OUR LANIER FAMILY OF NORTH CAROLINA
VIA VIRGINIA, BARBADOS, ENGLAND AND EUROPE
Robert Lanier was propably the oldest of
the three sons of Robert and Rebecca Lanier born about 1674 in Barbados, West
Indies. His name first is linked to Charles City County in 1688 as it appears
on several recorded deeds. He also appears in the tithes of Surry County in
1694 residing with Richard Jordan at the time. In 1695 Robert married
Sarah Barker, daughter of John and Grace Barker
(Grace Cotton, daughter of Thomas Cotton)..
After their marriage, Robert and Sarah moved to Prince George County, they also buy some
land associated with the name Blackwater Swamp, which Blackwater River is a tributary
to the Chowan River and they lived in Isle of Wight county where Robert held some land which he subsequently
sold as by 1711 their family moved to Chowan Precinct/District, North
Carolina. A map of locations is given next between Virginia and North Carolina and it links to another map
of the Surry County, Blackwater Swamp, and Isle of Wight County areas of Virginia.
Robert Lanier and Sarah Barker would be one of my sets of sixth great grandparents.
Their family pedigree follows below as taken from a family group sheet of the
LDS Group Sheet Archives, Salt Lake Genealogical Library:
|
Family of Robert Lanier and Sarah Barker of Virginia and Chowan
Robert Lanier = Sarah Barker
b a1674 | b a1674
| VA
m 1695 |
Surry VA |
wd Mar 1745 |
Tyrrell NC |
|
__________________________________________|____________________________
| | | | |
| Jean Lanier Elizabeth Lanier Sarah Lanier Ananazah Christana Lanier
| b a1696 b a1698 b a1700 b a1702
|
| m a1722 m a1716
| Bertie/Chowan
| = Matthias Tobias = Thomas Daniel
| Schwanner
| d a1746 wd 9 June 1752
|
|____________________________________________________________
| | | |
Grace Lanier Samariah Lanier William Lanier John Lanier
b a1705 b a1707 b a1710 b a1712
Chowan NC
m 1745 m
= Martha Ann Hill = Sarah Adams
d bef 1745 d 17 Aug 1789 d 1793
source: LANIER, by Louise Ingersoll ('Definitive book on Lanier ancestry.')
source: NC; Virgina; Patent Bk 10 pg 110 lists property of Robert Lanier, Isle of Wight Co.
Province of NC; Sold Isle of Wight Co. property to Thomas Pursoll 23 June 1715;
source: Tithes of Surry Co. Vrgn show Robert Lanier living with cousin John Lanier 1694.
source: Family Group Sheet SLC Archives with temple ordinances for family completed '68/'69.
source: Will of Robert Lanier; follows:
LANIER, ROBERT
Secretary of State
Colony of North Carolina
Tyrrell County
Dated 20 September 1744
In the name of God Amen. The twentieth Day of September in the year of our Lord God Everlasting
one thousand seven hundred forty fore I Robert Lanier of the County of Terril and province of
North Carilina planter being werry sick and weak of body but of perfect mind and memory all
praise be given to God thearefore calling to mind the mortality of my body and knowing that it
is appointed for all men once to die do make ordain this to be my last will and testament that
is to say principaly and first of all I give recommend my soul into the hands of God that gave
it and ____ my body I commend it to the Earth to be buried in a Cristian like manner att the
descresion of my Executors nothing doughting but att the Generall Resurection I shal receive
the same again by the myty power of God touching such worldly Estate wharewith it haf pleased
God to bless me in this life I give devise and depose of the same in the following manner
First I do order and define that all my just debts and my funeral charges be fully paid
dicharged and satisfied and legases paid.
Item - I will and bequeath to my beloved wife Sarah my Negro man named Jack and my negro
woman named Nan forever likewise six cows and calfs and what stears belonging to my one
Stock and the household furniture to her my said wife Sarah I likewise give the use of this
my manner plantation to my beloved wife Sarah during her natural life and no longer.
Item - to my beloved daughter Jean I give one shiling Sterling money.
Item - to my beloved daughter Elizebeth I give one shiling Sterling money.
Item - to my beloved daughter Sarah I give one shiling Sterling money
Item - to my beloved daughter Anna Narah(?) Cristanah I give one shiling Sterling money
Item - to the lawful Estane of my daughter Grase I give one shiling sterling money.
