CLARK D. LAWRENCE

LAWRENCE

Posted By: Jake Tornholm (email)
Date: 4/21/2020 at 11:27:06

CLARK D. LAWRENCE, Clark D. Lawrence, who resides in section 26, Douglas township, Adams county, Iowa, dates his arrival in this county April 24, 1855.

Mr. Lawrence made his appearance on this mundane sphere, in Morgan county, Ohio, December 2, 1839. His father, Thomas H. Lawrence, a native of Maine, was a son of Zachariah Lawrence, who was of English descent and a soldier in the war of 1812. Thomas H. was five years old when his parents moved to Ohio, where he was reared and lived until 1855, and where he was united in marriage with Patience Devol, a native of Ohio and a daughter of Presberry Devol. Her father, a native of Rhode Island, was also of English descent. In 1855 Thomas H. Lawrence came from Ohio by steamboat on the Ohio and Missouri rivers to St. Joseph, thence by ox teams to Adams county, Iowa, and settled on section 5, Jasper township. He died at Quincy, in February, 1865, aged fifty- four years. By trade he was a mechanic, stone mason and plasterer; in politics a Republican; and in his life exemplified the truths of Christianity. His wife died at the age of sixty-two. She was a member of the Baptist Church. They had thirteen children, seven sons and six daughters, of whom Clark D. was the third born and oldest son. He was fifteen years old when the family came to Adams county.

July 13, 1861, Mr. Lawrence enlisted in Company H, Fourth Iowa Infantry, Captain E. Y. Burgan, and served three years, one month and twenty-one days. At Pea Ridge, Arkansas, he was wounded in the right thigh, and was confined in the hospital until April 16, when he was granted a furlough and returned home for a time. July 14 he rejoined his regiment at Helena, Arkansas. He participated in a number of important engagements, and on September 4, 1864, was honorably discharged at Jonesborough, Georgia, after which he returned to Adams county.

Mr. Lawrence subsequently spent four years and a half on a farm (homestead) in Sherman county, Kansas, being among the early settlers of that place. He came to his present farm in 1880. Here he has eighty acres of well improved land, with good orchard and fine grove, comfortable cottage home, outbuildings, etc. He has a good mule team that has done min service for twenty-four years.

November 2, 1864, Mr. Lawrence was married to Sarah R. Clark, who was born in Henry county, Iowa, daughter of Manly and Mary E. (Bell) Clark. Eight sons have been born to them, six of whom are living, viz: Thomas H., Horace C., Frank D., Walter E., Doc B. and John L. Manly C. and Zachariah Presberry are those deceased.

Mr. Lawrence is in politics a Republican, and as township trustee had made an efficient officer. He is a member of the Llewellyn Post, G. A. R., of Corning, Iowa. James Llewellyn was the first man killed in the Rebellion, from Adams county; he was a member of Company H, Fourth Iowa.