South Carolina Botanists: 

 Biography and BibHography 



By Wilson Gee 



JOHN LAWSON 



Probably the earliest attempt to catalog the plants of 

 the Carolinas is that of John Lawson in the year 1700. 

 While chiefly a historian, for the merging of natural his- 

 tory in such large proportions into his description of the 

 province, he deserves mention among the early botanists, 

 who "attracted by the charms of our fair land, were con- 

 tent to dwell in its midst," at least long enough to be- 

 come familiar with a part of its wonderful resources. 



John Lawson, historian, was born in Scotland. He 

 came to this country as surveyor general of North Caro- 

 lina and began his surveys in 1700, but fell a victim to 

 the jealousy of the Tuscarora Indians, who confused the 

 surveyor of their territory with those that had despoiled 

 them of it. He was captured while exploring North Car- 

 olina in 1712, in company with a Swiss named Graffen- 

 reid. The latter was allowed to purchase his freedom, 

 but Lawson was put to death in a most cruel manner. 



He was the author of one of the most valuable and 

 thoroughly interesting of our early histories of the Caro- 



