My Genealogy Hound

JAMES LAWDER, one of the prominent agriculturists of township 8, range 5, Randolph County, is the son of Savage and Jane (Weir) Lawder, natives of County Down, Ireland. The paternal grandfather of our subject was William Lawder, a native of Scotland, whence he emigrated some time in the eighteenth century. The Weirs were of Irish birth, though they probably came originally from Scotland.

The father of our subject was born about the year 1793, just previous to a rebellion known in common parlance as “Pike times,” and his grandmother took him when an infant to visit his father in camp, who had been pressed into the ranks of the rebels. The subject of this sketch was born March 22, 1829, and spent his boyhood years in his native county, where he received his education in the country schools, principally under the tutelage of one Robert Ritchie, who for twenty-two years presided over the same school. At the age of twenty-four years he left his native land, about the 4th of March, 1853, and after a passage of fifty days landed in the port of New York, whence he came to Rockwood a week later, arriving here on the 1st of May.

To illustrate modern progress in transportation facilities, it is of interest to relate that in order to get here, Mr. Lawder went by way of the Hudson River to Albany, thence by rail to Buffalo, from there by lake to Detroit, and from the latter place by rail to the present magnificent city of Chicago. At that time the entire place could be seen in five minutes’ time, as three or four stores on the lake front and a few cabins in the marshes constituted the town. Having been defrauded of his money, as were many other newcomers, he was obliged to pawn his watch in order to secure money for his passage down the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers to Rockwood, and on his arrival here his purse contained but a quarter of a dollar. No time was lost, however, and with willing hands he commenced to work for James M. Brown, and engaged in “grubbing” and making rails, about the only industry the country afforded at that time. Money was a scarce article in that early day, and for one year’s labor he received no cash return whatever.

After some time spent in his new home, our subject succeeded in securing a yoke of oxen in payment for the above debt, and purchasing three hundred and twenty acres, for which he paid twelve and a-half cents an acre, he set to work to clear and improve the land. That property now forms a portion of the home farm, which consists of three hundred and eighty-five acres. He gave a quarter-section to his son Joseph. Mr. Lawder has removed from the farm and now resides in a large house which is situated on an eminence and commands a fine view of the silvery waters of the Mississippi a mile or two distant.

January 1, 1851, Mr. Lawder was united in marriage with Miss Eliza, daughter of William and Margaret Karr, natives of County Down, Ireland. The family of Mr. and Mrs. Lawder includes eleven children, all of whom are living near their father’s home. Mary was born in Ireland and is now the wife of Samuel Carruthers, of Jackson County. The other children were born in America, and of them we note the following: William John is a prosperous farmer near Campbell Hill; Henry is engaged in agricultural pursuits on section 5, township 8, range 5; Margaret Jane is the wife of Kimbel Jones, a farmer in Jackson County; Joseph conducts a farm near Mill Creek, Randolph County; Walter owns a farm near that of his brother at Campbell Hill; Albert, a resident of Kansas, owns a farm in Martin County; Eliza Ellen resides with her father; Letitia is the widow of Milton W. Carr; Alfred and Arthur (twins) remain at home.

Mrs. Elizabeth Lawder departed this life September 2, 1875, at the age of forty-six years. While on a visit to his native land, our subject again married, the lady of his choice being Miss Mary Kerr, a cousin of his former wife. Mrs. Lawder is the daughter of James and Margaret (Sloan) Kerr, also natives of County Down. Our subject and all the members of his family are Presbyterians. In his political relations he has been a Republican for many years, and prides himself on having voted with the Democratic party but once. In his native country he was identified with the Orangemen, and during the late Rebellion was connected with the Union League. For six or eight years he served creditably as Town Treasurer, which office he still holds. For some time he was Road Supervisor and School Director. He has never been an office-seeker, and has consented to fill these positions only at the solicitations of his friends and neighbors.