# Abbott Lawrence

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American industrialist and politician (1792–1855)

Abbott Lawrence Portrait by Chester Harding, c. 1842 United States Minister to the United Kingdom In office October 20, 1849 – October 12, 1852 President Zachary Taylor Millard Fillmore Preceded by George Bancroft Succeeded by Joseph R. Ingersoll Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 1st district In office March 4, 1839 – September 18, 1840 Preceded by Richard Fletcher Succeeded by Robert Charles Winthrop In office March 4, 1835 – March 3, 1837 Preceded by Benjamin Gorham Succeeded by Richard Fletcher Personal details Born (1792-12-16)December 16, 1792 Groton, Massachusetts, U.S. Died August 18, 1855(1855-08-18) (aged 62) Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. Resting place Mount Auburn Cemetery Party National Republican Whig Spouse Katherine Bigelow ​ (m. 1819)​ Relations Samuel Lawrence (father) Amos Lawrence (brother) Amos Adams Lawrence (nephew) Children 1 Alma mater Groton Academy Profession Politician merchant Signature

**Abbott Lawrence** (December 16, 1792 – August 18, 1855) was an American businessman, politician, and philanthropist. He was among the group of industrialists who founded a settlement on the [Merrimack River](/source/Merrimack_River) that would later be named for him, [Lawrence, Massachusetts](/source/Lawrence%2C_Massachusetts).

## Early life and education

Lawrence was born on December 16, 1792, in [Groton, Massachusetts](/source/Groton%2C_Massachusetts), the son of [American Revolutionary War](/source/American_Revolutionary_War) officer [Samuel Lawrence](/source/Samuel_Lawrence_(revolutionary)). He attended Groton Academy, now known as the [Lawrence Academy](/source/Lawrence_Academy_(Groton%2C_Massachusetts)), in Groton.

## Career

Upon his graduation in 1808, Lawrence became an apprentice to his brother, [Amos](/source/Amos_Lawrence), as chief clerk in his brother's firm. On the conclusion of his apprenticeship, in 1814, the Lawrences formed a partnership, specializing in imports from Britain and China, and later expanded their interests to textile manufacturing. Initially called A. & A. Lawrence, the firm later was named A. & A. Lawrence and Co. It continued until Amos's death, and became the greatest wholesale mercantile house in the United States.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] It was successful even in the [hard times of 1812–1815](/source/War_of_1812). In 1818, A. &. A Lawrence purchased 50 [shares](/source/Share_(finance)) of the [Suffolk Bank](/source/Suffolk_Bank), a [clearinghouse bank](/source/Bankers'_clearing_house) on [State Street in Boston](/source/State_Street_(Boston)).[1]

The firm did much for the establishment of the cotton textile industry in [New England](/source/New_England).[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] In 1830, it came to the aid of financially distressed mills of [Lowell, Massachusetts](/source/Lowell%2C_Massachusetts). In that year, the Suffolk, Tremont and Lawrence companies were established in Lowell, and [Luther Lawrence](/source/Luther_Lawrence), the eldest brother, represented the firm's interests there.[2] When Amos retired from the business in 1831 due to ill health, Abbott became head of the firm. In 1845–1847, the firm established and built up [Lawrence, Massachusetts](/source/Lawrence%2C_Massachusetts), named in honour of Abbott, who was a director of the Essex Company, which controlled the water power of Lawrence, and later was president of the Atlantic Cotton Mills and Pacific Mill] there. The Lawrence brothers were among the founders of New England's influential textile industry.

