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PROF. DAVID W. LAWSON
PROF. DAVID W. LAWSON, deceased, was born in the Ligonier valley in
Westmoreland county, Pa., May 21, 1836, son of Joseph Lawson. Joseph Lawson
was born in 1787, and died Jan. 31, 1872, aged eighty-four years, five months;
his wife, Rebecca McLaughlin, born in 1797, died Feb. 25, 1872, in her
seventy-fifth year. Moving from Westmoreland county to Indiana county, they
became prominent people there, and still later made themselves equally
respected in Wayne township, Armstrong Co., Pa. Their remains are interred in
the old Methodist cemetery near Dayton.David W. Lawson, son of Joseph Lawson, was brought up on the farm,
remaining at home until he was fifteen years old, attending the academy at
Elder’s Ridge. Young as he was, he began teaching in Jefferson, and the
following spring entered the Dayton Union Academy. Following this he became a
student in Allegheny College, where he displayed that intellectuality which
was marked a characteristic during his whole life. When only twenty-one years
old, he was graduated from Madison College, and began teaching in the Dayton
Union Academy, later becoming its principal. Very ambitious, he read law with
Colonel Todd, of Indiana, Pa., but owing to the failure of his none too strong
health he had to abandon his purpose of becoming a lawyer. He then devoted
himself to farming, operating his property along scientific lines, becoming
one of the celebrated agriculturalists of western Pennsylvania, noted chiefly
for his production of fine grade wool. He lectured upon agricultural subjects
in Armstrong county, and considerably raised standards in his locality. In his
death his community lost a good citizen and a public-spirited man. Mr. Lawson
passed away on his farm near Dayton June 18, 1900. His property, comprising of
175 acres, was highly developed by him, and is also valuable because of the
fact that it is underlaid with bituminous coal.Mr. Lawson was married June 22, 1857, to Mary A. Marshall, born Oct. 15,
1838, daughter of Robert and Mary (Hindman) Marshall. Eight children were born
to this marriage: Dr. Joseph M., a practicing physician of Sidney, Ill.;
Robert M., a farmer; Harry W., at home with his mother; Flora, wife of Ralston
M. Mitchell; John Homer, an attorney at Kittanning; Edson E., also an attorney
at Kittanning; David L., deceased; and Prof. William, a teacher at Beaver,
Pennsylvania.Mrs. Lawson resides upon the farm property, being now one of the oldest
residents in her community. Her recollections of the incidents of early days
are very entertaining and would make a valuable volume if set down as she
gives them. She has one living sister, Mrs. Rebecca Reed, widow of Rev. Samuel
Reed, who formerly officiated as minister of the United Presbyterian Church.Source: Pages 637 Armstrong County, Pa., Her People, Past and
Present, J.H. Beers & Co., 1914
Transcribed September 2001 by Lynn Beatty
for the Armstrong County Beers Project
Contributed for use by the Armstrong County Genealogy Project (http://www.pa-roots.com/armstrong/)Armstrong County Genealogy Project Notice:
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