1777 dated Pay Order signed by Ez Williams and John Lawrence - American Revolutionary War Autograph

Handwritten pay order signed by Ezekiel Williams and John Lawrence for wages, etc. Further research needed on Williams.

John Lawrence (1719–1802) was a prominent public official in colonial and post-revolutionary Connecticut. He is best known for his long tenure as the Treasurer of the Colony (and later State) of Connecticut. Born in Boston on June 11, 1719, he was the son of Captain John Lawrence and Maryane Lawrence. He eventually settled in Hartford, where he established himself as a respected “Esquire” and dedicated civil servant.

Lawrence’s career spanned several decades of significant political transformation. During the tumultuous years of the American Revolution, he managed the region’s finances. His personal life was centered in Hartford, where he married Margaret Lawrence and raised a large family with at least twelve children. Beyond his official duties as State Treasurer, which he held from 1769 to 1789, he was deeply involved in the civic life of Connecticut’s capital. Lawrence passed away in Hartford on December 25, 1802, at the age of 83, and was interred at the Ancient Burying Ground.

Ezekiel Williams (1729–1818), often called a man of “boiling zeal” by his contemporaries, was a prominent merchant and civil servant in Wethersfield, Connecticut, during the American Revolution. Born in Lebanon to the influential Reverend Solomon Williams, he built a successful business career before dedicating his life to the Patriot cause. Before the war, he served as a captain in the colonial militia since 1761 and became the Sheriff of Hartford County in 1767. Remarkably, he held this position for over two decades through the most turbulent times of the founding era.

During the Revolutionary War, Williams played a crucial role in the state’s logistical and judicial systems rather than on the front lines. He was a key member of the Committee of the Pay Table, which managed the complex military finances of the Connecticut colony. Notably, he served as the Deputy Commissary of Prisoners, a demanding role that involved caring for and overseeing British captives held within the state. After the war, he remained a pillar of the community until his death in 1818. His legacy of tireless public service and a historic Wethersfield home that still stands as a testament to his life continue to inspire.

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