For other John Lawsons see John Lawson (disambiguation). John Lawson (1674–1711 British explorer John Lawson (Australian rules footballer (1883–? Australian rules footballer for Collingwood St Kilda

John Lawson (1674? – 1711) was a British explorer, naturalist and writer. Year 1711 ( MDCCXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located He played an important role in the history of colonial North Carolina. North Carolina ( is a state located on the Atlantic Seaboard in the southeastern United States

Little is known definitively about his early life but it seems probable that he had a good education and was well-placed in society. After an acquaintance in London assured him that "Carolina was the best country", Lawson sailed for America and arrived in Charleston on August 15, 1700. Charleston is a city in Charleston county in the US state of South Carolina.

Cover of John Lawson's 1709 book

On December 28, 1700 he led a small expedition out of Charleston and up the Santee River by canoe and then on foot to explore the Carolina backcountry. The Santee River is a River in South Carolina in the United States, long Along the way he took careful note of the vegetation, wildlife and, in particular, the many Indian tribes he encountered. He traveled nearly 600 miles through the wilderness, ending his journey near the mouth of the Pamlico River. The Pamlico River is a Tidal river located in the city of Washington, North Carolina, in the United States of America.

Lawson wrote an account of his adventure, (1709), in which he described the native inhabitants and the natural environment of the region. The book was an instant success and several editions were published including versions in German and French. The resulting publicity attracted many settlers to North Carolina.

After his expedition, Lawson settled near the Pamlico River and earned a living as a private land surveyor. Surveying is the technique and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional space Position of points and the distances and angles between In 1705 he was appointed deputy surveyor for the Lords Proprietor of Carolina and in 1708 he succeeded Edward Moseley to become surveyor-general. Lord Proprietor was the gubernatorial title for the noble "ruling" Proprietors of certain British proprietary colonies in North America such Edward Moseley (born c 1682 in England - died 11 July 1749) Surveyor General of North Carolina from about 1710 and the first colonial Treasurer of

Lawson played a major role in the founding of two of North Carolina's earliest settlements--Bath and New Bern. Bath is a town in Beaufort County, North Carolina, United States. On March 8, 1705, Bath became the first town incorporated in what was to become North Carolina. Part of the incorporated land was owned by Lawson and he become one of the first town commissioners. Later he became clerk of the court and public register for Bath County.

In 1709 Lawson returned to London to oversee the publication of his book, A New Voyage to Carolina. While in London he represented the colony in a boundary dispute with Virginia. The Commonwealth of Virginia ( is an American state He also organized a group of Palatine Germans to settle in Carolina and returned with them to in 1710 to found New Bern on the Neuse River. The Palatinate (Pfalz Pfälzer dialect Palz) historically also Rhenish Palatinate (palatinatum Renensis Rheinpfalz is a region in south-western Germany The Neuse River is a major permanent stream rising in the piedmont of North Carolina, emptying into the Pamlico Sound below New Bern.

In September, 1711 Lawson and his associate Christopher von Graffenreid were captured by Tuscarora Indians while ascending the Neuse River. The Tuscarora ("hemp gatherers" are an American Indian tribe with members in New York, Canada, and North Carolina. They released von Graffenreid but tortured and killed Lawson. Shortly thereafter, tensions between Indians and settlers erupted into a bloody conflict known as the Tuscarora War. The Tuscarora War was fought in North Carolina during the autumn of 1711 until 11 February, 1715 between the British, Dutch, and

Bibliography

• A New Voyage to Carolina (London, 1709). Other editions of this work appeared under the titles, The History of Carolina or Lawson's History of Carolina.

Online versions of this work can be found at:

• John Lawson, A New Voyage to Carolina at Project Gutenberg
• John Lawson, A New Voyage to Carolina at University of North Carolina

References

• John Lawson Digital Exhibit. Project Gutenberg, abbreviated as PG, is a volunteer effort to Digitize, archive and distribute Cultural works Joyner Library, East Carolina University. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare
• John Lawson (1714). American Philosophical Society. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare
• John Lawson: Explorer, Historian, and Co-Founder of Bath. North Carolina Office of Archives & History. Retrieved on 2006-11-11. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 308 - The Congress of Carnuntum: Attempting to keep peace within the Roman Empire, the leaders of the Tetrarchy declare
• Savage, Henry (1959). Discovering America 1700-1875. Harper & Row, 20-25. ISBN 0-06-090740-1.