Lawrence Lawrason (August 10, 1803 – August 14, 1882) was a businessman and political figure in Canada West. He was born in

Ancaster Township Ancaster is a historic town in the city of Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, located on the Niagara Escarpment. Founded as a town in 1793, it immediately developed itself into one of the first important and influential early British Upper Canada communit ...

, Upper Canada in 1803. He found work as a clerk at the age of 14 with merchants James Hamilton and John Warren at Queenston and later at Sterling (now St. Thomas). In 1822, he purchased a farm in London Township with his brothers. He also opened a general store and

distillery Distillation, or classical distillation, is the process of separating the components or substances from a liquid mixture by using selective boiling and condensation, usually inside an apparatus known as a still. Dry distillation is the heati ...

. In 1832, he moved to London and opened a general store and also sold dry goods wholesale, in partnership with

George Jervis Goodhue George Jervis Goodhue (1 August 1799 – 11 January 1870) was a Canadian merchant, landowner, and politician. Born in Putney, Vermont, the son of Josiah Goodhue and Rachel Burr, Goodhue came to Canada in 1820. A merchant in London, Ontario, h ...

. In 1835, he was named a justice of the peace. From 1842 to 1845 and 1847 to 1850, Lawrason was a member of the council for

London District London District (LONDIST) is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. It was established in 1870 as ''Home District''. History In January 1876 a ‘Mobilization Scheme for the forces in ...

. He was elected to represent London in the

Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada The Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada was the lower house of the legislature for the Province of Canada, which consisted of the former provinces of Lower Canada, then known as Canada East and later the province of Quebec, and Upper C ...

in an 1844 by-election; he was reelected in the general election of the same year but then resigned to give William Henry Draper a seat in the assembly. He was named an officer to settle rebellion losses claims in the district in the same year. Lawrason served on the town council for London. He was also president of the London and Port Stanley Railway and a director of the

Bank of Upper Canada The Bank of Upper Canada was established in 1821 under a charter granted by the legislature of Upper Canada in 1819 to a group of Kingston merchants. The charter was appropriated by the more influential Executive Councillors to the Lt. Governor, t ...

. He served in the local militia, becoming lieutenant-colonel by 1856. After he retired in 1855, he loaned a large amount of money and guaranteed loans for his son-in-law, Lionel Augustus Clark Ridout. Following a downturn in the economy and the death of his son-in-law, Lawrason was forced to declare bankruptcy in 1864. He died in London in 1882.

External links

Biography at the ''Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lawrason, Lawrence 1803 births 1882 deaths Members of the Legislative Assembly of the Province of Canada from Canada West