At high noon on July 27, 2024, I John Presco found proof, Denny Lawhern oppressed my posts on the Belmont Historical Society, and, he wanted me to go away – AND DIE! But more than that – he wanted to UPROOT my family DNA from Belmont – even more than he had!
I did not hear from Lawhern because he was scouring my blog to find evidence I was not related to Carl Janke. Not once did he or Cynthia McCarthy comment on the photographs in the Stuttmeister-Janke crypt of me introducing my daughter and newborn grandson – TO THEIR ROOTS. Any genealogist would have been thrilled to help me with MY RESEARH of my family tree, accept the co-founder of the Belmont Historical Society. The really BIG QUESTION, is, Did Denny research Doris Vannier’s FAMILY TREE – and find me? The next BIG QUESTION, is, did Denny find my DNA Battle with Ian Sinclair? I think he did. Then, he looked at the star of his DNA,
THOMAS DOGGETT
Good Ol Mr. Doggett will be famous – when the dust settles. I have already placed him amongst the BIG BOYS! What – is the fate of Denny Lawhurn who can be titled
THE GREATEST USURPER OF ALL TIME!
I can not be blamed! It’s, just…..Chinatown, JA(N)KE!
John Presco
President: Royal Rosamond Press
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/237451467/densel-lynn-lawhern
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Denny remarked that through his research about his relative, Thomas Doggett, that “(He) never met the gentleman, but (he) ‘talked’ to him through all of the documentation.” Denny says he “…can visualize him.”
To put down “roots” in another manner, Denny became the family genealogist and historian, compiling a massive family tree. He did original research around the country, united two branches of his Lawhern tree that had lost each other a few generations ago, and even travelled to Britain to accomplish some research there. He traced his Lawhern line back to an orphan in London who was indentured to a sailing ship as a teenager, eventually putting down “roots” in Virginia before the year 1700.
Denny feels that his strong drive for volunteerism and community service, as well as his love and passion for craftsmen work, has been passed down from his 17th century relative Thomas Doggett- who was a farmer, a family man and wore many hats in service to his community.
Ian Sinclair and I belonged to a Knights Templar yahoogroup where he worked hard to get me banned. He claimed a wheel had come off my cart. Above is a photo of Ian with Star Dove who drove around America blessing Masonic sites. Did this tiny woman bless Benton family? I do not see any copyrights on this material. Let me know if you object to me posting this Magical Mystery Tour.
Sinclairs Keep Attacking Me
Posted on August 30, 2013by Royal Rosamond Press
Above are photos of Ian Sinclair who worked hard for his clan to get me and another skeptic evicted from a Knight Templar yahoogroup. He did not like my posts that showed a bevy of real Knight Templars with the name de Rougemont, the speculative source of my family name Rosamond. Other researchers have pointed out the Sinclair family has no connection to any Knight Templar, but for the fact they helped persecute them.
BIRTH12 Apr 1940
Los Angeles County, California, USADEATH8 Mar 2022 (aged 81)
Belmont, San Mateo County, California, USABURIAL
San Mateo, San Mateo County, California, USAAdd to MapMEMORIAL ID237451467 · View Source
Densel Lynn Lawhern, known to all as Denny, was a man who turned a troubled childhood into the source of a deep inner strength for the benefit of others. He was a strong optimist who tried to look for the blessings in each day, and not pass up a chance to love others. His bright smile was infectious, and his heart was genuinely kind. His door was always opened to those who needed a place to stay, including foster children, international students, a younger sister and her family, his aged father, and many others who depended on him. One rarely meets a man so compassionate and giving of himself. He labored tirelessly for not just his family, but also for his community.
Denny was born in Los Angeles on April 12, 1940, just days after Nazi Germany invaded Denmark and Norway. His parents were “Pat” Lawhern and Abby Summers, who separated before he was born, so he grew up with various family members and partly under foster care. He moved around from Los Angeles to Henderson, Nevada, to San Bernardino, California, then to the Delhi/Turlock/Merced region, as well as to Palo Alto, and his frequent moves left him with a deep longing for “roots.” He would spend his lifetime dedicated to growing “roots” ever deeper for his family, and in his community.
In 1957, as a 17-year-old Junior in high school, Densel joined the US Air Force and served his country at George Air Force Base, Victorville, California, where he completed high school at night. Then he went on to be stationed in Anchorage, Alaska. He was in the regular Air Force for four years, and in the reserves for two. He was a patriot of his country all his life, and a strong supporter of our troops.
On November 10, 1962, Densel married Toni Lee Lowe in Turlock, California, where he was working as an auto mechanic for Farish-Herzog Pontiac. A few years later, they moved to Belmont, California, to raise their family. Both became active members of their community, soon buying a home. Denny started work as an auto technician at Superior Body Shop in San Carlos, retiring 58 years later as a Manager/Estimator. In support of his work there, he received an Associate of Arts degree in Automotive Technology/Management from College of San Mateo, in 1982.
Denny earned his Private Pilot’s license in the 1970’s, and enjoyed flying for many years, with his wife as his co-pilot. One of his avid hobbies was studying aviation history.