In 1819, Abbott Lawrence married Katherine Bigelow, the daughter of [Timothy Bigelow](/source/Timothy_Bigelow_(lawyer)) and sister of [John P. Bigelow](/source/John_P._Bigelow).[3] Their daughter, Katherine Bigelow Lawrence, married [Augustus Lowell](/source/Augustus_Lowell) on June 1, 1854.[4]

In the 1820s, Lawrence became a prominent public figure, including as a vocal supporter of railroad construction for economic benefit.[5] He was an ardent [protectionist](/source/Protective_tariff), and represented Massachusetts at the Harrisburg protectionist convention in 1827. Lawrence was highly influential among Massachusetts [Whigs](/source/Whig_Party_(United_States)).[6] In 1834, he was elected [US Representative](/source/United_States_House_of_Representatives) as a Whig, serving in the [24th Congress](/source/24th_United_States_Congress). He did not seek re-election in 1836, but was elected again in 1838, serving in the [26th Congress](/source/26th_United_States_Congress). In 1840, he took an active part in the successful presidential campaign of [William Henry Harrison](/source/William_Henry_Harrison). In 1842, he was appointed commissioner to settle the [Northeastern Boundary Dispute](/source/Northeastern_Boundary_Dispute) between Canada and the United States. In 1844, he supported the campaign of [Henry Clay](/source/Henry_Clay) and was a presidential elector. Lawrence was elected a member of the [American Antiquarian Society](/source/American_Antiquarian_Society) in 1846,[7] and subsequently was also elected a Fellow of the [American Academy of Arts and Sciences](/source/American_Academy_of_Arts_and_Sciences) in 1847.[8]

Portrait of Ambassador Abbott Lawrence by [G.P.A. Healy](/source/George_Peter_Alexander_Healy).

In 1848, Lawrence was an unsuccessful candidate for party nomination as vice president on the Whig ticket, headed by [Zachary Taylor](/source/Zachary_Taylor). After Taylor's presidential victory, he offered Lawrence a choice of positions in the administration. Lawrence rejected a cabinet appointment, and chose the post of [minister to Great Britain](/source/United_States_Ambassador_to_the_United_Kingdom#Envoys_Extraordinary_and_Ministers_Plenipotentiary_to_the_Court_of_St._James.27s.2C_1815–1893). He was involved in the negotiations of the [Clayton–Bulwer Treaty](/source/Clayton%E2%80%93Bulwer_Treaty), and resigned in October 1852. He returned to the United States to join the [1852 presidential campaign](/source/1852_United_States_presidential_election) of Gen. [Winfield Scott](/source/Winfield_Scott). However, he grew dissatisfied with the Whig stand on slavery, and abandoned the party.

Lawrence was active in Boston's [Unitarian Church](/source/American_Unitarian_Association) and donated money to various causes.[9] He supported Lawrence Academy, affordable housing in Boston, and the [Boston Public Library](/source/Boston_Public_Library). He also provided $50,000 to establish the [Lawrence Scientific School](/source/Lawrence_Scientific_School) at [Harvard College](/source/Harvard_College),[9] and provided a similar sum in his will for the School. He died in Boston on August 18, 1855, aged 62, and was interred in [Mount Auburn Cemetery](/source/Mount_Auburn_Cemetery), [Cambridge, Massachusetts](/source/Cambridge%2C_Massachusetts).

His differenced coat of arms, *Argent, a cross raguly gules, on a chief gules a leopard or*, became well-known though its 1887 publication as the second of three frontispiece illustrations in *American Heraldica*,[10] with explication of the original family coat of arms, *Argent, a cross raguly gules, on a chief gules three leopard heads or*, within the tome on page 33.[11]

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Whitney, David R. (1878), *The Suffolk Bank*, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Riverside Press, pp. 4–5

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** M., Rosenberg, Chaim (2013). *Legendary locals of Lowell, Massachusetts*. Arcadia. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9781467100489](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9781467100489). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [854956846](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/854956846).{{[cite book](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_book)}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_multiple_names:_authors_list))

