The Lawrence Family Graveyard is a private burial ground that belonged to the Lawrence family. Sited on part of the land deeded to John Lawrence (1618–1699) and his younger brother, William Lawrence (1622–1680), in 1645 by Governor Willem Keift, the cemetery was established in 1656 by Major Thomas Lawrence, who emigrated from England to New York in 1651, it became an official New York City graveyard in 1703.

The Lawrence family was very wealthy, and many members played significant roles in American history, including lieutenant governors, New York City mayoral candidates, and heroes of the Revolutionary and Civil Wars. Famous family members interred in the cemetery include Major Jonathan Lawrence, a member of the state constitutional convention; General Albert Gallatin Lawrence, a Civil War hero; Abraham Riker Lawrence, a State Supreme Court justice related to the Rikers of Rikers Island; and John L. Lawrence, the first president of the Croton Aqueduct. 

James Sheehan, now in his 90s, inherited the house and cemetery from his father-in-law in the 1960s and has dedicated over 60 years to its care. His father-in-law received the property from Ruth Lawrence, one of the last surviving direct descendants of the Lawrence family. 

The Queens Historical Society will collaborate with the City Council and Community Board 1 to assist Sheehan in preserving the property for future generations.