- HON. WILLIAM A. LAWRENCE, an early settler and prominent
business man of Janesville,
- Wis., was born in Perkinsville, Windsor Co., Vt., on the
26th day of March, 1822. His parents were Jonathan and Betsey
(MARTIN) LAWRENCE. His father was descended from Puritan ancestry,
and was born in Ashby, Mass., Jan. 17, 1792. The LAWRENCE family
in America is descended from John Lawrence, who was born at Wisset,
England, in October, 1608, and emigrated from England to America
in 1632, twelve years after the advent of the Puritans on these
shores. He settled at what is now Watertown, Mass., and his
descendants have since scattered throughout the United States.
Abbott LAWRENCE, when Minister to England, searched for the
ancestry of the family, and traced the family line back to the
time of the Crusaders, among whom was Sir Robert LAWRENCE, who
was knighted by great King Richard, known as Richard Coeur de
Lion. The subject of this sketch, however, is content to ignore
the history of the family in the old world, and trace his genealogy
by certain well established from his earliest ancestor in America.
His particular branch of the family is descended in the following
described order: Nathaniel, son of John LAWRENCE, was born in
October, 1639; John, son of Nathiel, was born July 29, 1667;
Jonathan, son of John, was born Feb. 13, 1706; his son, the
second Jonathan, was born in 1733; Jonathan, the third of that
name, was born at Ashby, Mass., in 1758, while his son Jonathan,
the fourth, the father of the subject of this sketch, was born
in 1792.
- The subject of this sketch received his early education at
the district schools, which was
- supplemented by one term at an academy. From the age of
fifteen to twenty-two years he was employed in a general store
at Springfield, Vt., and in his native town. In June, 1844,
his father came to Wisconsin and located on a farm in Dane County,
and the following October, William A., accompanied by his mother
and sister, also came to this State. After a year spent as a
merchant's clerk in Janesville, he embarked in business for himself
with Luke Stoughton, and soon afterwad they were joined by John
D. CHAMBERS, the firm name then becoming Stoughton, LAWRENCE
& Co. In addition to their business at Janesville, they
opened a branch store Cooksville, Rock County, which was conducted
by Mr. CHAMBERS. Mr. LAWRENCE continued his connection with
these gentlemen until 1847, when they disolved partnership, and
he entered into a similar business relation Volney ATWOOD, and
Elihu H. STRONG, under the firm name of LAWRENCE, STRONG &
Co., dealers in general merchandise. In 1852 Mr. STRONG withdrew,
and the business was continued under the firm name of LAWRENCE
& ATWOOD, the firm yet being in existence, covering a period
of thirty-seven years. In the meantime they have been engaged
in various enterprises both mercantile and manufacturing, some
of which have proved successful, others the reverse.
- In 1851 Mr. LAWRENCE helped to organize the "Rock River
Valley Union Railway Company,
- which has since become the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad,
of which company he was a director and Secretary. In 1855 he
aided in the organization of the Central Bank of Wisconsin, of
which he was cashier one year and director until 1859. In 1874
he joined other citizens of Janesville in the organization of
the Janesville Cotton Manufacturing Company, of which he was
elected a member of the Board of Directors, and was chosen Secretary.
Two years later he was elected President, serving in that acpacity
until 1886 when the company was re-organized, and as the old
company has not yet ceased to exist, he is nominally its President.
In 1859 the firm of LAWRENCE & ATWOOD added coal, lime and
cement to their other lines of business, and have carried on
the trade for many years, and since the same year have engaged
in the stove, tin and hardware business. In 1879 the firm formed
a partnership E. W. LOWELL in the hardware business on Milwaukee
street, and soon afterward took Fenner KIMBALL into the business,
selling out to the latter gentleman in 1883. Mr. LAWRENCE was
one of the organizers and a member of the first Board of Directors
of the Wisconsin Shoe Company, which was organized Feb. 5, 1878.
