San
Joaquin County
Biographies
LEE GRANT LAWRENCE
A well-known citizen of Stockton,
Lee Grant Lawrence on September 1, 1922, entered upon his duties as chief
jailer. The first public office that he
held was that of deputy sheriff under William H. Riecks, then one year ago he
was appointed night jailer, then followed his appointment as chief jailer and
his record throughout has been most praiseworthy. He was born on a farm near Reading,
Pennsylvania, July 4, 1871, a son of Frank and Sarah (Dozier) Lawrence, both
natives of Reading, Pennsylvania. The
father served in the Civil War in a Pennsylvania regiment of cavalry and was
wounded in battle, rising to the rank of first lieutenant before the close of
the war. After the war he followed
farming and then he and his wife passed away.
Of their four children Lee Grant Lawrence is the eldest and the only one
living. The Lawrence family is traced
back to France, and was early settlers in New England, Lee Grant being a lineal
descendant of Capt. Lawrence of “Don’t give up the ship” fame in the
Revolutionary War. Grandfather Girard
Lawrence was born in Weathersfield, Vermont, later emigrating to New York and then to Pennsylvania.
When fourteen Lee
Grant Lawrence started to make his own way in the world. He first worked in a grocery store near
Scranton, Pennsylvania, for three dollars per week; then he went to Altoona,
Pennsylvania, where he found work in the roundhouse of the Pennsylvania
Railroad. His marriage, which occurred
in Reading, Pennsylvania, united him with Miss Jennie M. Miller, a native of
that place, a daughter of Frank L. and Catherine Miller, substantial farmers
near Reading.
At Altoona, Pennsylvania, Mr.
Lawrence found employment with the Pennsylvania Railroad as engine wiper,
working his way up to fireman and then engineer, a position he held for nine
years. Then on account of his wife’s health
he either had to give up his position or lose his wife if he stayed in that
climate. He was in different parts of
New York, Pennsylvania, Maryland, the District of Columbia, Oklahoma, Arizona,
then back to New York and in New Jersey, and then in 1906 they removed to
California and first settled in Los Angeles where they stayed for a short time;
then removed to San Francisco and during his ten years’ residence there learned
the auto mechanic trade, after which he went into business for himself in that
line; later he joined the forces of Heald’s Business College as instructor in
the engineering school and later was made general superintendent of the
engineering plant of the school. Some
six years ago he located in Stockton and entered the employ of the Holt
Manufacturing Company as an inspector, then later became assistant chief
inspector and was occupied in that position for four years. During the World War Mr. Lawrence had
fifty-three men under him doing war work with the Holt Manufacturing
Company. When William H. Riecks was
sheriff of San Joaquin County, Mr. Lawrence was appointed deputy sheriff and
served acceptably until he was appointed night jailer, then in one year became
chief jailer. Mr. Lawrence was made a
Mason in Mt. Mono Lodge, No. 44, F. && A. M., and became a member of
California Chapter No. 1, R. A. M. of San Francisco, and San Francisco Council
No. 2, R. & S. M. On taking up his
residence in Stockton he demitted from all his San Francisco Masonic bodies and
affiliated with Delta Lodge F. & A. M. and Stockton Chapter R. A. M., and
Stockton Council No. 10, R. & S. M.
Mr. Lawrence was instrumental in organizing the Stockton Pyramid of
Sciots and in past toparch of same. He worked untiringly in building up the
membership of the lodge and had the satisfaction of increasing the membership
from 100 to 600, and in recognition of his service was made an honorary past
Pharaoh of the Supreme Pyramid for life.
During the influenza epidemic while
Mr. Lawrence was toparch of the Sciots
he did herculean work in visiting the members of the order and doing all he
could to assist them and minister to their comfort; he was also very active in
collecting money for the building of the new Masonic Temple.
Transcribed by Gerald Iaquinta.
Source: Tinkham, George
H., History of San Joaquin County, California , Pages
788-791. Los Angeles, Calif.: Historic
Record Co., 1923.
© 2011 Gerald Iaquinta.
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