Joseph Lawrence by W. D. Ritter

was a native of North Carolina. When FRANCIS MARION came to that state to procure recruits for the patriot cause Mr. Lawrence enlisted under his command, remained and served with Marion from that time, which was early in the war up to the time when General Lincoln was transferred from South Carolina to Virginia.

Mr. Lawrence was transferred with him, and was one of his color-bearers. This brought him, in course of time, to the siege of Yorktown, which, as all know, resulted in the surrender of the entire British army. Three years before this General Lincoln had to surrender Charleston, South Carolina, to Lord Cornwallis. Washington loved and respected Lincoln, and to soothe his wounded feelings designated him to receive the sword and surrender of Lord Cornwallis on exactly the same terms that Cornwallis had exacted of him at Charleston. On this never to be forgotten occasion Mr. Lawrence wore his honored "color" with unspeakable pride. There is much difference in the detail of surrenders.

Gates at Saratoga received Bouroyne’s surrender with great privacy and delicacy of feeling; the terms exacted of Lincoln at Charleston were very humiliating. Lord Cornwallis could, our course, raise no question as to terms set by himself.

Mr. Lawrence, after the lapse of years, moved from North Carolina to White county, Indiana, and lived there several years, then removed to Greene county, Center township, bought land in section 19, township 7 north, range 3 west, as JOHN R. COMBS remembers, by whose kindness were are furnished with all these facts.

Since Mr. Combs told me this, I myself remember Mr. Lawrence very well. I can see him yet in his good old age, on horseback, wearing his excellent "camlet" cloak made in the comely style of long ago.

Our honored veteran had the distinction of being a soldier longer than any person ever lived in Greene county. He was of that size and vitality the very personification of alertness and activity so often connected with long life. His age at death was one hundred and four years. He died in 1840 and was buried one mile and a half northeast of Sylvina church. By occupation he was a farmer. He knew himself to be a relative of Captain JAMES LAWRENCE of he navy, who commanded the "Chesapeake" in her battle with the "Shannon" in the war of 1812, the man who, with dying breath, gave the order, while being carried below, "Don’t give up the ship". Here in Bloomfield is a beautiful walking cane, in possession of Mr. FRANK EDWARDS, which has made from a piece of that renowned vessel on which Perry fought, and her name, as all know, was the "Lawrence".

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Biographical Memoirs of Greene County, Ind. With Reminiscences of Pioneer Days, Illustrated (1908, B. F. Bowen & Co. Indianapolis, Indiana) Vol.1 Pg. 103-04