Windham County Observer

Rev. Harvey Lawson
Is To Observe His
76th Anniversary

Former
Congregational
Pastor
Here, Once Missionary To India, Plans No Formal Recognition. Due To Impaired Health.

The Rev. Harvey Merrill Lawson, a former pastor of the Second Congregational Church, this city, once an American Board missionary to India, and prior to his retirement from the active ministry one of the better known clergymen of his denomination in southern New England, is to observe without special recognition of the occasion his 76th birthday anniversary Monday at the ancestral home in Union East District. Invalidism resulting from a paralytic shock suffered last March, coupled with illness in his family, have resulted in no special plans being made for the event. Amos T. Allen, who is to reach his 89th anniversary in March, Union's oldest resident, and throughout his life a next neighbor to the Lawson ancestral farm, will be a dinner guest.

The Rev. Mr. Lawson was born on the farm and in the house where he now lives Jan. 31, 1868, a son of Dea. Edwin N., and Sarah E. (Corbin) Lawson, representatives of leading and early-settler families of Union and Woodstock. His early years were passed on the Lawson farm, preparatory education being under the instruction of his father, and in Union East District school, now closed for considerably more than a decade under the town's centralized educational system.

Entering the then Hitchcock Free Academy at Brimfield, Mass., he was graduated with honors in the Class of 1886. Immediately matriculating in the Sheffield Scientific School at Yale University, he was graduated in 1890. Subsequently, entering Yale Divinity School, he was graduated in the Class of 1893. Prior to his graduation, Feb. 21, 1893, he received a commission to the India field from the American Board of Foreign Missions. He was ordained into the Congregational ministry May 18, 1893. On May 23, 1893 in historic Battell Chapel at Yale, one of the comparatively few wedding solemnized there, he was married to Miss Dencie Sarah Baldwin of New Haven and New York. Mrs. Lawson also was commissioned by the American Board to the field in India.

After several years in the India mission field, the Rev. and Mrs. Lawson returned to New England, the Indian climate proving harmful to the latter's health. From that time until retirement from the active ministry, the Rev. Mr. Lawson had several Congregational pastorates in eastern Connecticut. In addition to his local pastorate, he served in Brooklyn and Westminster. While pastor of the Brooklyn Congregational Church he served as Protestant chaplain at Windham County Jail. He proved a wise counselor to the erring, and was a deep student of juvenile delinquency.

Following the death of his father in 1912 he took over the ancestral farm, which he since has operated successfully, specializing in horticulture. His orchards and cultivation of berries and small fruits have received wide attention. He has been affiliated with Windham County Farmers' Association for years, also a member of regional and state ministerial groups, as well as the ministerial group at Southbridge, Mass.

Since retirement from the active ministry and until health became impaired, he has been much sought after as a pulpit supply and speaker, largely on historical subjects, and along the lines of current events. He also has been a prolific writer, mainly on historical subjects. His History of Union is an accepted standard work. Since suffering the shock, he has learned to typewrite with one hand.

During his residence in Union he has, at one time or another, held practically all of the town's elective offices, selectman, school committeeman, and the like, as well as many of the appointive ones. He succeeded his father as senior deacon of the Union Congregational Church, and for years also served as organist and chorister.

Mrs. Lawson is well known in the Putnam area, especially through having been for some 30 years in charge of the former fire lookout tower at Union Center, just off Buckley Highway. Until her retirement from the service because of age, the tower was sponsored by the Connecticut Forestry Service. The tower and attached bungalow were destroyed by fire last winter, while being used as a plane spotting lookout.

Mr. and Mrs. Lawson have one daughter, Mrs. Evangaline Leslie, widow of the late Rep. William H. Leslie of Union, who lives with her parents.