History of Clark County, Wisconsin (1918)

ANDREW LAWSON, a successful farmer of Sherwood Township, who was one of the pioneer homesteaders here, and who has achieved prosperity through his own efforts, aided by a worthy helpmate, was born on a farm in Denmark, Feb. 16, 1848, son of Lars and Sophia (Larson) Lawson. He was the youngest member of a family of six children, four sons and two daughters. The first to come to the United States was Nels, a brother of Andrew, who settled in Waupaca, Wis. Some time after he had departed, Andrew and his brother, Sam, enlisted, or contracted, to go to Greenland to work in the mines, and were there for a year and a half. Then, in 1871, he worked his way to the United States on a vessel loaded with soda from the Greenland mines, which landed him in Philadelphia. Going to Salem, Pa., he worked for farmers in that vicinity from October, 1871, until Easter, 1872. He then came West to Stevens Point, Wis., where, during that summer, he worked on the railroad. After that he lived for a while in the vicinity of Neenah, Wis., and then came to Clark County. Here he first worked in a sawmill, but subsequently homesteaded forty acres of land in Section 24, Sherwood Township, the tract forming a part of his present farm, to which he later added forty acres more. The land was all wooded and there were no roads, so he began life here as a pioneer, building the log house in which he still resides, and has resided for forty years. For thirty winters or more he worked in logging camps and on the drive but spent his summers in improving his farm.

On Nov. 3, 1878, Mr. Lawson was married to Aseenith Sparks, who was born in New York State Nov. 3, 1858, daughter of David and Elizabeth (Sparks) Sparks. Her father died when she was a year old and the rest of the family then came to Plainfield, with James Freeman Sparks, the widow's father. From there they subsequently came to Clark County, locating -in Sherwood Township, where they were among the first homesteaders, and where James F. Sparks served as one of the early township officers. At the time of his marriage, Mr. Lawson had two yearling heifers and an ox team, with a "jumper." He used to carry flour and groceries on his back through the woods from City Point, eleven miles away, and often walked to Neillsville.

He and his wife being members of the Congregational Church, services were often held in their log house in early days. Since that time he has greatly improved his farm, on which he raises Holstein cattle with good financial results. He and his wife have an adopted son, Ralph Lawson, married Nettie Lunderville, Oct. 24, 1917. Mr. Lawson cast his first ballot for President Grant, and has ever since been a Republican.

**Feel free to write me if you are researching this family, as I have a little more info to share.