Early Life and Family Background Thomas Lawrence was born on May 16, 1819, at his father’s house on Grand Street in New York City, in a family steeped in civic and military service. His paternal grandfather had served in the Continental Army, rising to Lieutenant Commander, while his maternal grandfather, Gilbert Fisher, fought with the “Minute Men” and scouts during the Revolutionary War under Major Jonathan Paulding Norton. His upbringing combined urban and rural influences, alternating between his father’s properties in New York City and his maternal family’s farm at Mount Pleasant, Sing Sing.

Thomas’s youth was marked by rigorous educational opportunities: he attended district schools, private academies, and Mount Pleasant Academy. His early work experience ranged from clerical roles in a law office to teaching and even employment in a jewelry store, reflecting the varied professional paths often pursued by ambitious young men in mid-19th-century New York.

Move to Illinois and Early Career In 1842, in response to ill health, Thomas relocated to Clayton, Illinois, in the Mississippi River region. There, he embraced a pioneer’s life, engaging in surveying, farming, teaching, and running a mail stage. He traveled extensively, even venturing to Cincinnati by steamboat. These formative years instilled in him resilience and adaptability, traits that would define his later legal and civic career.

Returning to New York in 1846, Thomas managed his father’s farm while resuming legal studies under the mentorship of Smith & Barker. By 1852, he was admitted to the bar, embarking on a career that combined private practice with civic engagement.

Legal Career and Civic Service Thomas Lawrence built a distinguished career in law, serving as attorney for institutions such as the Irving Building and Mutual Loan Association and Citizens Mutual Loan Association. He was elected to the New York State Assembly and subsequently served as District Attorney of Rockland County for four years. He also held the office of Justice of the Peace and frequently acted as referee or surrogate, exemplifying a commitment to both judicial process and community governance.

His civic engagement extended to fraternal organizations. A member of the Odd Fellows, Thomas rose to the position of Grand Patriarch of the Grand Encampment of New York State, reflecting his stature in the social and civic networks of the era.

Political Views and Civic Engagement Thomas Lawrence was a committed Jeffersonian Democrat, reflecting the political traditions of both his grandfathers. He strongly opposed Abraham Lincoln’s policies during the Civil War and organized Peace Meetings advocating for Southern interests. These actions drew criticism and threats of imprisonment or lynching, demonstrating the intensity of political partisanship in mid-19th-century America.

Here is an article on Thomas S. Lawrence’s Peace Meeting in Schaalenberg, Bergen County, New Jersey, July 30th, 1861 (Bedford (Pennsylvania) Gazette, August 9, 1861):

**“**Northern Conservatism! Common Sense Reviving! A Gleam of Hope for the Country

An immense and enthusiastic Democratic Peace Meeting was held at Schaalenberg, Bergen County, New Jersey, Tuesday afternoon, July 30th. The meeting was called to order by N. H. Blauvelt, Esq., who nominated the Hon. Ralph Demarest for President. The meeting was addressed by Thos. S. Lawrence, Esq., and Thomas Dunn English. The following resolutions were unanimously adopted:

Resolved, That as citizens of the State of New Jersey, a sovereignty always faithful to the compact which she entered into with the other States, her peers, and which has always strictly sustained the Constitution, we are loyal to the General Government to the full extent of its limited and specified powers, and devoted to that Union which was founded on the consent of its creators, and ratified by the several States, its members.

Resolved, That loyalty to the Union is only compatible with strict fidelity to the Constitution, and that those who violate the provisions of the latter, even under the hypocritical pretense of preserving the former, are enemies to be confronted and resisted.

Resolved, That we firmly protest against the attempts made, under color of the tyrant’s excuse, “necessity,” to consolidate this government, to reduce the rights of States to subjection, and to rob free white citizens, for whom this government was formed, of their constitutional rights and privileges.

Resolved, That the Union being based on the consent of States, and the good will of the people, cannot be preserved by the bayonet and sword of the soldier, and that the result of continued civil war can only be permanent dissolution of a Union which, up to this period, was a blessing to the people, and which would continue to be so throughout all time if administered according to its true spirit and intent.

Resolved, That we charge the awful responsibility for the pending Civil War, for all its sacrifice of valuable lives, its lavish waste of treasure, and the deadly blow it has stricken at our prosperity as a people—upon the agitators in the hearts of all; and that a spirit of brotherly love (the only safeguard of liberty) should once more assume its sway in the Councils of the Nation.

Resolved, That we as wives, mothers, and sisters, are ever ready to sacrifice all that we hold dear on earth, upon the altar of our common country; but we cannot believe that a war like the present can ever reconstruct the Union, that glorious inheritance of our fathers, that gem of liberty for which they shed the best and purest blood that ever animated life, that they might leave to their posterity this priceless boon of freedom.

Resolved, That we believe with the lamented Douglas “that War is Disunion, certain, irrevocable, and eternal separation;” and that peace, reconciliation, and compromise, are the only honorable means by which the Union can be saved, the government maintained, and the laws enforced, and to secure these happy results we pledge our unceasing and undivided efforts, believing that whatever the public feeling may be at present, the time will come when all humanity will applaud the course of those who now advocate Peace to our country.

After the adoption of these resolutions, the band struck up a few lively tunes, and the crowd dispersed. The utmost good feeling prevailed throughout the entire proceedings.”

His advocacy for peace exposed him to threats of imprisonment and violence but highlighted his commitment to principle over personal safety.

Marriages and Family Life Thomas married three times over the course of his life. His first marriage to Ellen Alker Fenno in 1850 produced three children, though he was widowed in 1872. In 1873, he married Leila Augusta Kane and relocated to Virginia for health reasons. During this period, he temporarily abandoned the practice of law to focus on farming and edited the weekly newspaper Rural Messenger. After Leila’s death in 1887, he married Catherine Ferris in 1888, consolidating family and social connections. His children pursued varied professional paths, sustaining the Lawrence family’s influence in New York society.