Early Life and Family Background Alfred Newbold Lawrence was born into a branch of the Lawrence family with longstanding ties to New York commerce and Long Island property. His mother was of the Newbold family, a name repeated across Lawrence descendants, and his marriage to Elizabeth Lawrence continued the custom of family intermarriages.

Career and Business Interests Lawrence was a dry goods merchant and wholesale chemist, occupations in keeping with the mercantile interests of the Lawrence family in nineteenth-century New York. His business activity placed him among the prosperous urban professional class whose members often sought summer retreats away from the city.

Development of Lawrence, Long Island In the 1850s, Alfred and his brother Newbold Lawrence began acquiring land on the south shore of Long Island to create an exclusive summer resort colony for affluent New Yorkers. Their efforts led to the development of the community that would become the town of Lawrence, one of the “Five Towns.” The Lawrence brothers built the train station at Lawrence Avenue to facilitate travel from New York City, and the area rapidly became a fashionable retreat.

Notable Incident The family’s summer properties were subject to the hazards of unoccupied seasonal residences. A contemporary report noted that the country homes of Alfred and his brother Newbold at Far Rockaway were burglarized, with bedding and furniture stolen. Entry was made through a second-story window in one house and by removal of a panel in the back door of the other. As both houses stood close together and were empty except in summer, the thefts were believed to have been committed at the same time.

Death Alfred Newbold Lawrence died in 1884. His widow, Elizabeth, died the same year.