James is shown on the 1870 Michigan Census with his wife Jane (RebeccaJane) and son, Walter, born in 1867.  They were living in Detroit,Wayne County, Ward 5.  His occupation was  butcher.  Heand Rebecca Jane lived in Michigan until approximately 1879, when theymoved to Ohio where they are found living in Worthington, Richland County,Ohio on the 1880 census.  According to an entry in the family bible,Their son, JamesFranklin, was born On November 210, 1880 in Worthington,Richland County, Ohio.  Rebecca must have been pregnant when the 1880Census was taken in June or July of that year.

Sometime between 1881 and 1887, James and Rebecca divorced. It is assumed that she remained in Ohio as her aunt, Rebecca Vaughn Smith,lived on a farm adjoining the property that James and Rebecca lived on. When she died, the aunt gave Rebecca Jane "life estate" to the property.

James Franklin returned to Michigan after the divorce, and he appearson the 1900 census living in Detroit with his wife, Margaret.  Onthat census his date of birth was given as March 1842 (rather than the1 Jan 1845 he gave on his employment application to the Detroit PD) inScotland, and Margaret was shown as being born in August, 1946 in Ireland. His occupation here is butcher, same occupation given on the 1870 census. It also shown he had completed a naturalization application, and had livedin the United States for 49 years.  That would have brought him toAmerica from Scotland in 1851 when he was about 6 years old. James diedin Detroit, MI at the age of 63,from Carcinoma of the tongue.

On the 1910 census, Margaret is shown, age 57, a widow.  Sheis living with her brother-in-law, Charles W. Kempt and her sister, Catherine,age 46.

Clyde Davie, grandson of Fannie Lawson Harkness, sent Ruth Lawson Batutis a photo of James Lawson  taken in a policeman's uniform inDetroit, MI. along with a cemetery admission card for James Lawson to theElmwood Cemetery (private) in Detroit.  She sent the information tome.  I called the Detroit PD, and spoke to a Sergeant in the PersonnelDepartment.  Their records verified that he was a policeman therefrom Jan 1, 1882 to November 20, 1882 and furnished his date of birth asentered by him on their forms as 1 Jan 1845. I was also able to verifyfrom the Elmwood Cemetery card  that James Lawson and Margaret wereboth buried in that cemetery and that he died on January 4, 1908 from carcinomaof the tongue; she died on Mar 25, 1913.

Also buried in their plot was a Harriet Lawson who died Feb 8, 1875. The Michigan Death Index shows her born in Scotland and the daughter ofJames Lawson and Margaret Lawson.  Her birth year would have beenabt. 1851, possibly making her the sister of James Franklin.  Alsoburied in Elmwood, first in the same plot as James and the others and latermoved to another plot,  were William R. Lawson b. abt 1839 d. July2, 1871 and his wife, Nancy Elizabeth Hunt Lawson, b. abt. 1842, died Jan1, 1884. William is shown on the Michigan Death Index as being born inScotland to James and Margaret Lawson, abrother of James Franklin. The son of William R. and Elizabeth, Joseph G.Lawson, was b. in 1871, hedied in 1932 and I think that was about the time his parents were movedfrom the Lawson Plot to another plot where their son was buried - Lot 95,Section 8.  A daughter of Joseph might have been the Emily Knightwho together with the Undertaker, ordered the grave for Joseph G. Lawson.

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Medical Notes (Husband)
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Died in St. Mary's Hospital, Detroit Michigan.  Medical Attendant,G. M. Stafford.  Grave ordered by Louis R. Geist of Geist Bros. FuneralHome.

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General Notes (Wife)
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In the 1880 Census for Ohio, Rebecca and James Lawson are shown livingnext door to her aunt, Rebecca Smith.  Upon the death of her aunt,Rebecca Vaughn Lawson was an heir to Rebecca Smith's property, as RebeccaSmith never had any children.

A copy of the probate including a copy of the will and record ofall payments, etc. was furnished to me by Alva L. Van Houten, Rockford,Illinois. Probate of Rebecca (Vaughn) Smith from Richland County, Oh. Probate court Records.   Rebecca Smith's will reads as follows:

Feb 21, 1901, Worthington Township, Richland County, Ohio Last Willand Testament of Mrs. Rebecca Smith, this revokes all former wills by me.

Item 1.....it is my will that all of my past debts be settled firstand a small marble slab be erected to my remains with the name of Rebeccathereon not to exceed ($5.00) five dollars.

Item 2. It is my will that after all of my ,,, debts and cost ofadministration have been paid that one Rebecca Jane Lawson nee Vaughn shallhave all of my personal Estate and all of my Real Estate during her naturallife subject to taxes and repairs.

Item 3.  After the death of the above names Rebecca Jane Lawsonnee Vaughn, then what is left to be divided as follows.  Irene Fountainto have the first ($50.00) fifty dollars the rest to be evenally dividedbetween the .............. Vanscoyoc Hannah Russells heirs ..........inthis estate Rachel Gilbreath it is my will and I appoint Jonithen Kramerto act as my administrator.  Signed, sealed and acknowledged in ourpresents....

Alfred Utterback            Rebecca Smith
Joseph Stull                   Alfred Utterbach