Item - to my beloved daughter Samariah(?) I give one shiling Sterling money
Item - I will and bequeath to my beloved son William Lanier one bibele.
Item - I will and bequeath to my beloved son John Lanier one bibele
Item - I will and bequeath to my grandson Robert Daniel(?) my female negro child named Hannah.
Item - I will and bequeath to my grandson John Bryan one yerling hefer and the increase to be
lefte in the care of my two sons afore mentioned til he arive at the age of twenty and one
years.
Item - to my grandaughter Sarah Gilbert I ratife and confirm ____ that I formerly gave it being
a yerling hefer which I desire may remain in the care of my beloved wife til she arive at the
age of eighteen years or on her marrage day.
Item - to my grandaughter Mary Gilbert when she doth arive at the age of eighteen years or her
marriage day I give and bequeath one yerling hefer and the increase to be left in the care of
my beloved wife.
Item - Lifewise I desire yt my tools may be equaly divided to the use of my too sons and my
grandson Robert Daniel.
Item - to the two orphan children raised in my house namly An Brown and Micaul Check I give
and bequeath a yerling heffer each of them to be delivered at the discretion of my Executors
to _ay the increase likewise
Item - to my grandson Adam Lanier I give one cow and calf.
Item - Likewise the remainder of my cattle after my legcases is all paid is to equaly devided
between my two sons Wm Lanier and
{several lines not readable}........will and desire that thear may be no misinterpitation or
rong constructions put on this my last will and testiment but it may be understod I do nominate
chose and apoint my beloved wife Sarah to be Executrix and my beloved son Wm Lanier and my
beloved son John Lanier to be executors of this my last will and Testament
Robert Lanier
Sined Selead Published and Declared in the presense of us.
Wm Willis
Robert Lanier Daniel
John Lanier
Tyrrel County
March Court 1744
Then the within will of Robert Lanier was proved in open court by the oaths of Robert
Lanier Daniel and John Lanier Evidences thereto.
Test Thos. Lee Clerk Court
And at the same time William Lanier qualified as executor to the within will by taking the Executors Oath in due form of Law.
Ordered that the Honorable Nathl Rice Esqr. Secretary have notice hereof that lrs. may issue accordingly
Test Thos. Lee Clerk Court
|
|
The known families of Robert and Sarah who had families and children are
Jean/Jane Lanier who married Matthias Tobias Schwanner about 1722 (see the Swanner
page concerning that family, who are my ancestors. Then there is the family of Elizabeth Lanier and Thomas
Daniels, William Lanier and Martha Ann Hill, and John Lanier and Sarah Adams. After the death of Matthias
Tobias Schwanner/Swanner and Jean/Jane's Lanier, their three under aged sons were processed by 'Guardian
Bonds' in June, 1746, by related family members. John Swanner, son of Matthias and Jane, was already of full
age and did not require a guardian's bond. William Swanner would have been the oldest minor son and he chose
as his guardian his older cousin Robert (Lanier) Daniel, the son of Jean/Jane (Lanier) Swanner's sister
Elizabeth Lanier who had married Thomas Daniel. George Matthias Swanner chose as his guardian his uncle
William Lanier, Robert Lanier and Sarah Barker's second youngest son. And Lamuel or Samuel Swanner chose his
brother-in-law, Darby Bryan, the husband of his older sister Sarah (Schwanner/Swanner) Bryan. This handling
of the 'orphans' of Mathias Tobias and Jane/Jean Schwanner is in itself an evidence as to the family ties
between the families of Lanier, Daniel, Schwanner and Bryan.
|
Elizabeth Lanier and Thomas Daniel Family
Thomas Daniel = Elizabeth Lanier
c. 24 Sep 1675 | b a1698
St James, Bar. | Surry VA
m. a1716 |
d. Sept 1749 |
wd. 11 July 1749 |
bur. Sept 1749 |
___________________________________________________|________________________________
| | | | | |
| Robert Lanier Daniel* Thomas Daniel William Daniel John Daniel Aaron Daniel
| b. a 1718
| of Pitt NC
|
|
|_____________________________________________________________________________________________
| | | | | |
Josiah Daniel Sarah Daniel Elizabeth Daniel Mary Daniel Ruth Daniel Priscilla Daniel
b b
m m
= Mr. Wilson = John Ward
* This older Cousin of William Swanner/Schwanner, was who William had chosen to be his 'Guardian' in the
processing of Guardian Bonds. William himself would have likely been at least 19 at the time but the law
required the 'gaurdian bond' care until one would reach full-age. Robert (Lanier) Daniel would have been
but about 28 himself. But for William, it was more of protecting his rights and he was he who stayed and
lived on the Swanner lands in Martin County, which was at one time Tyrrell County. John Swanner the eldest
Swanner ended up in Pitt county where other related family members had or would move to.
|
|
The second to youngest son of Robert Lanier and Sarah Barker is William Lanier born about 1710, Virginia.
