Edward A. Lawrence Family Papers (1875-1983)

Avery Research Center Manuscript Number 1024

 

Biographical Note:

 

Edward Lawrence was born in Charleston, South Carolina January 1, 1858. He graduated from Avery Normal Institute in 1875. He taught at the Avery Normal Institute for almost 20 years and served as interim principal, as well as serving as president of the Avery Alumni Association.  He also obtained a degree from South Carolina State College, where he taught psychology and sociology. Lawrence worked as a real-estate agent in Charleston before moving to Brooklyn, NY in 1920, where he ran a real estate and insurance business.  He died in NY.  Edward Lawrence married Eliza Shrewsbury in 1879. She was the daughter of Georgiana Mary Holloway Shrewsbury, grand-daughter of Richard Holloway, and step-daughter of James Dacoster.  The Shrewsburys and Holloways were members of Charleston’s black elite.

 

Scope and Content: 0.25 linear ft.

The Edward Lawrence Family Papers contain two small series. The first series consists of legal documents (1875-1903) regarding the property of Georgiana Shrewsbury, who married James Dacoster. The second series consists of misc. correspondence, clippings, and materials (1879-1983) regarding Edward Lawrence and his relatives, including a graduation speech he gave to Avery Normal Institute (1915) and an advertisement (1907) from Holloway’s Harness Repair Shop requesting the patronage of Brown Fellowship Society members.

 

Suggested subjects

Lawrence, Edward,  b. 1858

Shrewsbury, Eliza, m. 1879

Holloway, Richard., d. 1895

Holloway Family

Brown Fellowship Society

Avery Normal Institute

African Americans – teachers

 

 

Types of records

Legal papers

Graduation speeches

 

 

Edward A. Lawrence Papers, 1875-1937, 1983

 

 

Avery Research Center Manuscript Number 1024

 

 

 

Box # --

I

LEGAL DOCUMENTS (1875-1903)

Folder #

 

 

 

1

Legal documents (1875-1903) including trusteeships, conveyances, etc. aimed at protecting the rights of Georgiana Shrewsbury in the estate of her husband, George Shrewsbury (d. 1875), necessitated by her subsequent marriage to James Dacoster (1881). Those mentioned in the documents include her two husbands; her father, Richard Holloway (d. 1895); her daughter, Eliza Lawrence; and her son-in-law, Edward Lawrence. 

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CORRESPONDENCE AND CLIPPINGS (1879-1937, 1983)

 

 

 

 

2

Correspondence, clippings, and misc. materials re Edward Lawrence and his relatives. Includes two obituaries for George Shrewsbury (May 1883), a note from Richard Holloway to his daughter, a letter (April 1879) from Edward Lawrence to Mrs. George Shrewsbury asking for her daughter's hand in marriage, advertisement and envelope from Holloway Harness Repair Shop re patronage of Brown Fellowship Society members (May 1907), a copy of a graduation speech Edward Lawrence gave to Avery Normal Institute entitled "The Negro in America, His Interests Identical with That of the Nation" (1915), article (Oct 1937) re Edward Lawrence published in Brooklyn Daily Eagle, and letter (May 1983) from Maude Jenkins to Lucille Whipper re disposition of Edward Lawrence Papers.

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