James E. Lawrence

James Edmund Lawrence (October 10, 1882 – May 18, 1941) was an American football player. He played college football for the 1902 Michigan Wolverines football team that compiled an 11–0 record and outscored opponents 644 to 12. He scored 113 points for the 1902 Michigan team, a figure which ranked among the five highest single-season point totals in Michigan history until 1940 and which still ranks among the top 10 scoring seasons by a Michigan player. In an October 8, 1902 game against Michigan Agricultural College (now known as Michigan State University), Lawrence set a Michigan record by converting 19 of 20 point after touchdown kicks. At the time of his death, The New York Times noted that Lawrence was "considered the greatest place-kicker the University of Michigan ever had."[1]

James E. Lawrence
Michigan Wolverines
PositionTackle, Fullback, Placekicker
ClassGraduate
Career history
CollegeMichigan (1902)
Personal information
Born:(1882-10-10)October 10, 1882
Michigan
Died:May 18, 1941(1941-05-18) (aged 58)
Los Angeles, California

Early years

James Edmund Lawrence was born in Michigan, 10 October 1882.[2] His father, James Elliot Lawrence, who was born in Michigan and was a business man in Washtenaw County with Farrington B F & Co. (Benjamin F. Farrington, Clifford Elliott, James E. Laurence). Wholesale Grocers and Coffee and Spice Mills, 54 and 56 Jefferson ave and 128 and 130 Woodbridge w.[3] His mother was Marion Kitchen. The father died in 1886.[4] His mother, Marion [daughter of Joseph and Harriet Kitchen;,[5] continued to raise the family in Ypsilanti; a "capitalist", Lawrence had an older brother Don (b. Sept. 1874) and two older sisters Harriet (b. Nov. 1876) and Grace (b. June 1879). At the time of the 1900 Census, Lawrence's aunt, Josephine Kitchen, and a servant, Charlotte Brook, also lived with the family.[6]

Lawrence attended Ypsilanti High School where he played four years of football, two years at the tackle position and two years at the fullback position. According to one account, "At both places he was a whole team in himself."[7]

University of Michigan
Lawrence from 1902 Michiganensian

Lawrence enrolled in the engineering department at the University of Michigan in 1902.[7] As a freshman, he participated in tryouts for the football team held at Whitmore Lake, Michigan. Lawrence was six feet and one-half inches tall and weighed 187 pounds.[8] Michigan's head coach Fielding H. Yost recognized that Lawrence had "the weight, speed, and nerve of a valuable man" and "all the qualities of a fullback".[7]

The 1902 Michigan Wolverines football team won all 11 of its games and outscored opponents by a combined score of 644 to 12.[9] Lawrence appeared in 10 of the 11 games played by the team, missing only the Notre Dame game.[7] He was the starting fullback in three games and appeared in other games at the tackle and guard positions.[9] In 10 games for the 1902 Wolverines, Lawrence scored 113 points on 12 touchdowns (scored as five points under 1902 rules) and 53 point after touchdown ("PAT) conversions. Lawrence's 1902 point total ranked among the five highest single-season point totals in Michigan history until 1940 and still ranks among the top 10 scoring seasons by a Michigan player. In an October 8, 1902 game against Michigan Agricultural College (now known as Michigan State University), Lawrence set a Michigan record by converting 19 of 20 point after touchdown ("PAT") kicks.[10]

Lawrence's highest scoring point totals were as follows:

  • October 11, 1902: 29 points on 4 touchdowns and 9 point after touchdown (PAT) kicks against Indiana[11][12]
  • November 8, 1902: 19 points on 3 touchdowns and 4 PAT kicks against Iowa[13][14]
  • October 25, 1902: 17 points on 2 touchdowns and 7 PAT kicks against Ohio State[16]

While Lawrence made a name for himself due to his scoring, he was also a valuable contributor on defense: "On defense, he used his weight to a great advantage in breaking up interference and in supporting the line."[7]

At the time of his death 39 years later, The New York Times noted that he was "considered the greatest place-kicker the University of Michigan ever had".[1]

Later years

At the time of the 1910 United States Census, Lawrence was living in Pontiac, Michigan with his wife Nellie E. Lawrence. His occupation was listed as a draftsman in a factory.[20]

