Daniel
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Daniel Lawrence was the son of Enoch and Ruth
(Whitney) Lawrence. He was born on March 7, 1680 in Groton, Massachusetts and
he probably grew up in that town. According to the History of Windham County, Daniel,
his wife Sarah, and their children settled south of Plainfield, Connecticut
around 1708 where Daniel "became a prominent public man." He was
given the liberty to vote in 1709 and he was chosen to be Surveyor of the Highways.
Daniel served as Selectmen for 15 years, serving his first term in 1716.
There seems to have been an ongoing debate
over the location and arrangements of the meeting house, which would also serve
as the place of worship. Daniel's name can be found in connection to many of
the various proposals. In September 1720, Daniel was part of a committee to
determine the seating arrangement in the new meeting house. Those over 50 years
old were seated according to age and the rest were seated based on their
estate. The task was a difficult one and the committee was "allowed one
pound in money for care and service." The arrangements were unsatisfactory
to many and in 1721, it was voted that a new arrangement would be made.
Daniel was a deputy from Plainfield to the
General assembly in Hartford (1723), responsible for "removing all
encumbrances on the public roads of the town" (1729), and moderator of
Plainfield's town meeting (1740). In 1735 he received the title of
"Captain," indicating he had prior military experience.
Around 1742, he moved to Canaan, CT where his
sons Daniel Jr and Isaac had moved, and he and his wife and daughter Elizabeth
were admitted into the church in January 1743. He was named as a town
inhabitant on December 4, 1744 and resided in the area until his death on May
8, 1777. Daniel and many of his descendants are buried in the Mountain View Cemetery in North Canaan, CT.
Sources: Massachusetts Births and Christenings,
FamilySearch; Connecticut Deaths and Burials, Ancestry; Find A Grave; History
of Windham, Google Books; Historical Sketches of Some Members of the Lawrence
Family, Ancestry
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