Lawrence Southwick
Encyclopedia
Lawrence Southwick was an early immigrant to the American colonies and a devout Quaker (member of the Religious Society of Friends), who was persecuted for his beliefs.
Southwick was born about 1600 in England
. Not much is known about his origin.
He married Cassandra Burnell (see Cassandra Burnell Southwick
) on January 25, 1623/4 in Staffordshire, England. They migrated to America around 1637-1639 with four of their six children. They settled in Salem, Massachusetts
. They were continually persecuted by the Puritans and eventually escaped to Shelter Island
, New York
.
In 1657 the Southwicks were put in jail for hosting two visiting Quaker preachers, John Copeland
and Christopher Holder
. Lawrence Southwick was found to be a member of the First Church of Salem and was released to be dealt with by the leaders of that church. Cassandra remained in jail for seven weeks and was fined forty shillings for possessing a paper written by their two visitors. The paper was considered heretical by Governor John Endicott and others.
In 1658 the Southwicks and their son Josiah were put in jail for twenty weeks for being Quakers.
In 1659, two of the Southwick children, a daughter named Provided and a son named Daniel, were sentenced to be sold as slaves in the Barbadoes for unpaid fines—fines related to their being Quakers. The sentence was not carried out, however. The entire family went to Shelter Island, New York together.
The story of the Southwick children is told dramatically—though not completely accurately—in a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
entitled "Cassandra Southwick." He used the mother's name in place of the daughter's and did not mention the son at all. Nevertheless, his poem preserves for posterity a bit of the history of persecution by the Puritans in Massachusetts.
In 1660 Lawrence and his wife Cassandra died within three days of each other on Shelter Island.
They have thousands of living descendants in the United States
today. Among their descendants were Winston Churchill
, Richard Nixon
, and Lyndon LaRouche
.
Southwick was born about 1600 in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Not much is known about his origin.
He married Cassandra Burnell (see Cassandra Burnell Southwick
Cassandra Burnell Southwick
Cassandra Burnell Southwick was an early immigrant to the American colonies and a devout Quaker , who was persecuted for her beliefs....
) on January 25, 1623/4 in Staffordshire, England. They migrated to America around 1637-1639 with four of their six children. They settled in Salem, Massachusetts
Salem, Massachusetts
Salem is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 40,407 at the 2000 census. It and Lawrence are the county seats of Essex County...
. They were continually persecuted by the Puritans and eventually escaped to Shelter Island
Shelter Island (town), New York
Shelter Island is a town and island at the eastern end of Long Island in the U.S. state of New York. It forms the tip of Suffolk County and is separated from the rest of the county by water. The population was 2,228 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
.
In 1657 the Southwicks were put in jail for hosting two visiting Quaker preachers, John Copeland
John Copeland
John Copeland is a retired American football defensive end who played for the Cincinnati Bengals in the National Football League....
and Christopher Holder
Christopher Holder
Christopher Holder was an Anglo-American Quaker minister who was persecuted in the Massachusetts Bay Colony for his beliefs.-Early life:...
. Lawrence Southwick was found to be a member of the First Church of Salem and was released to be dealt with by the leaders of that church. Cassandra remained in jail for seven weeks and was fined forty shillings for possessing a paper written by their two visitors. The paper was considered heretical by Governor John Endicott and others.
In 1658 the Southwicks and their son Josiah were put in jail for twenty weeks for being Quakers.
In 1659, two of the Southwick children, a daughter named Provided and a son named Daniel, were sentenced to be sold as slaves in the Barbadoes for unpaid fines—fines related to their being Quakers. The sentence was not carried out, however. The entire family went to Shelter Island, New York together.
The story of the Southwick children is told dramatically—though not completely accurately—in a poem by John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier
John Greenleaf Whittier was an influential American Quaker poet and ardent advocate of the abolition of slavery in the United States. He is usually listed as one of the Fireside Poets...
entitled "Cassandra Southwick." He used the mother's name in place of the daughter's and did not mention the son at all. Nevertheless, his poem preserves for posterity a bit of the history of persecution by the Puritans in Massachusetts.
In 1660 Lawrence and his wife Cassandra died within three days of each other on Shelter Island.
They have thousands of living descendants in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
today. Among their descendants were Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
, and Lyndon LaRouche
Lyndon LaRouche
Lyndon Hermyle LaRouche, Jr. is an American political activist and founder of a network of political committees, parties, and publications known collectively as the LaRouche movement...
.
Resources
- The American Genealogist, 71:193, 1996.
- Savage, James, Dictionary of the First Settlers of New England, vol. IV, p. 91.
- Southwick, Neal S., The English Ancestry and American Posterity of Joseph Southwick 1703-1980.