LAWRENCE, ABBOTT ( 1792 1855 ). An American merchant, legislator, and diplomat. Ile was horn in Groton, Mass.; was educated in a district school, and at the Groton Academy (now the Lawrence Academy); removed to Bos ton in 1808. and there served an apprenticeship in the warehouse of his elder brother, Amos, with whom in 1814 he founded the famous firm of A. & A. Lawrence. Lawrence also took an active interest in several railroad enterprises; was president of the Company, which in 1845 founded Lawrence, Mass. (named in his honor). and toward the latter part of his life was largely engaged in the China trade. From 1834 to 1837. and again from 1839 to 1840, when ill health forced him to resign. he was a member of Congress; and in 1842 he was one of the coin missloners of Massachusetts. who corperated with the commissioners of Maine. and with Daniel Webster, then Secretary of State, in ne gotiating the Webster-Ashburton Treaty (q.v.)
concerning the northeast boundary of the United States, with England's representative, Lord Ash burton. He was United States Minister to England in President Taylor's .Administration, in which capacity he rendered important services to the country. and became widely popular with the English people. though in 1852, wishing to devote his attention wholly to his business interests. he was recalled at his own request. Ile made many donations to charitable institutions, and in 1847 contributed 850.000 for the estab lishment of a scientific school at Harvard. which was named in his honor, and to which by will lie subsequently contributed another ti-'50.000. Ile left a like sum for the erection of model lodging. honses for the poor. the in•oine from Svhieh was to be forever applied to charitable purposes. Consult Bill, Memoir of .1bbott Law rence (Boston,