|--------
|
|---------Phenton LAWLOR (Ireland - Ireland)
| |
| |--------
|
|------John LAWLOR (1803, Ireland - 1883, Iowa)
| |
| | |--------
| | |
| |---------
| |
| |--------
|
Patrick James LAWLER (1850, Kentucky - 1932)
|
| |--------
| |
| |---------
| | |
| | |--------
| |
|------Mary LALOR (1816, Ireland - 1860)
|
| |--------
| |
|---------
|
|--------
Patrick came with his parents to Clinton Co., Iowa. In 1872, he came by covered wagon to Crawford county, settling on a farm north of West Side. In 1888 he sold out his farm and went in the business of house moving and carpentering. He lived about the last twenty years of his life with his sister Margaret Dunn and her children.
This Patrick Lawler of Crawford County invented and patented a corn harvester in the 1880s. He demonstrated it in 1885 or 1886 and was issued US Patent 425,515 on April 15, 1890. With his partners, Patrick purchased a blacksmith shop in Vail where they built one or two of the machines. But they were unable to sell them so their dreams faded. Patrick Lawler had a part in other inventions as well; namely, a railroad crossing signal and a mechanical post hole digging machine. The Crawford County history book says ``descendents'' of the inventor still live in the Westside area. But it must mean relatives since this Patrick never married.
Patrick couldn't decide how old he was when census time rolled around. He's 10 in 1860, 18 in 1870, 27 in 1880, 50 in 1900 (living with his brother John H.), 59 in 1910 (again with John), and age 67 in 1920 (living with his sister, Mrs. Margaret Dunn). The birthplace is always given as Kentucky. The years 1850--1932 are on his tombstone, and the exact dates are from his obituary.
According to the circa 1944 Lawler family history, ``Patrick James was one of the oldest office holders in the state of his time. He held the office of assessor for 48 years, and never was defeated at the polls. He retired the yr. of 1922.''
Sources for this individual: @S563@ @S527@ @S1174@
