Transcribed from "History of North Washington, an illustrated history
of Stevens, Ferry, Okanogan and Chelan counties", published by Western
Historical Publishing Co., 1904.
JOHN C. LAWRENCE. This
veteran of many battles in life's path, has so conducted himself that he
has won the respect and esteem of all who have known him during the years
of his life. He is also a veteran of the Civil War.
John C. Lawrence was born in Fleming county,
Kentucky, on October 6, 1820, the son of Isaac and Mary (Collins) Lawrence,
also natives of Kentucky. The father fought in the War of 1812 and
died in 1850. His father, Isaac Lawrence, the paternal grandfather
of our subject, with two brothers, William and Benjamin, fought in the
War of 1812. This worthy patriot lived to be one hundred and ten
years of age. He was of Scotch ancestry. The mother's father,
John Collins, and two of her brothers fought in the War of 1812.
Her brothers were Captains Elisha and Robert Collins. She lived to
be ninety-seven years of age. John Collins went with his parents
to North Bend, Ohio, when a child, where his father died, after which he
returned to Kentucky with his mother. Then he went to Rush county,
Indiana, and there, on August 20, 1846, married Miss Deborah, daughter
of James and Deborah Sloan. In 1854 he moved to Monroe county, Iowa.
He had volunteered to fight in the Mexican War, but failed to get to the
front on account of the company not being raised. On August 10, 1862,
Mr. Lawrence enlisted in Company D, Thirty-Fourth Iowa Infantry, and participated
in the battles of Vicksburg, Arkansas Post, besides many others, and numerous
skirmishes. On many occasions, bullets passed through his hat and
clothes, but he was never wounded, although he saw much blood shed and
many comrades were killed on the right hand and on the left. He was
later taken sick and after languishing some time in the hospital at Chicago,
he was finally discharged, on account of disability. He has received
a twelve dollar pension for fifteen years and has been a member of the
G. A. R. for a long time.
A good portion of Mr. Lawrence's life was
spent in Monroe and Montgomery counties, Iowa, while he also lived five
years at Parsons, Kansas. His wife died in Montgomery county, Iowa,
March 6, 1891, in her sixty-fifth year. She was a member of the Missionary
Baptist church, as is also our subject. To them were born eight children:
William, deceased; Mrs. Mary Deem, of Oklahoma; James M., of Parsons, Kansas;
Mrs. Elnore Minard, of Cloud county, Kansas; John W., of Montgomery county,
Iowa; Mrs. Clarissa Hollenbeck, of Oklahoma; and Oscar N., who married
Sarah Harbaugh, and has a homestead four miles south of Chesaw; and Frederick
L., of Spokane. Oscar N. came to the reservation in March, 1903,
and located his present homestead, while our subject came with that young
man's wife and children, to the valley later. Mr. Lawrence
located a homestead adjoining that of his son, which is mostly good land.
It is pleasant to know that Mr. Lawrence is so situated financially that
he is enabled to live retired during the remainder of his life. He
has twenty-eight grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren.