This is my working hypothesis - the way I see it as of this moment!!
    - Lawrence info from research by Joseph D Lawrence Jr - 

      Jonas W Lawrence married 3 May 1855 Virginia Ann Lee, the daughter of John Rochelle Lee and wife Mary Ann Wise Griffin Everett.
      Jonas W Lawrence grew up on his father's plantation at South Quay. Before the Civil War, in connection with 1000+ ac plantation with 100 slaves employed, he also operated a large mercantile business, a blacksmith shop, and an important wharf where steamers stopped to load and unload daily.
        This thriving plantation business was swept away as the tide of war flowed over southeast Virginia. The South Quay area was alternately in the possession of the Confederates and the Federals, sometimes being between the lines. On the north side of the Blackwater River across from South Quay there remain today breastworks built and occupied by the Confederates. This line was attacked at one time by the Federals on the South Quay side of the river. While the Confederates were not dislodged, they later moved this line leaving South Quay within the area occupied by the Federals. Once during this time, Jonas Lawrence, who had been elected Captain of the South Quay Guards, Company K of the 72 Regiment, was paying a visit to his family. While he was eating breakfast "Aunt Mittie" one of the house servants, rushed in "The Yankees are COMING down the lane!" Captain Lawrence jumped up from the table, put on his overcoat as it was in the dead of winter, strapped on his sword and rushed from the house toward the river. The Feds spotted him and pursued him hotly, firing as they rode. He leaped into the river and despite his heavy overcoat and sword, swam to the swamp on the other side. While hiding in the swamp he stumbled over a badly wounded Northern soldier.  Jonas did all he could for the man and stayed with him until he died;  then he buried him and marked the grave.
      After Capt. Lawrence's escape from the house, the Feds searched it thoroughly and, as Aunt Mittie told the story, they ran their swords through all of the mattresses making certain that no one was hiding there. They then rode off and rounded up most of the cattle, killing all they could catch. After they had butchered the cattle, they found that they had more than they could carry with them; they sent a soldier back to the house to tell the family that they could have the remaining meat.
     The tide changed again when General Lee detached Longstreet's army and sent him to try to take Suffolk which in only twenty miles north of South Quay. Longstreet's large army crossed the Blackwater River on pontoon bridges just below the South Quay landing. It was quite an event for the inhabitants who had been living behind the Federal lines. Because of the importance of the South Quay plantation as a means of providing food, horses, and mules for the Confederate Army, Capt. Lawrence turned over his commission to another man and returned to operate the plantation.
     When Longstreet withdrew from below Suffolk the tide of war again swept over South Quay; this time with devastating effect. Federal marauders swooped down over the plantation, drove off all the animals, ransacked the "Great House" and burned it to the ground. After the Feds left the family was forced to take refuge in the slave quarters that had not been destroyed by fire. Those slaves that had not already left with previous raiding parties, with a few exceptions, left with these marauders. 
   These five or six faithful men and women remained at South Quay until they died. "Uncle Seth" died in 1941 at the age of ninety. "Uncle Ned" another of the faithful Negroes, who was above average in intelligence, became interested in politics and attached himself to the Republican Party. However, he never lost his respect and loyalty to his former master. At the time of the election in which Grover Cleveland was the Democratic candidate, Capt. Lawrence was sick in bed. Uncle Ned came into his bedroom on election day and said, "Massa Cap'n, I knows you want to vote for Clevelan' but can't go to the 'lection an' since I'm a Republican I ain't gonna vote today."
     Capt. Lawrence, loyal to the South, had invested ALL of his money in Confederate bonds and currency. After the war when shipping eggs to Philadelphia he packed them with Confederate paper money. When at the war's end, Capt. Lawrence returned to his South Quay plantation all he found was his land and a few of his slave quarters. He rebuilt a smaller house on the ashes of the "Great House" and over the years built a thriving plantation. In 1875 he built a larger dwelling.
    During the postwar years, Jonas Lawrence was engaged in the turpentine business in South Carolina as well as farming his land and running a mercantile business.  Jonas W Lawrence died at his home 10 Nov 1915 at the age of 84.
He is buried at the Bethany Church near South Quay.

Children of Jonas W Lawrence and Virginia Ann Lee:
   1. William John Lawrence 6 April 1856 -  no children

        married Mary Johnston of Norfolk
        married a Reardon also of Norfolk
   2. Ann Lee Lawrence 31 Jan 1859 - dy
* 3. Thomas Jackson Lawrence 15 Jan 1861 -

         married 14 Feb 1879 Adelia Blanch Cannon of Frankford, Del
         a. Virginia Lawrence
         b. Lois Lawrence
   4. Mary Goodman Lawrence 10 July 1863 - dy
   5. Robert E Lee Lawrence 11 July 1863 - dy
   6. Cora Lawrence 11 Dec 1864 - ca 1877 age 12

* 7. Sarah [Sallie] Eliza Lawrence 22 March 1866 - 11 Sept 1942

        married 1888 Eugene Emmett Holland 22 Mar 1866 Franklin, VA - 1896
                     son of John Holland and Henrietta Lenow
         a. Lawrence Emmett Holland 4 Jan 1890 - 28 April 1969
         b. John Holland ca 1892 - ca 1896
         c. Emma Sallie Holland 24 June 1895 - 24 June 1989
                  Graduate of Euphradian Institute, Franklin and Elon College in 1914
                      taught elementary school in eastern North Carolina and Virginia
              married 1931 William Abraham Jones
                        widower of her sister Eva Virginia
* 8. Jonas Elisha Lawrence 9 Sept 1869 - 

         married 10 Nov 1893 Irene Beale of Nansemond Co, VA
          a. Helen Lawrence   never married
          b. Henry Beale Lawrence had Henry and Marion
          c. Catherine Lawrence had no children
* 9. Joseph Henry Lawrence 24 Aug 1870 - 19 May 1926 South Quay, VA
                    MD from Medical College of VA 1889