person who took the Census. They quite often spelled the name as it sounded to them.