Aubrey Lawrence Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1435-1436 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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	AUBREY LAWRENCE, a member of the well-known law firm of Hall, 
Lawrence & Roddle, of Brookings, was born in Mineral Point, Wisconsin, 
on the 13th of June, 1870, and is a son of Philip and Matilda H. 
(Wilkinson) Lawrence, the former of whom was born in Cornwall, England, 
while the latter was born in Yorkshire. The father of the subject came 
to America in 1845 and settled in the town of Mineral Point, Wisconsin, 
where he served for a number of years as postmaster, while he also 
conducted a book and stationery store, becoming one of the prominent 
citizens of the town. He finally removed to Elkader, Iowa, where he 
became manager of the Clayton County Journal, and later he removed to 
the city of Milwaukee, where he maintained his home until 1879, when he 
came as a pioneer to South Dakota, locating in Arlington, Kingsbury 
county, where he established himself in the general merchandise 
business, in which he there continued until 1887, when he removed to 
DeSmet, the capital of that county, where he held the position of 
cashier of the First National Bank for a number of years. He was clerk 
of the courts of that county for two terms and also served two terms as 
judge of probate, while later he was deputy state auditor for four years 
and assistant secretary of state for an equal length of time. In 1901 he 
took up his residence in Huron, Beadle county, where he and his wife 
have since maintained their home and where he is prominently engaged in 
the real-estate business. Of his two children the subject is the 
younger, the other, Lulu, having died at the age of eight years. The 
father of the subject tendered his service in defense of the Union at 
the outbreak of the Rebellion, enlisting, in 1861, as a member of the 
Second Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. He was severely wounded in the 
first battle of Bull Run, but re-enlisted in 1863, and continued in 
service until the close of the war, having been mustered out as first 
lieutenant of his company. He is one of the prominent and popular 
members of the Grand Army of the Republic in South Dakota, and served 
one term as commander of the order for the state. 

	Aubrey Lawrence secured his initial educational training in the 
public schools of Elkader, Iowa, which he attended one year, after which 
he passed a similar period in the schools of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 
whither the family had removed. He was nine years of age at the time of 
his parents' removal to Arlington, South Dakota, and there he prosecuted 
the work of the public schools until 1884, when he was matriculated in 
the State Agricultural College, at Brookings, where he completed a four-
years course, being graduated as a member of the class of 1888, with 
honors, and receiving the degree of Bachelor of Science. During the time 
he was in college he also devoted considerable attention to the reading 
of law, having as his preceptor J. O. Andrews, of Brookings, and after 
leaving college he went to DeSmet and there entered the office of James 
F. Watson, with whom he continued his technical reading until 1889, when 
he was admitted to the bar, at Brookings. Thereafter he was for a short 
time associated in practice with his former preceptor, Mr. Watson, after 
which he removed to Sumas City, Washington, in 1890, and there continued 
the practice of his profession until 1894. In 1891 he was appointed 
United States court commissioner for the northern district of 
Washington, and at the age of twenty-one years was elected mayor of 
Sumas City, serving three terms. In 1894 he removed to New Whatcom, 
Washington, where he was engaged in practice until 1896, becoming one of 
the leading lawyers of that section of the state, and also being 
secretary of the Republican county central committee for two years. In 
May, 1896, Mr. Lawrence returned to South Dakota and located in 
Castlewood, Hamlin county, where he engaged in practice, while from 1898 
until 1900 he was acting state's attorney of the county, being elected 
to the office in the latter year, without opposition, while he was re-
elected in 1902. May 1, 1903, he resigned the office and came to 
Brookings, where he entered into a professional partnership with Messrs. 
Philo Hall and W. H. Roddle, with whom he has since been associated in 
practice, under the firm name noted in the opening paragraph of this 
article. In politics he has ever accorded a staunch allegiance to the 
Republican party, and has been active in promoting its cause. He was 
secretary of the Republican central committee of Hamlin county in 1896 
and 1898, and was also president of the McKinley Club of Castlewood 
during the campaign of 1896. Fraternally he is identified with the 
Independent Order of Odd Fellows and the Modern Woodmen of America. 

	On the 12th of November, 1890, Mr. Lawrence was united in marriage 
to Miss Laura Remington, who was born in Manston, Wisconsin, being a 
daughter of Captain William N. Remington, who served throughout the war 
of the Rebellion, having been captain of his company in the Sixth 
Regiment of Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. In 1880 the Captain came with 
his family to DeSmet, South Dakota, where his wife still resides, Mr. 
Remington having died in 1886. Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence have one child, 
Raymond Aubrey, who was born on the 20th of March, 1892.