Gawen Lawrie

Gawen Lawrie was a deputy governor of the American province of East Jersey from 1683 to 1686.

Biography

Of Scottish ancestry, Lawrie was born in England and was a resident and merchant in London for many years.

Along with William Penn and Nicholas Lucas, Gawen Lawrie was a trustee for the legally bankrupt Edward Byllynge from 1675 to 1683. On 1 July 1676, Lawrie was one of the signers of the Quintipartite Deed that split New Jersey into West and East Jersey.

In 1682 Lawrie became involved in East New Jersey as a trustee for the children of Arent Sonmans, one of the Proprietors. Thomas Rudyard was deputy governor under Governor Robert Barclay. The Proprietors and Rudyard had a policy disagreement as to the granting of land, and, on 27 July 1683, appointed Gawen Lawrie deputy governor, replacing Rudyard.

Thomas Rudyard's land dealings resurfaced when, on 28 February 1684/5, he received a grant of 1,038 acres (420 ha) on Raritan Bay in Monmouth County; Lawrie received a grant of 1,000 acres (405 ha). This resulted in Gov. Barclay and the Proprietors issuing instructions to Deputy Governor Lawrie on the laying out of land. Section 7 directly addressed the questionable activity of Rudyard and Lawrie in their taking up of land.