As Denny set down his “roots” in Belmont, he did it with all his might. He served 12 years on the Belmont Planning Commission, where he helped direct some of Belmont’s largest projects, including Island Park, San Juan Hill Plan, Western Hills Plan and the Downtown Plan. He was the President of the Sterling Downs Neighborhood Association, Vice-President of the Nesbit School PTA, a member of the Ralston and Harbor Grade Separation Task Force, the Emmett Store Preservation Committee, the Twin Pines Bond Committee, chairperson of the Historical Buildings Review Task Force, a member of the Belmont School Facilities Committee, and of the Heritage Tree Committee. He also was a Boy Scout leader and volunteered with the YMCA and the Red Cross. For twenty years he served as Santa Claus for the fire department. In 1997 he received The Belmont Chamber of Commerce William Chapman Ralston Award for his outstanding community service.
In 1987 Denny was a founding member of the Belmont Historical Society. For 37 years Denny served as the City Historian and for 14 years was President of the Board of Directors. He was Curator of the Belmont History Room at The Manor House, 10 Twin Pines Lane. The society has helped to establish many of the city’s buildings as historical landmarks. He worked diligently in a volunteer capacity to collect, catalog, archive, digitize, meticulously organize and display the history of his beloved city, scouring old newspapers and estate sales for source material and artifacts. He uncovered a wealth of information on local history, became an oft-quoted resource, and spoke frequently to citizen groups, schools, scouting clubs, and senior care facilities around the area, using several 30-minute slide shows that he created. He would bring with him historical objects that he encouraged people to hold in their hands and “feel” the history, and he operated the museum with this interactivity goal as well. His desire was to help others find their “roots” in Belmont, just as he had. For his work Denny received the 2019 Community Service Award from the city.
To put down “roots” in another manner, Denny became the family genealogist and historian, compiling a massive family tree. He did original research around the country, united two branches of his Lawhern tree that had lost each other a few generations ago, and even travelled to Britain to accomplish some research there. He traced his Lawhern line back to an orphan in London who was indentured to a sailing ship as a teenager, eventually putting down “roots” in Virginia before the year 1700.
In his free time, Denny extensively travelled the backroads of California and the West Coast to take nature hikes, photograph the area, and visit small museums. One of his favorite places to visit was Yosemite, where he took many stunning photographs over the years. He owned an RV and travelled the USA in the company of his sister Abbie after the untimely death of his wife. One long driving trip was to Alaska, and two times they travelled all the way around the US, visiting distant cousins, family history sites, and most of our National Parks.
On these trips, Denny developed his skills as an outstanding photographer. A show of his wildlife photography from Alaska was mounted in August, 2009, by the Belmont Arts Council at Twin Pines Park. If was named “Denny Gone Wild.”
Denny lovingly cared for his home in Belmont for 55 years. In recent years he worked diligently to make it energy efficient, and carefully renovated and cultivated his yards to make them an oasis for his family’s enjoyment. Throughout his life he loved using his home for family reunions and gatherings, and one of his greatest joys was to have as many family members at his extended dining table as possible. He even created a special art room for younger members of the family to come play in.
Denny was a survivor against many medical hardships, including a heart attack and surgery, kidney cancer and skin cancer. He worked hard in his later years to constantly improve his diet and exercise. However, time took its toll, and Denny passed away at his home on March 8, 2022, after a life well-lived. He was interred at Skylawn Cemetery, Half-Moon Bay, alongside the ashes of Toni, his beloved and painfully missed wife of 43 years, who preceded him in death in 2006.
Densel Lawhern was also preceded in death by brothers Ernest, Dow, and Arthur Lawhern, Don Creamer and Paul Smith, and their wives. He is survived by his brother Richard (Maren) Lawhern and his daughter Helene (Paul) Kocher; sister Glenda (David) Laird and their daughter Michelle (Ryan) Dudley; sister Abbie (Richard Vaught) Hull and her son Matt (Veronica) Hull, and their daughter Melissa Vaught; daughter Toni Lynn (Michael) Charlesworth; foster son Dwight (Valerie) Pedersen and their daughter Madison; and son Jason Lawhern, as well as his Lawhern cousins. Particularly close to Denny were Abbie’s children Melissa and Matt, and his daughters Camila and Viviana, who Denny considered his grandchildren, along with Dwight’s daughter Madison. His niece Helene and her children Sophie and Eric were also very close. Denny was Uncle to 17 nieces and nephews, and their many children and grandchildren. He will be sorely missed and long remembered by his family, and the thousands of volunteers and citizens of the city of Belmont that he interacted with and faithfully served.
Indentured Servant from 1600’s England
The following was written by Rebekah Jackson after interviewing her friend Denny Lawhern about his own investigation into his family history. It focuses on Denny’s 8th Great Grandfather, (1607 – 1692), Thomas Doggett who came to the colonies in 1637.
PART I-
Thomas Doggett was born in Wendover, Buckinghamshire England July 4th 1607. In May 1637 at age 30, Thomas Doggett sailed aboard the ship the “Mary Anne” with William Goose as Master. Thomas came as an indentured servant to Thomas Oliver, a Calinder (English title), age 36, of Norwich.
