John Bennet Lawes was born at Rothamsted, Harpenden, Hertfordshire, on 28 December 1814, owner of the Rothamsted estate and lord of the manor of Rothamsted. His father died when he was eight years old, so he was brought up mostly by his mother Marianne. In 1842, he patented a manure formed by treating phosphates with
sulphuric acid, and thus initiated the artificial manure industry. He was elected as a member to the
American Philosophical Society in 1883. Lawes died on 31 August 1900 and Rothamsted Manor and Estates passed to his son Charles. He was buried in the churchyard of
St Nicholas Church, Harpenden with his wife Caroline (née Fountaine), who predeceased him (1822- 29 November 1895). They had two children, Caroline Lawes & Charles Bennet Lawes (3 October 1843 - 6 October 1911) Charles married Maria Amelia Rose Fountaine (related?) on 8 April 1869 at St George's Church, Hanover Square, London. He became Sir Charles Bennet Lawes-Wittewronge 2nd Bt on the death of his father in 1900 (the name Witteronge was his grandmother's maiden name) == Legacy ==