Lawrence, Chester Bulkley (1845–1918)

1845–1918

Parents: Effingham Nicoll Lawrence (1815–1892) and Margaret Clendenning Bulkley (1816–1897).
Spouse: Kate Covell Peters (1846–1922).
Children: Kate Effingham Lawrence (1867–1868), George Covell Lawrence (1869–1944), Chester Bulkley Lawrence Jr. (1872–1947), and Marion Lawrence (1882–?).
Kinship: Father-in-law of the third cousin three times removed of the post–World War II Smith generation.

Early Life and Family Background Chester Bulkley Lawrence was born in 1845 into the Lawrence family of New York. His father, Effingham Nicoll Lawrence, established a substantial warehousing business in the city during a period of rapid commercial growth. Chester was raised in a family that combined both old New York lineage with active mercantile enterprise.

lawrence-chester-bulkley-1845-1918

Career Upon his father’s death, Chester became the senior partner of the family’s warehousing firm. The business served the expanding shipping and commercial needs of New York in the late nineteenth century, when warehousing and storage facilities played an increasingly important role in trade and logistics.

Personal Life and Interests In 1905 Chester built a residence in Brooklyn, which remains standing today. He was active in social and civic organizations, including the Lincoln Club, the Rembrandt Club, and the Sundown Fishing Club. Politically engaged, he held offices in the Republican Club, reflecting both his social standing and his involvement in local civic affairs.

Later Years and Death Chester continued his business and social activities into the early twentieth century. He died at his summer home in Bay Shore on 2 July 1918 following a sudden heart attack; his ashes were interred at Greenwood Cemetery, Brooklyn. His widow, Kate, survived him until 1922.