Melvin Lawrence

April 4, 1871 - October 15, 1955

Melvin Lawrence was the youngest son of Horace A. and Lorinda (nee Windsor) Lawrence. Lorinda was the first wife of Horace Lawrence; she died in 1875.  Afterwards, Horace married Edna Smithers.  Lorinda was also a younger sister to Sophronia (nee Windsor) Bassett, whose first husband was Harvey Lawrence, a brother to Jesse Lawrence (Melvin’s grandfather). Melvin Lawrence was a half-sibling to other people buried in the York Center Cemetery, including: Lois Vandeberg, Orin Lawrence, Roy Lawrence, Floy Huntley, Earl Lawrence, Olive Campbell, Carrie Lawrence, and Horace  H. Lawrence.  In addition, he was a sibling to Ida Turner, Lillian Vandeberg, and Melvin Lawrence, who are also buried in York Center Cemetery.  Another sibling of Melvin's was George Lawrence, who is interred at Tacoma, Washington.  Melvin Lawrence married the former Bertha Gardner.  He bought the York Center General Store from William E. Benedict, a great nephew of Melvin’s grandmother, Almeda (nee Benedict) Lawrence and the son of his mother’s niece, Margaret (nee Lawrence) Benedict.