Descendants of William Edward Lawson, Sr.
Generation No. 1
1. WILLIAM EDWARD 4 LAWSON, SR. (WILLIAM R. 3, BENJAMIN THOMAS 2, WILLIAM 1) was born November 16, 1886 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, and died June 13, 1954 in Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia. He married JENNIE HASKINS COLEMAN December 23, 1906 in Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia, daughter of JOHN COLEMAN and MALISSA JEFFRIES. She was born July 27, 1887 in Charlotte County, Virginia, and died October 16, 1980 in Richmond, Virginia.
Notes for WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, SR.:
Eddie was of medium height and slender build with blue eyes and light brown hair. He worked as both a farmer and liveryman. My dad remembers watching his grandfather curry mules. The Lawsons spent most of their lives in Chase City but moved to Marshall, Virginia, following a job as a guard on their prison chain gang. This move was short lived and the family returned to Chase City.
Eddie would go to Canada in the winter to pick tobacco. My dad remembers getting him from the bus station upon returning home. Eddie would come off the bus so drunk that he could not stand. My grandmother would beat him all the way home, throw him into bed and make him sleep it off for a few days.
More About WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, SR.:
Burial: June 15, 1954, Woodland Cemetery, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Cause of Death: sudden coronary occlusion
Notes for JENNIE HASKINS COLEMAN:
Pawpaw never smoke, drank nor wore a bathing suit and she once had thirteen teeth pulled by a veterinarian, with no anesthesia. She was a petite woman, less than five feet tall and weighed less than one hundred pounds. She had a sweet disposition and loved her family dearly.
More About JENNIE HASKINS COLEMAN:
Burial: October 18, 1980, Woodland Cemetery, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Cause of Death: respiratory arrest, pulmonary edema
More About WILLIAM LAWSON and JENNIE COLEMAN:
Marriage: December 23, 1906, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Children of WILLIAM LAWSON and JENNIE COLEMAN are:
i. PEARL MALISSA5 LAWSON, b. October 7, 1907, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia; d. June 23, 1992, Richmond, Virginia; m. JOHN WALTER LETT, SR., February 28, 1928, Richmond, Virginia; b. November 21, 1907, Baskerville, Mecklenburg County, Virginia; d. May 18, 1951, Richmond, Virginia.
Notes for PEARL MALISSA LAWSON:
Pearl learned the shoe repair trade from her husband but abandoned the business after his death. She worked the lunch counter at Woolworth’s and spent a few years with the family restaurant, "Lett's Lunch." Pearl was proud of her tight-knit family, being devoted to each child and grandchild. She cooked Sunday brunch every week, consisting of her hamburger soup and snaps with potatoes. Pearl loved Atlantic City's slot machines and the sound of Wayne Newton. She was plagued with heart problems but died following a massive stroke.
More About PEARL MALISSA LAWSON:
Burial: June 26, 1992, Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia
Cause of Death: respiratory arrest, right cerebral infarction
Medical Information: arteriosclerotic cerebrovascular disease coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus
Notes for JOHN WALTER LETT, SR.:
Walter followed the shoe repair business from Virginia to Maryland with his brother Marvin. Upon returning to Virginia, Walter opened "Lett's Shoe Repairing" stores in Richmond and Sandston. He played poker at the News Leader Club and watched baseball at Parker Field. He was a hard worker but tight with money and affection. My father recalls going to baseball games with Walter but having to sit in the car while his dad went inside. In the end, a toothache proved to be the sign of an inoperable cancer that ravaged Walter’s body.
More About JOHN WALTER LETT, SR.:
Burial: May 20, 1951, Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia
Cause of Death: carcinoma of lungs, metastasis to brain
More About JOHN LETT and PEARL LAWSON:
Marriage: February 28, 1928, Richmond, Virginia
ii. WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, JR., b. October 19, 1915, Virginia; d. August 19, 1968, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia; m. PRIVATE.
Notes for WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, JR.:
Ed served during World War II and made his living as a machinist in Chase City, Virginia. I currently possess his scrapbook from the war but plan on returning it to his wife and children.
More About WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, JR.:
Burial: August 21, 1968, Woodland Cemetery, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
iii. HUNTER THOMAS LAWSON, b. August 22, 1924, Virginia; d. October 26, 1951, South Boston, Halifax County, Virginia; m. PRIVATE.
Notes for HUNTER THOMAS LAWSON:
Tony served during World War II. After the war, he and his wife had been fighting one evening. She left so he and a buddy went after her when his fatal accident occurred. Tony was riding in the car as it travelled three miles north of Chase City on Route 49. After the collision, the driver pushed Tony's body into the driver's seat to avoid blame for the accident.
Tony was taken to South Boston and treated at the local hospital. Doctors decided that his leg had to be amputated and prepared for surgery. Tony went into the operating room but died on the table, before having his leg removed. My grandmother recalls seeing the dead wagon outside of the hospital before the surgery. Perhaps the doctors did not think he was going to make it from the start.
Tony's mother was crushed by her son's death and never got over it. She would walk to the cemetery every day to visit his grave and kept the beer can that Tony was holding during the accident in her steamer trunk. In his memory, my grandmother gave me the middle name of Thomas and I have his mother's trunk (although the beer can is missing). I also have Tony's scrapbook that he made during the war.
More About HUNTER THOMAS LAWSON:
Burial: Woodland Cemetery, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Cause of Death: automobile accident
Generation No. 1
1. WILLIAM EDWARD 4 LAWSON, SR. (WILLIAM R. 3, BENJAMIN THOMAS 2, WILLIAM 1) was born November 16, 1886 in Mecklenburg County, Virginia, and died June 13, 1954 in Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia. He married JENNIE HASKINS COLEMAN December 23, 1906 in Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia, daughter of JOHN COLEMAN and MALISSA JEFFRIES. She was born July 27, 1887 in Charlotte County, Virginia, and died October 16, 1980 in Richmond, Virginia.
