Monterey-San Joaquin-Santa Clara County CA Archives Biographies.....Lawrey, M. E. (Mrs.) 
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Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com January 20, 2007, 12:57 am

Author: Luther A. Ingersoll, Editor (1893)

MRS. M. E. LAWREY is truly one of the pioneers of California. She is a daughter
of Gallant Duncan Dickenson of whom much is related in published books on
California history. Mrs. Lawrey is also the widow of Amos G. Lawrey, who came to
California in its early and palmy days. Mr. Lawrey was a mason by trade and a
native of Ohio, where he was born May 2, 1818, Jefferson county being the
section of the State in which he first saw the light. In early life he pursued
his trade, at the same time devoting much time to his studies, thereby gaining a
practical education and thorough knowledge of books. Mr. Lawrey came to
California, overland, as early as 1846, passing the Dickenson party coming
westward on the east slope of the Sierra Nevada mountains. Seeing that the party
was quite destitute he hurried on to California, obtained employment at
Johnson's camp, where he earned the means to purchase supplies. These he packed
on mules, ten in number, and retraced his steps to rescue the Dickenson party.

  In the year 1847 Mr. Lawrey and the Dickenson party removed to Monterey and he
associated with Gallant Duncan Dickenson, in 1848, in the making of bricks. They
erected the first brick house in California, which still stands in a good state
of preservation. This house was built for Mr. Dickenson and he occupied it with
his family.

  About this time gold was discovered and Messrs. Lawrey and Dickenson spent six
months in the mines, after which they located on the present site of Stockton,
with Captain C. M. Weber, the founder of the town. It was in this embryo city
that Mr. Lawrey, October 29, 1849, married Miss Margaret Elizabeth, the eldest
daughter of Gallant Duncan Dickenson, and was the first marriage solemnized in
the place. Mr. Lawrey was an expert in his line and did much fine work,
contracting for jobs. He spent several years in San Diego, and with Mr. Horton,
its founder, platted the city. Mr. Lawrey finally located at San Jose, where he
died, April 24, 1881, aged sixty-four years.

  Of the four children of Mr. Lawrey, three are still living, namely: Beatrice
L., wife of Walter M. Hollenbeck, a lady of rare intellectual accomplishments
and executive ability. For a period of nineteen years she was a tutor in the
public schools of San Jose, and was the first of her sex to receive an
appointment to a principalship of the public schools in the city, which position
she retained for seven years. Mrs. Hollenbeck is an accomplished vocalist, and
as such is known, not only in her own city, but her fame has reached San
Francisco, where she has many admirers and friends. Mr. Hollenbeck became her
husband, at San Jose, in 1871, and since 1887, has been one of the enterprising
and active business men of Pacific Grove. The second daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Lawrey, is Miss Lola, an accomplished pianist. The third child an only son,
Edward, a mechanic, is married and settled in the same town.

  Mrs. Lawrey inherited many of her distinguished father's traits and has true
business instincts and great force of character. She has borne with great
fortitude the responsibilities and cares incident to a busy life, made none the
less hard on account of the total blindness of Mr. Lawrey during the last ten
years of his life. In 1888, Mrs. Lawrey located in Pacific Grove, where she owns
valuable productive real estate. In the city of her choice, Mrs. Lawrey is
universally esteemed for her many sterling traits of character and true womanly
qualities.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Memorial and Biographical History of the Coast Counties of Central California.

Illustrated.

Containing a History of this Important Section of the Pacific Coast from the
Earliest Period of its Discovery to the Present Time, together with Glimpses of
its Auspicious Future; Illustrations and Full-Page Portraits of some of its
Eminent Men, and Biographical Mention of many of its Pioneers, and Prominent
Citizens of To-day.



HENRY D. BARROWS,
Editor of the Historical Department.

LUTHER A. INGERSOLL,
Editor of the Biographical Department.

"A people that take no pride in the noble achievements of remote ancestors will
never achieve anything worthy to be remembered with pride by remote
descendants."-Macaulay.


CHICAGO: THE LEWIS PUBLISHING COMPANY.
1893.


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