He married Ann Martha Hill about 1745, round about the time of the death of Matthias Tobias Swanner. It would
be uncle William Lanier that would act as the guardian of his nephew George Mathias/Mathias George Schwanner,
orphan of his older sister Jean/Jane Lanier and Matthias Tobias Schwanner. The family of William Lanier would
move west to the county of Beaufort as the expansion west would continue. The follow is a pedigree of the
family of William Lanier and Ann Martha Hill.
|
Family of William Lanier and Ann Martha/Martha Ann Hill
William Lanier = Ann Martha Hill
b bef 1707 |
Virginia |
m a1745 |
of Beaufort NC* |
d 17 Aug 1789 | d 7 June 1799
Beaufort NC | Beaufort NC
______________________________________________|______________
| | | |
Seth Lanier John Lanier William Lanier Robert Lanier
b c1748 b c1750
NC Tyrrell NC
m c1776 m 16 Jul 1775 m c1782 m 1791
= Susannah = Fanny (France) = Penelope Buchanan = Edith Pearce
d 18 Jul 1783 d 1794
* Some have him marrying in Beaufort NC, yet per the guardian bond of George Mathias Swanner, it lists him
as of 1746 being of Tyrrell. In 1746 Tyrrell ran west and Beaufort was next along the Pamlico (Pamptico)
River upon which Beaufort set just southwest of where Tyrrell would run out. Thus there may be no real
descripency and both records may be true in their own way. George Mathias Swanner is believed to have stayed
and lived on the land his father's will bequeathed to him as he pasted on about 1773 in Martin county where
the Swanners lands had been.
|
|
John Lanier was the youngest son of Robert Lanier and Sarah Barker
|
Family of John Lanier and Sarah Adams
John Lanier = Sarah Adams
b a 1712 |
|
m |
|
d 1793 |
__________________________________________________________|________________________________
| | | | | |
| Adams Lanier John Lanier Robert Lanier William Lanier Hosea Lanier
|
|
| m 1766 m 1769 m a1788 m a 1785 m a1765
|
| = Sarah Bennett = Hannah Holloday = Elizabeth = Patience Ward
|
|________________________________________________________________
| | | |
Elizabeth Lanier Ann Lanier Nancy Lanier Mary Lanier
b 1745
Tyrrell NC
m 15 Dec 1766 m bef 1793 m bef 1793 m bef 1793
= John Swain = Mr Peale = James Ward = James Swain
|
Robert and Rebecca Lanier would be one set of my 7th great grandparents. It would seem that
Robert Lanier, son of Clement Lanier and Hannah Collet came to live out his adult life in
Barbados, West Indies. And it appears that he had to families, having married twice; the second
time after the death of his first wife Rebecca. In what would be his last will and testament
some researchers seem to balk at the fact that Robert of a family of the Queens and Kings
courts would have turned to being a 'lowly butcher'. Such have have not done their homework
well for in actual fact it was the musician famliy of the Bassanos
who first turned to the
trade of being butchers at the very same time they were also musicians. It seems like an odd
double profession until you hear and understand the details. It seems that the Bassano family
were granted the rights to 'trade in the products' of a butcher, which was to import and export
such as not only the meat but the leather of the animals which did bring them greater weath
than they brought in merely being court musicians. And in the 'frontier, settler life' of
Barbados, being a butcher, that is holding that right to be so, was a most lucrative alternative
for a musician in a 'settler's world' where there was not King's courts to play music in.
|
Family of Robert and Rebecca Lanier of Barbados and England
Robert Lanier = Rebecca ________ = (2) Alice ?Reid Fry?