This proved to be one of the important manufacturing industries
of the city. He was also connected the former company, from
which this sprang, and which was established in 1874. He was
President of the new company until February, 1887. The latter
company ceased to do business in 1888. In 1879 Mr. LAWRENCE
and his partner Mr. ATWOOD, engaged in the manufacture of woolen
goods and machine knitting, carrying on the industry until 1885.
They also established a hardware business on Milwaukee street,
which was operated by W. S. BENNETT, and is now the property
of METCALF & GOWDY. From 1882 until 1887 he was connected
with Charles ATWOOD, as dealers in lime, coal and building materials.
Mr. LAWRENCE was one of the projectors of the Janesville Mutual
Life Insurance Company, established in 1858, of which he was
a director, but sold out at the end of a year, after gotten the
business well under way. The company was changed to the Northwestern
Mutual Insurance Company, was later moved to Milwaukee, and is
now one of the great insurance companies of the West. In 1881
he helped to organize the Janesville Machine Company, of which
he was a director until 1886, and which is one of the successful
manufacturing industries of the city.
- Mr. LAWRENCE is a Prohibitionist in politics, and has held
various official positions of honor
- and trust. In 1847 he was elected Town Clerk, and the same
year was chosen County Treasurer, was re-elected, serving three
years as principal and one as deputy. In 1851 he was elected
to the General Assembly as a Whig, and was defeated for the same
office the following year by only fifteen votes, when there was
1,200 average majority in the district for the opposite party.
He served as a delegate to the last National Whig Convention,
where Scott and Graham were nominated for the Presidency and
Vice Presidency, helped to organize the Republican party in Wisconsin
in 1854, and in 1858 was elected Mayor of Janesville. In the
fall of 1861 he was elected to the State Senate, was re-elected,
and served from 1862 until 1866, inclusive. After the celebrated
so-called "Salary Grab," he joined the opposition and
helped defeat Senator Carpenter for a second term in the United
States Senate. He was an independent candidate for the State
Senate in 1874, but was defeated. In 1866 he was elected a member
of the Janesville Board of Education, and served as a member
of that body until 1874, being President of the Board for four
years. Of late years he was affiliated with the Prohibition
party.
- On the 17th day of March, 1847, in the town of Bradford,
Rock County, Mr. LAWRENCE
- was united in marriage with Miss Martha Jane ALLEN, a daughter
of Harvey ALLEN, Esq. Two children were born of their union:
Frank A., born Nov. 30, 1847, wedded Miss Mary HELLER, and was
associated with his father in business until his death, which
occurred June 12, 1884; Mary Estella died in 1860 at the age
of four years, and the mother departed this life in September,
1860. Mr. LAWRENCE was again married May 3, 1865, at Madison,
Wis., his second union being with Mrs. Sarah K. ROYS, widow of
the Hon. Samuel H. ROYS, and a daughter of Eleazer EMERSON.
Mrs. LAWRENCE was born in Warner, N. H., and had three children
by her former marriage: Wellington, the eldest, died in childhood;
Rufus H. married Miss Kate LOVELAND, of East Saginaw, Mich.;
Nancy Lois is the wife of Malcom G. JEFFRIES, of Janesville.
- Mr. LAWRENCE has been prominently identified with the more
important business enterprises
- that have led to the improvement and development of Janesville
as a manufacturing and commercial city. Liberality and public
spirit have marked his course from the earliest day in her history
to the present. That he has not been more successful in retaining
a larger share of the legitimate results of his enterprise and
energy, is more his misfortune than his fault. He has always
been noted for his generosity to those in trouble, and many a
young man has reason to remember with gratitude the kindly sympathy
and substantial aid of William A. LAWRENCE, when disaster and
difficulties threatened to overwhelm him. In all these years
of residence in Janesville, Mr. LAWRENCE has maintained and enjoyed
the fullest respect, confidence and esteem of his fellow citizens.
-
- Taken from "The Portrait and Biographical Album of
Rock County, Wis." (c)1889, pp. 285-287.
-
- Courtesy of Carol
- Transcribed by Bill
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