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Gill, Eliza M. (1909). ["The Bigelow Family"](https://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A2005.05.0012%3Achapter%3D17). *Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 12*. Perseus Digital Library. Retrieved June 30, 2018.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Greenslet, Ferris](/source/Ferris_Greenslet). (1946) *The Lowells and Their Seven Worlds*. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-89760-263-3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-89760-263-3).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Van Deusen, Glyndon G. (1958). "Some Aspects of Whig Thought and Theory in the Jacksonian Period". *The American Historical Review*. **63** (2): 306–307. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/1849546](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F1849546). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [1849546](https://www.jstor.org/stable/1849546).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Rich, Robert (1971). "'A Wilderness of Whigs': The Wealthy Men of Boston". *Journal of Social History*. **4** (3): 266. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1353/jsh/4.3.263](https://doi.org/10.1353%2Fjsh%2F4.3.263). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [3786703](https://www.jstor.org/stable/3786703).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** [American Antiquarian Society Members Directory](http://www.americanantiquarian.org/memberlistl)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-AAAS_8-0)** ["Book of Members, 1780-2010: Chapter L"](http://www.amacad.org/publications/BookofMembers/ChapterL.pdf) (PDF). American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Retrieved April 7, 2011.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-confidence_9-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-confidence_9-1) Norris, William (1976). "Abbott Lawrence in *The Confidence-Man*: American Success or American Failure?". *American Studies*. **17** (1): 27, 31. [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [40641182](https://www.jstor.org/stable/40641182).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** [America Heraldica : a Compilation of Coats of Arms, Crests and Mottoes of prominent American families settled in this country before 1800](https://archive.org/details/americaheraldica00verm/page/n8/mode/1up). By Vermont, E. de Valeaurt; Illustrated by Rykers, Henry. Publ. New York, Brentano Brothers 1887. Frontispiece 2 of 3. Accessed 19 June 2024.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** [America Heraldica : a Compilation of Coats of Arms, Crests and Mottoes of prominent American families settled in this country before 1800](https://archive.org/details/americaheraldica00verm/page/33/mode/1up). By Vermont, E. de Valeaurt; Illustrated by Rykers, Henry. Publ. New York, Brentano Brothers 1887. Page 33. Accessed 19 June 2024.

## References

- United States Congress. ["Abbott Lawrence (id: L000130)"](http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=L000130). *[Biographical Directory of the United States Congress](/source/Biographical_Directory_of_the_United_States_Congress)*. Retrieved on 2008-02-15

- Beach, Chandler B., ed. (1914). ["Lawrence, Abbott"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_New_Student%27s_Reference_Work/Lawrence,_Abbott). [*The New Student's Reference Work*](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_New_Student%27s_Reference_Work). Chicago: F. E. Compton and Co.

- [Chisholm, Hugh](/source/Hugh_Chisholm), ed. (1911). ["Lawrence, Amos"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Lawrence,_Amos). *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition)* (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press.

- Hunt, Freeman (1858). ["Abbot Lawrence"](https://books.google.com/books?id=A7YmR230yAkC&pg=PA331). *Lives of American Merchants*. Vol. 2. pp. 331–364.

- [Wilson, J. G.](/source/James_Grant_Wilson); [Fiske, J.](/source/John_Fiske_(philosopher)), eds. (1892). ["Lawrence, Amos"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Appletons%27_Cyclop%C3%A6dia_of_American_Biography/Lawrence,_Amos). *[Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography](/source/Appletons'_Cyclop%C3%A6dia_of_American_Biography)*. New York: D. Appleton.

- [Gilman, D. C.](/source/Daniel_Coit_Gilman); Peck, H. T.; Colby, F. M., eds. (1905). ["Lawrence, Abbott"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_New_International_Encyclop%C3%A6dia/Lawrence,_Abbott). *[New International Encyclopedia](/source/New_International_Encyclopedia)* (1st ed.). New York: Dodd, Mead.

- Rines, George Edwin, ed. (1920). ["Lawrence, Abbott"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Encyclopedia_Americana_(1920)/Lawrence,_Abbott). *[Encyclopedia Americana](/source/Encyclopedia_Americana)*.

- Luthin, Richard H. (December 1941). "Abraham Lincoln and the Massachusetts Whigs in 1848". *The New England Quarterly*. **14** (4): 619–632. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.2307/360598](https://doi.org/10.2307%2F360598). [JSTOR](/source/JSTOR_(identifier)) [360598](https://www.jstor.org/stable/360598).

## External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to [Abbott Lawrence](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Abbott_Lawrence).