The Mary Anne sailed out of the little Village of Norwich on the East coast of England On May 1635 arriving in Boston, Massachusetts, June 20, 1637.
Thomas settled in the American Colonies in the area of Concord with the Thomas Oliver family. Thomas Doggett serviced off his indentured obligations for Thomas Oliver for about a year.
Thomas Doggett continued to live in the Concord, MA area and met his first wife there. They had one child, John Doggett, born 1642 in Concord. However, tragically Thomas’s first wife died in childbirth.
Thomas Doggett and his first son John Doggett would then move to the Weymouth, MA area where Thomas would meet his second wife, the widow Elizabeth Fry (maiden name Humphrey) and her two children, both girls. They were married in Weymouth, MA. Thomas and Elizabeth would have one child together, Samuel Doggett, born 1652 in Weymouth, Ma. Tragically, Thomas Doggett’s second wife Elizabeth would also die in childbirth, leaving Thomas Doggett a widow with four children- his two boys, John and Samuel, and the two girls from his first marriage.
In 1653 Thomas Doggett at age 45, and with four young children, would move to Marshfield, Ma. There he would meet the widow Joan Chillingsworth (maiden name Hampton) and her two children and they were married May 17 1654. They would have four children together: Rebecca, Jemima, Patience and Martha, bringing the total to ten children between the two of them.
Thomas Doggett would purchase a 120- acre farm in 1659 in Marshfield to help support the big family. He was a master craftsman of all trades and could build or fix anything. Thomas was also very active in the little village of Marshfield serving as the town Constable, Surveyor, Selectman, Grand juryman, Coroners Jury and Tax collector.
-Thomas and Joan had a good 30 years farming and raising their families together. Joan passed away on Sept 4th, 1684 in Marshfield Ma at the age of 68. Thomas Doggett would live to the age of 85, passing away in Marshfield, Ma. They are both buried in the Winslow Cemetery, in Marshfield, MA.
When Thomas Doggett immigrated to the colonies over 400 years ago he probably could never have imagined that his “family” tree would grow to over 15,000 relatives today.
PART II-
Interview Commentary by descendant, Denny Lawhern:
My friend, Denny began researching his family tree over ten years ago and discovered Thomas Doggett and his journey to the British Colonies- being the earliest relative he found to be an immigrant to what would become the USA. Denny utilized Ancestry.com and through submitting a DNA sample would learn of a multitude of relatives- many of whom he would interview for the creation of his family tree. He also located several documents pertaining to his relative Thomas Doggett and visited the town of Marshfield, MA in 2017 to research his relative.
Denny remarked that through his research about his relative, Thomas Doggett, that “(He) never met the gentleman, but (he) ‘talked’ to him through all of the documentation.” Denny says he “…can visualize him.”
Denny learned that in Thomas’s day it was common for a widower to marry a widow- a young woman’s family might not find a widower, especially with children, a suitable match for their young daughter. It was typical to blend the families of widower and widow with the widower “adopting” the children of the widow and continuing to care for them as family even if their mother passed away.
Thomas’s Indenturor, Calinder Thomas Oliver was married twice and lost both wives to charges of “witchery” in Massachusetts. They were shockingly both burned at the stake.
Denny also located Thomas’s actual Will- the distribution of his worldly goods that included land, animals, furniture, clothing, items made of pewter, brass and iron, farming items and books.
The Will.
Of note is that Thomas’s third wife, Joan Chillingsworth’s first husband and his father were co-founders of the town of Marshfield, MA along with a few other families. In Thomas’s day there were about 50 families in the area, and it is not far from Plymouth, MA where the pilgrims landed.
Thomas’s grave at the Winslow Cemetery is marked by a large boulder- Denny has a photo. The burial grounds have several boulders, approximately 20-30. Of note is that Daniel Webster, of Webster’s Dictionary fame, is buried in the same cemetery.
Denny visited the town of Marshfield in 2017 and viewed documents pertaining to Thomas Doggett at the Town Center- the documents are housed in a vault. He has copies of several documents and includes here a drawing of the ship the “Mary Anne” that brought Thomas to the colonies, his Will and the present-day Marshfield, MA town sign.
Denny feels that his strong drive for volunteerism and community service, as well as his love and passion for craftsmen work, has been passed down from his 17th century relative Thomas Doggett- who was a farmer, a family man and wore many hats in service to his community.
Reflection from Rebekah:
What changed for me was realizing that every person’s journey as an immigrant is both unique to that person and yet similar to others taking the same leap at the same time in history. Their reasons could be opportunity, escape, religious, political, economic, safety, persecution, both legal and illegal rationales, etc., and these reasons don’t seem to change over history nor geography. I could see the inter-connectedness with the past and how globalization includes emigration/immigration both spatially and over time on our planet encompassing the present day and into the future. No matter how government and political entities might try, you can’t stop people moving from area to area, from region to region- it is a global force unto itself.
This interview and narrative were written by Rebekah Jackson, a student at Foothill College.
Rosamond Press 
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