San Joaquin County
Biographies
EZEKIEL LAWRENCE
EZEKIEL LAWRENCE was born in
Canada, June 24, 1826, his parents being Oliver and Maria (Bonesteel) Lawrence,
both natives of New York; the former of English and the latter of German
descent. From New York they moved to Canada, locating in the township of Sidney,
Province of Ontario. Ezekiel was about four years old when his father died. He
made his home at the old home place up to the time he was sixteen years old,
when he learned the millwright trade and served his apprenticeship of four
years, continued at his trade one year, and in 1848 went to Branch County,
Michigan, where he followed his trade. In 1850 he left Michigan for California,
crossed the Missouri at St. Joe, May 2, and made the journey across the plains
with mule teams, arriving at Hangtown, August 31. For eight years he worked at
his trade and at mining alternately. In 1858 he came to this valley, landing in
the place where he now lives, May 22. He took up a quarter section of land and
bought another, which he has kept to the present day. He is principally engaged
in farming, also in selling, buying and storing grain, he having a half
interest in the warehouse with George S. Locke of Lockeford, these gentlemen
having built the warehouse together.
The ranch of Mr. Lawrence is situated just
at the edge of Lodi. On the ranch is an irrigating ditch, which was constructed
by himself and John Hutchins, which is two miles long, running from the
Mokelumne river, just north of Mr. Lawrence’s place, through his land to Mr.
Hutchins’, which lies just south of Lodi. It was built in the fall of 1887 and
is run by a sixty-five-horse-power engine. The pumps have a capacity of 10,000
gallons a minute, throwing a powerful stream. Mr. Lawrence had a fine almond
orchard, of twenty-one acres, set out in the spring of 1887. His first house
was a little cabin built on the piece of land he took up, where he lived until
his better residence was completed. His present and third residence was put up
in 1879, at a cost of $4,000. It, with the valuable improvements around it,
make one of the handsomest places in this vicinity.
Mr. Lawrence was married May 22, 1857, to
Miss Mary Hutchins, a native of Canada. The marriage took place in Placerville,
El Dorado County. They have three children, namely: William H., George E., a practicing
attorney of Visalia, Tulare County, and Nettie M., residing at home.
Mr. Lawrence was one of the original
members of the Grangers’ Co-operative Business Association of Lodi, and he has
been a director in the same since it was started. He was one of the starters of
the grist-mill in Lodi and also one of the directors of the bridge on the
Mokelumne river at Lodi until it was turned over to the county.
Transcribed by: Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
An Illustrated History of San Joaquin County,
California, Page 588. Lewis Pub. Co.
Chicago, Illinois 1890.
© 2009 Jeanne Sturgis Taylor.
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
Biographies
Golden Nugget Library's San Joaquin County
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