Tradition 6: Was there relationship between Lawellins and Lewellings
"... The family (descendants of Ben jamin Lawellin) has among its ancestors, ex-Governor (Lorenzo Dow) Lewelling of Kansas ... "[1].
In pursuit of tradition: 6
Of course, Lorenzo Dow Lewelling was not an "ancestor" of Benjamin Lawellin, since Benjamin was 50 years older than the former governor. However, if we substitute "relatives" for "ancestors" the newspaper statement might possibly be true.
Benjamin Lawellin(ca.1796-1866) was a son of Meshach Lewellen (Lawallin) (ca.1762-ca.1832) ap.d a grandson of Shadrach Lewelin (? ca.1785) of Loudoun County, Virginia. Lorenzo Dow Lewelling (1846-1900), who served as 12th Governor of Kansas from 1893 to 1895, was a son of William Lewelling (1817-1847) and grandson of Meshach Lewelling (1787-1840) and great grandson of William Lewelling, who died 1798-99 in Randolph County, North Carolina.
Benjamin Lawellin was born in Kentucky and with his parents migrated to Ohio about 1804, and from there went to Indiana where his father was on the list of 1809 voters in Wayne County. From Indiana, Benjamin Lawellin went to Anderson County, Kansas, in 1857.
William Lewelling, who may have gone into Randolph County (where his will was probated in 1799) from Guilford and Anson Counties, also had a son named Meshach. This Meshach, who probably was William's youngest son, also migrated to Indiana about 1824, stopping in Henry County. His son, William, born in Randolph County, North Carolina, went from Henry County, Indiana, to Henry County, Iowa, where Lorenzo Dow Lewelling was born.
In reviewing the descent of Benjamin Lawellin and of Lorenzo Dow Lewelling, one comes to the conclusion that if any relationship existed between these two men, it had to be in the generations of Shadrach in Loudoun County, Virginia, and William in Randolph County, North Carolina, or earlier.
If statements cited in Tradition 4 and now in Tradition 6 are correct, then William Lewelling could have been a son or brother of Shadrach Lewelin. In addition to his son named Meshach, William Lewelling also had a son named Shadrach (ca.1785- ca.1840), as well as sons by other more traditional names.
[Benjamin Lawellin of this tradition was the editor's[2] great great grandfather. To the best of our knowledge, this family has no traditions within its oral history which have been passed from generation to generation, and it was quite a surprise when we came across the clipping used as Tradition: 6. Over the years, it has taken much persuasion to convince Lawellin family members that the surname "Lawellin" had some connection with the traditional "Llewellyn," as well as with other variations of the spelling. The fact that about 80 years ago someone connected "Lawellin" with "Lewelling" seems quite remarkable, and may have some significance in our search for common ancestors.]
Source: Llewellyn Traces, Vol. 2, No. 2, June 1990