William M. Lawson
William M. and Bertha (Roffman) Lawson & family
The life record of William M. Lawson is not only written in
the terms of success but also in terms of enterprise and honor,
for while he has attained prosperity, becoming one of the
substantial farmers of Franklin township, he has also won for
himself an excellent reputation as a man of high principles. His
entire life has been passed in Allamakee County, for his birth
occurred in Franklin township October 27, 1857. His parents, John
D. and Sarah (Chambers) Lawson, were natives of Michigan but were
married in Illinois. The father's parents passing away in
Michigan when he was a mere boy, he later went to Illinois to
live with a brother, with whom he made his home for some time.
Subsequently he engaged in farming on his own account in that
state and was there married. He then came to Allamakee county,
Iowa, and was numbered among the very first pioneer settlers.
Purchasing a tract of land in the northwest corner of Franklin
township, he there made his home for many years, clearing and
developing theland and converting it into a productive farm.
Later he crossed the line into Post township, where he made his
home until his retirement from active life, when he went to live
with a daughter, in whose home he passed away March 11, 1911,
when about seventy years of age. In their family were eight
children of whom the subject of this review was the fourth in
order of birth.
William M. Lawson, whose name introduces this review, attended
district school in Franklin township in the aquirement of his
education, but his opportunities in this direction were limited
for at a very early age of ten years he put aside his text-books
and began working out as a farm hand. In the meantime, however,
he lived with his parents, and continued to make the old home
farm his place of residence until he had attained the age of
twenty-five years, when he was married and took up farming on his
own account, renting a farm in the southeastern part of Franklin
township, which he continued to operate for two years. Being
desirous of engaging independently in agricultural pursuits he
then purchased forty acres of underdeveloped land which formed
the nucleus of his present fine farm, which he immediately set
about clearing and improving. From the very first his efforts
were most successful, and as he prospered in his undertaking he
bought more land, adding to his original purchase until today is
the owner of one hundred and ninety-two acres of rich and arable
land located on Section 7, Franklin township. This farm Mr.
Lawson has highly improved, introducing upon it all of the modern
equipment and accessories for facilitating farm labor, and it is
today one of the valuable and desirable farming properties of the
district. He engages in general farming and stock-raising, and is
a stockholder in the Farmer's Store at Postville, in the
Postville Creamery and the Farmers Shipping Association.
On April 2, 1883, Mr. Lawson was united in marriage to Miss
Bertha Roffman, who was born in Germany in 1860, a daughter of
John and Minnie Roffman, who came to America in that year. They
located first in Michigan but later, in 1866, came to Iowa,
taking up their home on a farm in Post township, adjoining
Franklin township. There the father passed his remaining days,
his death occurring August 10, 1883. He is survived by his widow,
who now makes her home with a daughter, Mrs. Van Garder*. Mr. and
Mrs. Lawson have become the parents of nine children, as follows:
Fred and Elmer, twins, born January 4, 1884, of whom the former
married the daughter of William Harris, of whom mention is made
elsewhere in this volume, and who resides in Post township, while
the latter makes his home with his father; Zelma, born March 1,
1886, who married Fred Segrist, a farmer of Franklin township;
Sherman, born June 17, 1888, a carpenter by trade, residing at
home; Frank, born on the 27th of January, 1893, who married Ruby
Joan Hammel, and resides in Jefferson township; John, born
October 6, 1895, living with his father; Vera, born April 25,
1897, and Leonard, November 27, 1900, attending school at
Evergreen schoolhouse; and Alta, born July 25, 1903, who is also
pursuing her education.
Mr. Lawson gives his support to the Republican party, but aside
from serving as a member of the school board he has never held,
or desired to hold, public office. He is a member of the Woodmen
and is active in the affairs of that order. Beginning the battle
of life at the tender age of ten years, he early developed those
virtues of self-reliance, self-control and persistence which
conduce to sound judgement and lead to ultimate victory and today
he stands as one of the substantial, progressive and desirable
citizens of Allamakee county, within whose borders his entire
life has been spent and among whose citizens he numbers many warm
friends.
-source: Past & Present of Allamakee County; by
Ellery M. Hancock; S. J. Clarke Pub. Co.; 1913
-transcribed by Dorothy Gosse
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*Research note: Van Garder is an error, should be Van Gorder
~contributed by Dorothy Gosse
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