Lewis Lawrence diaries
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Creator
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Language of Materials
Abstract
Pocket diaries of Irish immigrant Lewis Peter Lawrence (1850-1913), a devout Methodist, dry-goods merchant, and real estate speculator who lived in Harlem and the Bronx at the end of the 19th century. The diaries record his work and religious activities, and his involvement with the Harrisonville Cooperative Building Association, which apparently developed properties in the Mott Haven section of the Bronx.
Biographical / Historical
Lewis Peter Lawrence was born in 1850 in Mohill, County Leitrim, Ireland, to Richard and Elizabeth (Crowe) Lawrence. He arrived in New York aboard the ship "Calabria," landing at Castle Garden on August 31, 1872. In New York, about 1874, Lewis married fellow Irish immigrant Mary J. Larke, by whom he had three known children: Richard Wesley, Anita Frances, and Ethel Elizabeth. [Son Richard Wesley Lawrence (1878-1948) was a corporate official and treasurer of the State Republican Committee.] Lewis Lawrence held a variety of jobs, but was primarily manager of a dry-goods establishment. He was also involved in real estate development, and served on the board of directors of the Harrisonville Cooperative Building Association. It is unclear if the HCBA had a connection to Harrisonville, in South Harrison Township, Gloucester County, New Jersey; real estate publications of the period record a number of HCBA transactions in the Bronx, where Lawrence lived at 535 Union Avenue, Mott Haven, in 1888-1890. Prior to that he lived in Manhattan, at 115 East 118th Street. Lewis Lawrence died in the Bronx on August 13, 1913, at the age of 63.
Arrangement
The diaries are filed chronologically.
Scope and Contents
A devout member of Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church (323 East 118th Street, Manhattan), Lewis Lawrence attended prayer meetings three and sometimes four times per week. The church was close to his home at 115 East 118th Street. Lawrence's diary from 1887 begins with the hopeful inscription "I trust by the grace of God my life this year shall be governed by the following five rules: strict integrity, firm purpose, constant indeavour [sic], patient waiting, and trust in God." At the back of this diary (and each of the others) is a list of names and addresses of friends and relatives, as well as some expenses and accountings from the Harrisonville Cooperative Building Association. He was also a member of the Royal Arcanum, a fraternal benefit society.
The 1888 diary finds Lawrence and family at 535 Union Avenue in the Bronx, and includes some notes from his work: "Mr. Norris discharged from linen department." Lawrence purchased property in what appears to have been a new development on East 149th Street; he mentions prospective renters who called to inspect the units. To escape the summer heat, the family visited Port Morris, on the Bronx waterfront.
On March 4, 1889, a "wet day," Lawrence noted the "Inauguration of Gen. Harrison President of U.S." At a March 17 church service, the congregation "took up a collection for a colored church," and on April 7, he heard a service where "a colored man preached." Lawrence was on the board of directors of the Harrisonville Cooperative Building Association. His life during this period was consumed by his dry-goods business, his family, periodic illness for which he took quinine and castor oil, and by tenants of his property. He notes the Johnstown Flood (occurred May 31, 1889) and one of boxer John L. Sullivan's fights on July 9.
Lawrence's diary for 1890 opens with one of his tenants, a Mrs. Purcell, being taken to the Bloomingdale Insane Asylum. The next day he was "in wholesale marking India shawls." In February he was attending revival services and renewing his religious devotions. He makes notes on his garden plantings and deaths among his acquaintances. On April 11 the family watched "Barnum's parade."
[This note is based on information supplied by the seller of Lawrence's diaries.]
Subjects
Access Restrictions
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Use Restrictions
Taking images of documents from the library collections for reference purposes by using hand-held cameras and in accordance with the library's photography guidelines is encouraged. As an alternative, patrons may request up to 20 images per day from staff. Application to use images from this collection for publication should be made in writing to: Department of Rights and Reproductions, The New-York Historical Society, 170 Central Park West, New York, NY 10024-5194, rightsandrepro@nyhistory.org. Phone: (212) 873-3400 ext. 282. Copyrights and other proprietary rights may subsist in individuals and entities other than the New-York Historical Society, in which case the patron is responsible for securing permission from those parties. For fuller information about rights and reproductions from N-YHS visit: www.nyhistory.org/rights-and-reproductions.
Preferred Citation
This collection should be cited as "Lewis Lawrence Diaries, MS 3223, New-York Historical Society."
Location of Materials
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Purchase, Daniel G. Siegel, M&S Rare Books, 2016.
About this Guide
Processing Information
Archivist Joseph Ditta arranged and described this collection in July 2023.