The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1909-08-27
SUDDEN DEATH OF
HON. c. D. LAWTON
Great Shock to Community
and State. Passed Away
Wednesday Morning.
PROMINENT FOR MANY YEARS
Trust. Had Been Regent of u. of
M, also Member of Faculty.

The news of the sudden death OF the
Hon. Charles ID. Lawton at his homo 10
Lawton early last Wednesday morning
vas shock to the community and a state
vide circle of friends During the past
few months Mr.. Lawton's condition of
health has been cause for concern ou
the part of his family and friends How
ever, he maintained his usual cheerful
ness and was about the home premises
10 his customary way until Tuesday
evening OF the present week, when he
retired not feeling as we'll as usual He
spent a somewhat restless night and sud.
denly passed away early Tuesday morn
lug.
Charles Dewitt Lawton was born in
Rome, Oneida county, n Y, November 4,
1875. The son Of Nathan and Esther Wig
gins Lawto1, be was of strictly English
descent, his ancestors having come from
England in the early part of the 18th
century and settled in Rhode Island, the
records Of which colody give ample evi-
deuce TO the dis stinguished services reud-
cred by them, both previous TO and dur.
ing the war Of the Revolution.
Mr.. Lawton's early life was spent in
Herkimer county aud 10 the city of Au-
/ burn. In lS4S he was graduated With
the degree of Bachelor of Arts from
| Union college at Schenectady. A year
later he received the degree of Civil En-
gineering, and still later his Master of
Arts. He then returned to his home city,
Auburn, where he became city engineer
aud With his brother, George W, the
late Judge Lawtou, took charge of Au.
burn academy. Academies in those
days comprised large share of the
higher education, Many students were
enrolled who have since become famous,
among them Serene Payne of New York
In 1861 Mr.. Lawton married Lucy Lo-
vlna Latham, daughter of .. s. Latham
Of Seneca Falls, to which union were
born nine children, Charles L, Nathan
Oliver, +. Percy, Swaby L., Eugene w ,
Margaret B., r. Stella, Marion A. and
Genevieve, all of whom with Mrs. Law
ton, survive.
In 1865, his health not being good he,
with Mrs. Lawton, came to Lawton
where his father owned a great quantity
Of land. he concluded 70 make that his
home and from that time on his interests
have been identified with the growth of
Michigan, with mining interests its
agricultural interests and its develop
ment in every way, for Mr. Lawton was
primarily and essentially the best Of citi-
zens Together with his brother, Goo.
W., and the late Nathan Bitely, they
began the cultivation of grapes, which
has grown to such a large industry.
! Finding the soil to oe of sandy nature
and seemingly uup,oductive they began
to investigate and cultivate in a small
way, until the growing OF grapes became
wide spread.
10 1870 Mr. Lawton was called to Ann
! Arbor to assume the chair of Engineering
of the university, which he occupied un-
til the following year, leaving to 90 up
on the northern peninsula as commits
sioner of mineral statistics for the sta te
of Michigan. This Office he held for Is
years and his yearly reports given the
state during this period have been OF in
Gale ulable value. They formed the basis
of knowledge for mining men in general
and were and are today absolutely to be
relied upon. His knowledge of the min
eral ranges of the northern peninsula
was vast and his ready pen made his re-
ports more than interesting to read. In
the meantime he never relinquished his
interest in farming. Besides the run
ming of his fruit farm he owned and
managed grain farm in Porter and has
always been an active and a large con-
trlbuting member OF the various hortI-
cultural and agricultural societies of the
county and state.
Mr.. Lawton was always a staunch and
prominent republican, his father whig
before him. He cast his first vote for
Fremon. and was an ardent advocate of
the nominatson of Wm. II. Seward at
the time Of Lincoln's nomination as Mr..
Seward and be were fellow townsmen
and fdends. In late years he was begin
ming to say that party cut less figure
than in past days, an American today
meaning more than to be republican
or democrat In 1897 be was elected
by an overwhelming majority as Regent
Of the state university, which Office he
! filled in the most conscientious and able
manner for eight years. Probably few
men had his love for educational insti-
tutons or we're better fitted to help
govern them. He was especially en-
dowed with keen mentality, a broad
insight, scholarly and well furnished
mind, for he was a man Of much learn.