Notes for WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, SR.:
Eddie was of medium height and slender build with blue eyes and light brown hair. He worked as both a farmer and liveryman. My dad remembers watching his grandfather curry mules. The Lawsons spent most of their lives in Chase City but moved to Marshall, Virginia, following a job as a guard on their prison chain gang. This move was short lived and the family returned to Chase City.
Eddie would go to Canada in the winter to pick tobacco. My dad remembers getting him from the bus station upon returning home. Eddie would come off the bus so drunk that he could not stand. My grandmother would beat him all the way home, throw him into bed and make him sleep it off for a few days.
More About WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, SR.:
Burial: June 15, 1954, Woodland Cemetery, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Cause of Death: sudden coronary occlusion
Notes for JENNIE HASKINS COLEMAN:
Pawpaw never smoke, drank nor wore a bathing suit and she once had thirteen teeth pulled by a veterinarian, with no anesthesia. She was a petite woman, less than five feet tall and weighed less than one hundred pounds. She had a sweet disposition and loved her family dearly.
More About JENNIE HASKINS COLEMAN:
Burial: October 18, 1980, Woodland Cemetery, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Cause of Death: respiratory arrest, pulmonary edema
More About WILLIAM LAWSON and JENNIE COLEMAN:
Marriage: December 23, 1906, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Children of WILLIAM LAWSON and JENNIE COLEMAN are:
i. PEARL MALISSA5 LAWSON, b. October 7, 1907, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia; d. June 23, 1992, Richmond, Virginia; m. JOHN WALTER LETT, SR., February 28, 1928, Richmond, Virginia; b. November 21, 1907, Baskerville, Mecklenburg County, Virginia; d. May 18, 1951, Richmond, Virginia.
Notes for PEARL MALISSA LAWSON:
Pearl learned the shoe repair trade from her husband but abandoned the business after his death. She worked the lunch counter at Woolworth’s and spent a few years with the family restaurant, "Lett's Lunch." Pearl was proud of her tight-knit family, being devoted to each child and grandchild. She cooked Sunday brunch every week, consisting of her hamburger soup and snaps with potatoes. Pearl loved Atlantic City's slot machines and the sound of Wayne Newton. She was plagued with heart problems but died following a massive stroke.
More About PEARL MALISSA LAWSON:
Burial: June 26, 1992, Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia
Cause of Death: respiratory arrest, right cerebral infarction
Medical Information: arteriosclerotic cerebrovascular disease coronary artery disease, diabetes mellitus
Notes for JOHN WALTER LETT, SR.:
Walter followed the shoe repair business from Virginia to Maryland with his brother Marvin. Upon returning to Virginia, Walter opened "Lett's Shoe Repairing" stores in Richmond and Sandston. He played poker at the News Leader Club and watched baseball at Parker Field. He was a hard worker but tight with money and affection. My father recalls going to baseball games with Walter but having to sit in the car while his dad went inside. In the end, a toothache proved to be the sign of an inoperable cancer that ravaged Walter’s body.
More About JOHN WALTER LETT, SR.:
Burial: May 20, 1951, Oakwood Cemetery, Richmond, Virginia
Cause of Death: carcinoma of lungs, metastasis to brain
More About JOHN LETT and PEARL LAWSON:
Marriage: February 28, 1928, Richmond, Virginia
ii. WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, JR., b. October 19, 1915, Virginia; d. August 19, 1968, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia; m. PRIVATE.
Notes for WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, JR.:
Ed served during World War II and made his living as a machinist in Chase City, Virginia. I currently possess his scrapbook from the war but plan on returning it to his wife and children.
More About WILLIAM EDWARD LAWSON, JR.:
Burial: August 21, 1968, Woodland Cemetery, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
iii. HUNTER THOMAS LAWSON, b. August 22, 1924, Virginia; d. October 26, 1951, South Boston, Halifax County, Virginia; m. PRIVATE.
Notes for HUNTER THOMAS LAWSON:
Tony served during World War II. After the war, he and his wife had been fighting one evening. She left so he and a buddy went after her when his fatal accident occurred. Tony was riding in the car as it travelled three miles north of Chase City on Route 49. After the collision, the driver pushed Tony's body into the driver's seat to avoid blame for the accident.
Tony was taken to South Boston and treated at the local hospital. Doctors decided that his leg had to be amputated and prepared for surgery. Tony went into the operating room but died on the table, before having his leg removed. My grandmother recalls seeing the dead wagon outside of the hospital before the surgery. Perhaps the doctors did not think he was going to make it from the start.
Tony's mother was crushed by her son's death and never got over it. She would walk to the cemetery every day to visit his grave and kept the beer can that Tony was holding during the accident in her steamer trunk. In his memory, my grandmother gave me the middle name of Thomas and I have his mother's trunk (although the beer can is missing). I also have Tony's scrapbook that he made during the war.
More About HUNTER THOMAS LAWSON:
Burial: Woodland Cemetery, Chase City, Mecklenburg County, Virginia
Cause of Death: automobile accident
4 comments:
"....had thirteen teeth pulled by a veterinarian, with no anesthesia'....LOL,WHAT!? Kevin how do you know this? This is really interesting stuff. I never knew about the shoe repair thing eighter.
My dad told me a lot of these stories. So did Aunt Betty.
This is Pawpaw? I spelled it Papa..:-) I have pictures and stuff of her if you want to copy them let me know. I think I have one of her with your sister Pam in it.
Hey I am Warren Ray Lett's son, making me John Walter Lett's grandson... e-mail me at jessicaridenour@verizon.net
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