E. J. Lawrence Obituary
FAIRFIELD JOURNAL Dec 6 1918.
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Hon. E. J. Lawrence
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Hon. E. J. Lawrence passed away at his home on Lawrence avenue Wednesday morning at about 9.30 o'clock after a short illness. Mr. Lawrence had been in poor health for some time but his heath came as a great shock to the community.
Mr. Lawrence was born at Fairfield Center, January 1. 1833, the son of James and Annie (Lauder) Lawrence, and received his education in the public schools of this town. He began his career, which has been an enviable one as a bookkeeper for the firm of Wing and Bates, lumber dealers at Gardiner, Maine. Later, Mr. Lawrence became a Member of the firm with a third Interest and located at Shawmut, Maine. Various changes occurred from time to time in the personnel of the company until it became the firm of Lawrence, Newhall & Page, and as such it remained until the business was sold to the present Shawmut Manufacturing Company.
During Mr. Lawrence's business career, he was president of the Waterville Trust Company, and the Portland and Brunswick Electric Railroad Company. In politics Mr. Lawrence was a Democrat and in 1877 he was representative to the state legislature from his district.
Mr. Lawrence has been very generous in public and private benevolences. In 1900 he presented to the town of Fairfield the Lawrence Free library, together with many thousands of well selected books. In 1907 he gave to the town the Lawrence high school building, a magnificent structure, costing $70,000. The architecture, equipment and grounds of both of these buildings are superb, and they stand as lasting memorials of the generosity of this esteemed citizen who was so deeply interested in the welfare of his native town.
Mr. Lawrence was extremely popular and influential in Fairfield, in which he has taken so substantial an interest. He has always stood ready to contribute to every project and movement for welfare and improvement of the town. A man of highest integrity, firm in character, strong in purpose, energetic and enterprising, sagacious and prudent in business, he stood among the foremost ranks of business men, not only in his own county but in the State.
Mr. Lawrence was twice married, his first wife being Miss Sara Garrish of Portland and after her death he was married again, in 1868 to Miss Hannah Miller Shaw, who passed away in 1914. Mr. Lawrence is survived by two daughters, Miss Addie Lawrence and Mrs. Walter Daub, and two granddaughters, Mary Lawrence Daub and Anna Miller Daub. The funeral was held at his late home on Lawrence avenue Saturday afternoon at 2 o'clock, Rev. F.E. Barton of Rockland, Mass., formerly pastor of the Universalist church of this town officiating. The bearers were Dr. W. S. Miller, Gardiner Savage, Frank Savage and Harry Holmes.