In a draft registration card completed in September 1918, Lawrence indicated that he was living in Highland Park, Michigan, and employed by McCormack & Lawrence at the Free Press Building in Detroit.[21]

At the time of the 1920 United States Census, Lawrence was living in Highland Park with his wife Nellie and their nine-year-old son Robert. His occupation was listed as the secretary of a real estate company.[22]

By the time of the 1930 United States Census, Lawrence had moved to Los Angeles, California. He was living at 261 West Second Street with his wife Nellie S. Lawrence and their 19-year-old son Robert S. Lawrence. His occupation was listed at that time as a real estate broker.[23]

Lawrence died in Los Angeles in May 1941 at age 58.[24][25]

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References
  1. "James Edmund Lawrence" (PDF). The New York Times. May 21, 1941.
  2. W.W.I. Draft Registration Card
  3. Ypsilanti Commercial; Ypsilanti, Michigan; 31 Dec 1886; Page 5; Column 3. James Elliott Lawrence obituary.
  4. FHL- GS Film #2363632
  5. FHL-GS Film #1019066; Digital Folder #4674385; Image #00205
  6. Census entry for Marion Lawrence and family. Ancestry.com. 1900 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Ypsilanti Ward 2, Washtenaw, Michigan; Roll: T623_747; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 111.
  7. The 1903 Michiganensian. University of Michigan. 1903. p. 150.
  8. "1902 Football Team Roster". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library. Archived from the original on 2010-08-19. Retrieved 2011-07-20.
  9. "1902 Football Team". University of Michigan, Bentley Historical Library.
  10. "Michigan Made 119 Points: Almost Equaled Phenomenal Score Against Buffalo; Simply Rushed the Ball Over the Aggies Line At Will". Detroit Free Press. October 9, 1902.
  11. "Michigan Is by the Mark: Added Sixty Points to Totals in Game with Indiana". Detroit Free Press. October 12, 1902.
  12. "The Indiana Game". The Michigan Alumnus. November 1902. p. 63.
  13. "Yost's Men Make Record: Michigan Simply Toys with the Hawekeye Eleven; Total Score of 107 to 0 Is the First Time Over 100 Points Have Been Scored Against a Member of "Big Nine" in the West--Game Is a Constant Succession of Touchdowns, the First Being Scored Two Minutes After the Kickoff; Wolverines Never Let Up". Chicago Daily Tribune. November 9, 1902.
  14. "Michigan Again Made Century: Seventeen Touchdowns and Field Goal, 107 Points, Against Iowa". Detroit Free Press. November 9, 1902. p. 1.
  15. "The M.A.C. Game". The Michigan Alumnus. November 1902. p. 63.
  16. "Michigan Crowding Record: Passed 400 Mark in Game with Ohio State University". Detroit Free Press. October 26, 1902.
  17. "Michigan Goal Line Crossed". Detroit Free Press. October 5, 1902.
  18. "The Case Game". The Michigan Alumnus. November 1902. p. 62.
  19. "Michigan and Yale happy: Ann Arbor Eleven is Now Assured of "Point a Minute" Average". Detroit Free Press. November 23, 1902. p. 1.
  20. Census entry for James E. Lawrence, age 27, and Nellie S. Lawrence. Ancestry.com. 1910 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Pontiac Ward 4, Oakland, Michigan; Roll: T624_668; Page: 3A; Enumeration District: 0143; Image: 751; FHL Number: 1374681.
  21. Draft registration card for James Edmund Lawrence, born October 10, 1882. Ancestry.com. World War I Draft Registration Cards, 1917-1918 [database on-line]. Registration Location: Wayne County, Michigan; Roll: 1675661; Draft Board: 0.
  22. Census entry for James Lawrence and family. Ancestry.com. 1920 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Highland Park, Wayne, Michigan; Roll: T625_801; Page: 2A; Enumeration District: 688; Image: 202.
  23. Census entry for James E. Lawrence, age 47, born in Michigan, and family. Ancestry.com. 1930 United States Federal Census [database on-line]. Census Place: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; Roll: 140; Page: 13B; Enumeration District: 180; Image: 238.0.
  24. Death record for James Edmund Lawrence. Ancestry.com. California Death Index, 1940-1997 [database on-line]. Place: Los Angeles; Date: 18 May 1941; Social Security: 0.
  25. "James Lawrence Dies". Hartford Courant. May 21, 1941.
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