cb 22 May 1642 | b a1643 |
Greenwich, | Eng |
Kent, Eng. | |
m a 1673 | | m 17 Oct 1680/1
St. M. Bar. | |
d a1693 | d a1680 |
Barbados | Barbados |
wd 9 Jan 1693 | |
| |
_______________________________|_____________________ __|_______
| | | | |
Robert Lanier Lemuel Lanier Clement Lanier Mary Lanier |
b a1674 b a1676/1680 cb 21 Aug 1678 b 1676? |
Barbados W.In. Barbados W.In. St. Micheals |
Barbados W.In. |
m 1695 m |
|
= Sarah Barker = Sarah |
wp Mar 1745 d aft 27 Jul d 1715 (a37) |
1762 Surry VA |
Granv. NC |
______________________________________________________|
| | | |
Hannah Lanier John Lanier Henry Lanier Petronella Lanier
bc 22 Aug 1681/2 bc 14 Feb 1683 bc 24 Nov 1688
source: This family of three sons is from Family Group Sheet found in LDS Family Group Sheet Archieves,
Salt Lake Genealogical Library. (Temple ordinance dates for whole family '66, 67 & 69'.
source: Lanier Hist, Louisa Ingersoll 929.273 L 2721 p 411;
source: St. Michaels Par reg Barbadoes, W-Vr.
source: Will abstract of Robert Lanier in St. Michael's Parish, Bridgetown, Barbados:
LANIER, Robert, butcher. St. Michael Parish, 9 January 1693 (RB6/2, Page 66.
Son, Clement Lanier; eldest daughter Mary Lanier; wife, Alice Lanier, Xtrx. Other children, John Lanier,
Henry Lanier and Petronella Lanier.
/s/ Robert Lanier
source: additional information from - http://paynedaniel.com/johnlaniere/d4.htm#g4
Note: Will of Alice Fry dated 23 Mar 1711/12 (Alice remaried Fry(e)?)
|
Clement Lanier was a musician and gentleman of the Kings Chamber. Clement Lanier and Hannah
Collet would be one set of my 8th great grandparents.
|
The Family of Clement Lanier and Hannah Collet of Greenwich, Kent, England
Clement Lanier = Hannah Collet
b a 1592 | b a 1600
of Greenwich | of E. Greenwich
m Mar 1628 | Kent, England
St.Margarets |
Lee, Kent E. |
d Nov 1661 | d Dec 1653
E. Greenwich | E. Greenwich
b 6 Nov 1661 | b 22 Dec 1653
E. Greenwich | E. Greenwich
_____________________________________________________________|____________________________________
| | | | | | |
| Hannah Lanier John Lanier Susanna Lanier Nicholas Lanier Lucretia Lanier Charles Lanier
| cb 13 Feb 1629 cb 10 Jun 1633 cb 16 Jun 1633 cb 26 Mar 1635 cb 17 Jan 1638 b a 1640
| E Greenwich E Greenwich E Greenwich E Greenwich E Greenwich E Greenwich
| m 16 Nov 1665 m
|
| = Thomas Swetnam = Lucreece
| d 26 Jan 1656
|______________________________________________________________________________________
| | | | |
Robert Lanier Lyanill Lanier Frances Lanier William Lanier Elizabeth Lanier
cb 22 May 1642 cb 17 Feb 1644 cb 3 Apr 1646 cb 14 Oct 1647 b a 1649
E Greenwich E Greenwich E Greenwich E Greenwich E Greenwich
m
= Rebecca
d 1692/3 d 19 Sep 1665
Barbados W.I.
source: St. Alpege Parish, Greenwich 45493094223 G 1V27Sa;
source: Greenwich Parish Reg 1615-1637 942- 23 C 4g;
source: Will of Clement Lanier w.p. Dec 1661 P.C.C. Reg. 20 May 1662;
source: Lanier History 929.273 L 272 page 8
source: Family Group Sheet, LDS Family Group Sheet Archieves, Salt Lake Genealogy Library
|
The Laniers were Protestants whose underlying motivation to leave France was to escape the
early (Catholic) persecutions. Protestantism began in 1555, and the height of the persecutions
was reached in the massacre of St. Bartholomew on the eve of August 24, 1572. It was in 1560
that the conspiracy began. One faction hoped to enrich themselves by the estates of the
heretics who were executed, or banished. And that party thought to gain the favor of the masses
by punishing the Protestants. The estates of those who fled were sold, their children who
remained behind were exposed to the greatest sufferings. France lost thousands of useful and
rich inhabitants whose industry, wealth, and skills found a welcome reception in foreign
countries. To prevent emigration of the Protestants, the frountiers were guarded with the
utmost vigilance; yet more than 500,000 fled to England, Holland, Switzerland, and Germany.
