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
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