Lawrason, Lawrence

  • DICTIONARY OF CANADIAN BIOGRAPHY ARTICLE: Daniel James Brock, “LAWRASON (Laurason), LAWRENCE (Laurence) ,” in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 11, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–. https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/lawrason_lawrence_11E.html
  • DCB profile:
    • Merchant and politician; b. 10 Aug. 1803 in Ancaster Township, Upper Canada, youngest child of Lawrence Lawrason and Rachel Pettit; m. 21 May 1827 Abigail Lee, and they had four children; d. 14 Aug. 1882 at London, Ont.
    • In 1832 Lawrason moved into London and in September opened a general store and dry goods business, both retail and wholesale, in partnership with George Jervis Goodhue. Like many of the early London merchants Lawrason engaged in large-scale land speculation in the region. He was also involved in attempts to promote local projects. Throughout the 1830s he unsuccessfully supported a scheme to make the Thames River navigable between London and Chatham. Lawrason was also an original shareholder in the London and Gore Rail Road Company incorporated in 1834. He was commissioned a justice of the peace in 1835 and three years later was appointed one of three boundary line commissioners for the London District to adjudicate both public and private boundary disputes.
    • From 1842 to 1850, with the exception of 1846, Lawrason was one of the representatives of London Township on the London District Council. In a provincial by-election for London in January 1844, Lawrason, a staunch Conservative, overwhelmed the Reform candidate. In the general election in October he defeated a more liberal Conservative opponent, John Duggan of Toronto. Lawrason, however, relinquished his seat to William Henry Draper in January 1845 so that Draper would be able to lead the government party from within the assembly. Also in that year Lawrason was named a rebellion losses claims officer for the London District.
    • During the 1850s Lawrason continued to be involved in local affairs. In 1850 he was elected to the town council in London for St Patrick’s Ward. He also served as president of the London and Port Stanley Railway Company from 1853 to 1857 and was honoured by having the first locomotive purchased by the company named the L. Lawrason. As well Lawrason was a director of the Bank of Upper Canada, a trustee of the London Savings’ Bank, and president of the Proof Line Road Company and the London Building Society. He retired from his partnership with Chisholm in 1855 at which time the business was dissolved. According to R. G. Dun and Company he had “retired rich.”
    • After his retirement, Lawrason lent large sums of money to his son-in-law, Lionel Augustus Ridout, a hardware merchant in London, and also gave security for a further $72,600 in loans and credit received by Ridout. The combination of the depressed economy in the late 1850s and the death of Ridout in 1859 seriously injured Lawrason’s financial position. Finally, in 1864, he declared bankruptcy. Although Lawrason was to suffer bankruptcy he had been a cautious and successful businessman who placed a high value on fairness, selflessness, and compassion.
  • Grandson of United Empire Loyalist listed in Loyalist Directory: https://uelac.ca/loyalist-directory/detail/?wpda_search_column_id=6585
  • Find a Grave: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/146525682/lawrence-lawrason