U.S. House of Representatives Preceded by Benjamin Gorham Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 1st congressional district 1835–1837 Succeeded by Richard Fletcher Preceded by Richard Fletcher Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Massachusetts's 1st congressional district 1839–1841 Succeeded by Robert C. Winthrop Diplomatic posts Preceded by George Bancroft United States Minister to Britain 1849–1852 Succeeded by Joseph R. Ingersoll

v t e Ambassadors of the United States of America to the Court of St. James's Ministers Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. James's (1785–1811) J. Adams Pickney King Monroe Pinkney Russell (chargé d'affaires) Envoys Extraordinary and Ministers Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. James's (1815–1893) J. Q. Adams Rush King Gallatin Lawrence (chargé d'affaires) Barbour McLane Van Buren Vail (chargé d'affaires) Stevenson Everett McLane Bancroft Lawrence Ingersoll Buchanan Dallas C. Adams R. Johnson Motley Schenck Pierrepont Welsh Lowell Phelps Lincoln Ambassadors Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Court of St. James's (1893–present) Bayard Hay Choate Reid Page Davis Harvey Kellogg Houghton Dawes Mellon Bingham Kennedy Winant Harriman Douglas Gifford Aldrich Whitney Bruce Annenberg Richardson Armstrong Brewster Louis Price Catto Seitz Crowe Lader Farish Tuttle Susman Barzun W. Johnson Hartley Stephens

