David who came here on the Falmouth in 1770. David was born in Scotland about 1715. He left the port of Greenock, Scotland, on April 8, 1770 as leader of a company of settlers sent to Stanhope, Charlotte Parish, St. John’s Island, by Sir James Montgomery who owned Lot 34 at this time. David came with his wife, Helen Moore (born about 1720, died before 1791), his eldest son William, his second son John and his wife, and three other children. On June 8th, this Lawson Family and some sixteen other Scottish families were landed on the beach at Stanhope to settle on the 1,000-acre farm allotted to them. David is described as living at Miln of Callendar, near Crieff, in Perthshire, and he was under contract as Sir James’ agent, to recruit the settlers and establish them in Stanhope.

It is interesting to note that there is only one man living in Stanhope, at the time of writing, who carries the Lawson name in direct descent from David Lawson. Harry is a 6th generation descendant of David, coming down through David’s son William and his second wife Ann Graham; their son John and his wife Isabella Marshall; their son George and his wife Susan MacGregor; and their son Isaac and his wife Ethel Carr. There are also many other Lawson descendants of the 6th, 7th, and even 8th generations still living in Stanhope.

David was an excellent farmer and leader and the Stanhope Farm was created out of a wilderness, but not without much suffering on the part of his family and the others who came with him. In Stanhope, it was David’s responsibility to make Montgomery’s plan work. Governor Patterson had appointed David a Justice of the Peace and suggested that he allow his name to be put up for the Assembly, and he was elected, which naturally led him, his wife and family into a more expensive manner of life than should have been followed by the over- seer of a farm. David was a keen politician and a partisan of the Governor (from Sir James Montgomery’s “Memorial” of 1791). David and his two sons, William and John, were members of the First House of Assembly, in July 1773. David and his son William were also in the 1779 House (3rd election), as well as his two sons-in-law, James Curtis and Cornelius Higgins Sr.

David Lawson, though a good farmer, was no accountant, and was in serious trouble with Sir James Montgomery, who expected clear accounts 'kept, and also a profit on his considerable investment. Eventually, he removed David from his position and installed James Douglas as the next agent. David’s debt of over £11,000 was forgiven by Sir James because it was believed he was an honest man, and Sir James provided David with a yearly pension until his death. See the chapter on the Montgomery settlers.

David had not received any land other than Rustico Island, which

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