Submitted by June Leto -
The story that was told to me about James Lawson and Eliza Simpkins:
There was an Indian girl, her father was Raven Feather. Raven Feather had kidnapped a young boy by the last name of Preston (unsure of his first name possible John) and raised him as his own son. After they were grown,Preston and the Indian girl fell in love and they went to Raven Feather to ask permission to marry and he said no because he had raised young Preston as his son and she was his daughter. So, Preston and the Indian girl ran away and went to the white settlement, and were married. The Indian girl took the name Eliza Simpkins when she came to the white settlement.
Preston, along with some other men, went for salt, and Preston was killed by Indians. Eliza was pregnant with child by Preston . She then met and married James Lawson and the child took James Lawson's name.
This was told by my Grandfather, Asa Blair Lawson, who would have been the grandson of James Lawson, son of Travis Lawson. Also told, was that the older Lawson (the first one to settle there, Travis Lawson, father of James) did have much land, 10 mile square, that would be Maytown, Kentucky.
Note: My grandmother ( Lourain Strong, wife of Asa Blair Lawson) wrote in her daughters bible in 1960/1970, Travis Lawson son of James Lawson and Eliza Simpkins.
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