The family of Nicholas Lanier were Huguenots who 'fled' from France to London, and there became naturalized
'Englishmen' of three generations. Nicholas Laniere was born at Rouen, France, about 1542, and
was sober and honest. He had served in the court of the late French king, Henry II, having been
engaged to serve as messenger and as a replacement for one Peter Guillaume, one of the Queen of
France's flute players, lately deceased. In 1561, the Earl of Hertford was visiting Paris, and
there met young Nicholas Laniere. Nicholas was recommended as a good flute and cornet player.
Nicholas came to England that same year and settled in the Parish of St. Olave in London.
In England Nicholas married Lucreece Bassano in London on February 13, 1571. Lucreece was
christened in London on September 24, 1556, the daughter of Anthony and Elena (DeNazzi) Bassano
who originated from Bassano del Crappa, Veneto, Italy. It is thought that Anthony Bassano was
one of the Italian musicians in the Royal Orchestra. Nicholas and Lucreece had 10 children and
their family pedigree follows:
|
Family of Nicholas Lanier and Lucreece Bassano
Nicholas Lanier(e) = Lucreece Bassano
b a 1542 | cb 24 Sep 1556
Rouen, France | London, Eng.
m 13 Feb 1571 |
London, Eng. |
d 1612 | d 4 Jan 1633
Greenwich, Kent, E. | E Greenwich, K. E.
| b 9 Jan 1633
| E Greenwich, K. E.
___________________________________________________________|______________________________
| | | | | |
| John Lanier Alphonse Lanier Innocent Lanier Katherine Lanier Mary Lanier
| b a 1565 b a 1568 b a 1573 b a 1577 b a 1580
| Camberwell Sur. ?Camberwell Sur. Greenwich K. E. Greenwich Greenwich
| m 17 Oct 1585 m m
|
| = Frances Galliardello = Amelia = Daniel Farrant
| d 5 Dec 1616 d Nov 1613 d 1625 d bef 2 Sep 1660 d 13 Oct 1676
|
|_________________________________________________________________________________________________
| | | | |
Frances Lanier Jerome Lanier Ellen Lanier Clement Lanier Andrea Lanier
b a 1583 b a 1586 b a 1590 b a 1592 b a 1594
Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich Greenwich
m 4 Feb 1618 m 20 Dec 1610 m m Mar 1628 m 23 Jun 1628
= Thomas Foxe = Phrisdiswith Grafton = Alphonce Ferrabosco = Hannah Collet = Joyce/Jane Perry
d 1 Dec 1659 d 3 Aug 1638 b 6 Nov 1661 d 2 Nov 1660
source Lanier History by Louise Ingersoll 929.273 L272s p 2-9;
source wills, birth/christianings/marriages and burials of London, St. Alphege, East Greenwich;
source Groves Dictionary of Music and Musicians;
source Transactions of Greenwich and Lewisham Antiquarian Society, 942.23 C42
Note: Jerome Lanier md (2) 10 Jan 1627 Elizabeth Williford
source Family Group Sheet, Salt Lake LDS Genealogy Library, Group Sheet Archieve, ordians complete 67 & 68.
Family of John Lanier and Frances Galliagdello
John a Musician of His Majesty and Frances Galliagdello daughter of Mark Anthony & Margerie Galliardello
John Lanier = Frances Galliagdello
b a1565 | cb 4 November 1566
Camberwell, | Holy Minories
Surry Eng. |
m 17 Oct 1585 |
Holy Minories |
d 5 Dec 1616 |
b St. Giles |
___________________________________________|________________________________
| | | | |
| Mark Anthony Lanier Nicholas Lanier Judith Lanier Mark Anthony Lanier
| cb 26 Aug 1587 cb 10 Sep 1588 cb 20 Dec 1590 b a 1592
| Holy Minories Holy Minories Holy Minories
| m m 21 Sep 1613 m
|
| = Elizabeth = Edward Norgate = Judith
| d 26 Aug 1587 d Feb 1665/6 d 1660
|__________________________________________________________________________
| | | |
John Lanier Francis Lanier Lucretia Lanier Elizabeth Lanier
b a 1594
|
The father of Nicholas Lanier, born 1542 in Rouen, France is given to be a John Lanier who
was also born in Rouen, France and who died in London, England in 1572.
|
|
