Lawrence, John Lawrence (1857–1930)

1857–1930

Parents: Alfred Newbold Lawrence (1813–1884) and his cousin Elizabeth Lawrence (1820–1884).
Spouse: Alice Warner Work (1875-1966), a descendant of Governor William Bradford of Plymouth Colony.
Children: Alice Work Lawrence (1898–1987), John Lawrence Lawrence (1902–1969), Alfred Newbold Lawrence (1903– ), and Josephine Lawrence (1903–1978).
Kinship: First cousin four times removed of the post–World War II Smith generation.

Biography:

John Lawrence was born in 1857 into the Long Island branch of the Lawrence family. He became a prominent civic figure in the early development of Lawrence, Long Island. He was among the founders of the village and served as its first president from its incorporation in 1897 until 1906, guiding its initial growth as an affluent residential community. During his tenure he oversaw early public works, local governance, and the establishment of community standards that shaped the character of what later became known as the Five Towns.

Lawrence had a business career in the utilities field and served as president of the National Meter Company, a major manufacturer of water meters at a time when cities across the United States were modernizing their water systems. He was active in social and sporting circles, holding membership in the Calumet Club, the Rockaway Hunt Club, and the Seawanhaka–Corinthian Yacht Club, one of the country’s most prestigious yachting associations. John Lawrence died in 1930.