Thomas J. Lawrie Biography


	This biography is from "Memorial and biographical record; an illustrated
 	compendium of biography, containing a compendium of local biography,
	including biographical sketches of prominent old settlers and 
	representative citizens of South Dakota..." Published by G. A. Ogle & 
	Co., Chicago, 1899. Pages 322-323

	Scan, OCR and editing by Maurice Krueger,mkrueger@iw.net, 1998. 

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THOMAS J. LAWRIE, whose fine landed estate lies in Belle Plain 
township, Spink county, is one of the early settlers of this region who 
have demonstrated what pluck, energy and business sense will yield a 
man under conditions apparently the most unfavorable. 

Mr. Lawrie is a native of Illinois, and was born in 1854. His parents 
were born in Scotland, and came to America about the year 1842 or 1843. 
His mother was one of a family of twenty-one children, and her brothers 
and sisters are scattered all over the world, having found their way to 
Australia, America, England and the Philippine Islands. Our subject's 
father was a tailor by trade, but turned his attention to farming in 
1859, abandoning his former following. He was an early setter in 
Illinois, locating in that state, before any railroad had penetrated 
west of Chicago. 

Our subject was reared on a farm in Illinois, and educated in the 
country schools. After starting out in life for himself he attended a 
business school which held its sessions evenings, and by this means 
secured a fair business education. He learned the trades of miller and 
carpenter, and worked eight years in Rockford, Illinois. In 1883 he 
went to Dakota, landing in Frankfort, in March of that year. He took up 
government land in Harrison township, put up a shanty 12 x 14 feet, and 
here his family joined him soon afterward. He rented land near 
Frankfort and farmed some, but devoted his attention chiefly to his 
trade. He built most of the buildings in his neighborhood and found 
plenty of work to keep him employed in this line. He proved up on his 
land in Harrison township, and then moved to a homestead claim which he 
had taken in Belle Plain township. Here he lived seven years, but there 
being no water on the premises, he again moved, this time to section 22 
Belle Plain township, and took Up his residence on an unimproved 
quarter-section. Upon this land he erected new buildings, barns, etc., 
and improved it with many conveniences, supplying water both to his 
barn and residence. 

Mr. Lawrie was married in 1871 to Miss Mary Hines, a native of 
Massachusetts. Her parents were born in Germany and Ireland, 
respectively. Mrs. Lawrie has proved a faithful and helpful companion 
and devoted wife. Although they started their pioneer life in Dakota 
with nothing of importance, having only a team of horses which they 
brought with them, their landed interests now comprise six hundred and 
forty acres of lands well adapted to diversified farming, one hundred 
and sixty acres of which are cultivated, and the balance devoted to 
pasturage. Our subject has found stock raising the most profitable, 
however, and keeps about eighty head on hands at all times. In politics 
Mr. Lawrie holds to Republican principles. He takes an active interest 
in public affairs, and was the first township clerk elected in his 
township, which office he held four years. He is a member in good 
standing of the Ancient Order of United Workmen. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrie 
are the parents of three children: Hazel, Wylla and Thomas W., all 
living at home with their parents.