Edward Lawrence

EDWARD LAWRENCE, physician and surgeon, Osceola, was born in the city of Alton, Illinois, March 3, 1836. His parents, John and Keziah Lawrence, were natives of New Jersey. They removed to Randolph County, Illinois, when Edward was a small boy, making a permanent home. Here the mother died in 1878, and the father then removed to Osceola and made his home with Edward, where he died at the advanced age of ninety-eight years.  Edward received his primary education in the common schools, where he gained a sufficient knowledge to enable him to teach. He followed teaching four years, and during the time studied medicine under Dr. Joseph McDonald, of St. Louis, a professor in the Missouri Medical College, of which Dr. Lawrence is a graduate – of 1859-‘60.  His first practice was in Wayne County, Missouri.  Upon the breaking out of the civil war, the doctor left the State and went over into Illinois. He enlisted in the Eleventh Regiment, Missouri Volunteer Cavalry, as Assistant Surgeon. He served eighteen months, and was mustered out at New Orleans in July, 1865.  He then came to Scott County, Iowa, locating in Davenport, where he pursued the practice of his profession until 1876, when he removed to Osceola. At one time the doctor was associated with Dr. Laws, now deceased. The partnership continued about eighteen months and was dissolved by mutual consent. Since then Dr. Lawrence has conducted his business alone. He is acknowledged to be the leading surgeon of the county.  In 1858 he was married to Miss Winifred Dollarhide, a native of Muscatine County. Her father was one of the pioneers who came to Iowa from Warren County, Indiana, in 1832. They are the parents of five children – Emma R., Edward J., Harry K., William E., and Ada E.  The doctor is a thorough student and is regarded as a fine chemist; has all the appliances for making chemical tests, and for chemical analysis. He is a member of the Masonic order, also of the Sons of Temperance. While residing in Davenport he was a member of the School Board.

SOURCE: Biographical and Historical Record of Clarke County, Iowa, Lewis Publishing Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1886 p. 415