v t e United States representatives from Massachusetts 1st district F. Ames Dexter Goodhue Holten Sedgwick Skinner Sedgwick J. Bacon Eustis Quincy Ward Jr. Mason Gorham Webster Gorham N. Appleton Gorham A. Lawrence Fletcher A. Lawrence Winthrop N. Appleton Winthrop S. Eliot W. Appleton Scudder T. D. Eliot Hall T. D. Eliot Buffington Crapo R. Davis Randall Wright G. Lawrence Treadway Heselton Conte Olver Neal 2nd district Goodhue Foster W. Lyman Sedgwick Ward Sr. W. Lyman Shepard J. Crowninshield Story Pickman W. Reed Pickering Silsbee Barstow B. Crowninshield Choate Phillips Saltonstall D. King Rantoul Fay Crocker Buffington O. Ames Harris Long E. Morse Gillett Churchill Bowles Kaynor Granfield Clason Furcolo Boland Neal McGovern 3rd district Gerry Bourne Coffin S. Lyman Mattoon Cutler Nelson Livermore White Pickering Nelson Varnum Nelson Osgood Cushing A. Abbott Duncan Edmands Damrell C. Adams Thomas A. Rice Twichell Whiting I Pierce Field B. Dean Field Ranney L. Morse J. Andrew Walker J. R. Thayer R. Hoar C. Washburn J. A. Thayer Wilder Paige F. Foss Casey Philbin Drinan Donohue Early Blute McGovern N. Tsongas Trahan 4th district Sedgwick Dearborn G. Thatcher Wadsworth Foster L. Lincoln Sr. Hastings Varnum W. Richardson Dana Stearns Fuller E. Everett Sa. Hoar Parmenter Thompson Palfrey Thompson Sabine Walley Comins A. Rice Hooper Frost J. Abbott L. Morse Collins O'Neil Apsley Weymouth Tirrell Mitchell Wilder Winslow Stobbs P. Holmes Donohue Drinan Frank Kennedy III Auchincloss 5th district Partridge Bourne Freeman L. Williams T. Dwight Ely Mills Lathrop Sibley J. Davis L. Lincoln Jr. Hudson C. Allen W. Appleton Burlingame W. Appleton Hooper Alley Butler Gooch Banks Bowman L. Morse Hayden Banks Sh. Hoar Stevens Knox B. Ames J. Rogers E. Rogers B. Morse Cronin P. Tsongas Shannon Atkins Meehan N. Tsongas Markey Clark 6th district G. Thatcher Leonard J. Reed Sr. J. Smith Taggart S. Allen Locke Kendall Grennell Alvord Baker Ashmun G. Davis Upham T. Davis Alley Gooch Banks Butler Thompson Loring Stone Lovering Lodge Cogswell Moody Gardner Lufkin A.P. Andrew G. Bates W. Bates Harrington Mavroules Torkildsen Tierney Moulton 7th district Leonard Ward Sr. Leonard Bullock Bishop Mitchell Barker Baylies Turner Baylies Hulbert Shaw H. Dwight S. Allen Grennell Briggs J. Rockwell Goodrich Banks Gooch Boutwell Brooks Esty E. Hoar Tarbox Butler W. Russell Stone Cogswell W. Everett Barrett Roberts Phelan Maloney W. Connery L. Connery Lane Macdonald Markey Capuano Pressley 8th district Grout G. Thatcher F. Ames Otis Eustis L. Williams Green Gardner Green J. Reed Jr. Baylies Sampson Hobart Lathrop Bates Calhoun J. Adams Mann Wentworth Knapp Train Baldwin G. Hoar J. M. S. Williams Warren Claflin Candler W Russell C. H. Allen Greenhalge Stevens McCall Deitrick Dallinger H. Thayer Dallinger Healey Goodwin Macdonald O'Neill Kennedy II Capuano Lynch 9th district Varnum Bishop J. Dean Wheaton J. Reed Jr. Folger J. Reed Jr. H. Dwight Briggs Jackson Hastings H. Williams Hale Fowler Little De Witt E. Thayer Bailey A. Walker W. Washburn Crocker G. Hoar W. Rice T. Lyman Ely Burnett Candler G. Williams O'Neil Fitzgerald Conry Keliher Murray Roberts Fuller Underhill Luce R. Russell Luce T. H. Eliot Gifford Nicholson Keith McCormack Hicks Moakley Lynch Keating 10th district Goodhue Sewall Read Hastings Upham J. Allen Brigham Wheaton Morton F Baylies Bailey H. A. S. Dearborn W. Baylies Borden H. Williams Borden Burnell Grinnell Scudder Dickinson Chaffee Delano Dawes Crocker Stevens Seelye Norcross W. Rice J. E. Russell J. Walker McEttrick Atwood Barrows Naphen McNary O'Connell Curley Murray Tague Fitzgerald Tague Douglass Tinkham Herter Curtis Martin Heckler Studds Delahunt Keating 11th district Bradbury Bartlett Cutler Stedman A. Bigelow Brigham B. Adams J. Russell Hobart J. Richardson J. Adams J. Reed Jr. Burnell Goodrich Trafton Dawes Chapin Robinson Whiting II Wallace Coolidge Draper Sprague Powers Sullivan Peters Tinkham Douglass Higgins Flaherty Curley Kennedy O'Neill Burke Donnelly 12th district H. Dearborn I. Parker Lee S. Thatcher Skinner Larned Bidwell Bacon Dewey Hulbert Strong Kendall L. Bigelow Baylies Hodges J. Adams Robinson F. Rockwell Crosby E. Morse Lovering Powers Weeks Curley Gallivan McCormack Keith Studds 13th district Wadsworth Seaver Ruggles Dowse Eustis J. Reed Jr. Randall Simpkins Greene Weeks Mitchell Carter Luce Wigglesworth Burke 14th district G. Thatcher Cutts C. King J. Holmes Lovering E. Foss Harris Gilmore Olney Frothingham Wigglesworth Martin 15th district Wadsworth Ilsley Whitman Widgery Bradbury Whitman Greene Leach Martin Gifford 16th district S. Thatcher Cook Tallman S. Davis Brown Orr Hill Thacher Walsh Gifford 17th district Bruce Chandler Gannett F. Carr Wood J. Carr Wilson Kinsley 18th district Wilson T. Rice J. Parker 19th district J. Parker Conner Gage Cushman 20th district Hubbard Parris E. Lincoln At-large Cobb

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States Israel Artists ULAN People US Congress Deutsche Biographie Other Open Library SNAC Yale LUX

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Abbott Lawrence](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbott_Lawrence) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abbott_Lawrence?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.