Individual Details

Miscellaneous

When the Great Recession started, Claude Albert Lawrence decided the best place for his family would be on a farm. He purchased part of the old XIT Ranch, about three or four miles southeast of Whitharral, Hockley County, Texas.
This was virgin land and Claude Albert broke the land and planted crops during the day, and, by lantern light (held by his wife Mattie) he added a room to the original two-room house.
During the early 1930s, he drove a school bus, and, between the morning ad evening routes, he worked on his farm. In the fall, he also worked until midnight at the local cotton gin.
Mattie sold farm their products at local grocery store.

Miscellaneous

In addition to farming, in about 1933, Claude Albert Lawrence worked at the Agricultural Adjustment Administration (AAA) office in Levelland. Within a few months he was put in charge (office of Secretary) of the AAA office in Tahoka, Lynn County, Texas, rooming in Tahoka during the week and returning to his farm on the weekends.
By November of 1934, Claude Albert moved his family to Tahoka and eventually sold his Hockley County farm.

Miscellaneous

In 1937, while continuing to work for the Agricultural Adjustment Administration in Tahoka, Claude Albert Lawrence bought a farm about 1/2 mile from Idalou, Lubbock County, Texas, and moved his family there.
He sold this farm in 1939 and moved his family back to Tahoka.

Miscellaneous

In 1942, Claude Albert Lawrence bought a farm about four miles east of Littlefield, Lamb County, Texas. He built a new house on this farm but sold the farm a year later.

Miscellaneous

About 1943, Claude Albert Lawrence, bought a rooming house (Ave, N) and a home (21 st Street) in Lubbock, Texas, where he worked at the Supply Department of Lubbock Army Air Field.
In 1944, he sold his home and moved his family to the rooming house, where his wife Mattie served as manager.

Miscellaneous

In 1944, Claude Albert Lawrence bought a farm east of Abernathy, Hale County, Texas.
In 1945, he sold the rooming house in Lubbock and bought a farm northwest of Bovina, Parmer County, Texas, while continuing to live in Lubbock with his family. He and his son Russell camped at the farm during the summer and ran their tractor 24 hours a day.

Miscellaneous

From 1946-1978, Claude Albert Lawrence moved frequently and pursued his and his wife's interest in buying old farms and refurbishing them.
1946-bought a new motel in Fort Worth
1947-traded motel for a ranch on Lake Bridgeport in Wise County, Texas
1950- sold ranch and bought a farm near Cleburne, Johnson County, Texas
1951-sold farm and built a home on his Parmer County darm
c 1953-moved back to Lubbock and then after some time he bought a ranch east of the Leon River in Hamilton County and a house in Hamilton
1970-1978-due to a hip problem he was in a wheelchair and sold the Hamilton County property and moved back to Lubbock
1978- due to a heart problem he sold Lubbock property and moved to Temple, Texas, to be near Scott and White Hospital and died only three weeks later. Mattie his wife died in Temple in 1981.

Miscellaneous

In Lawrence and Related Families, Russell Lawrence comments on his parents character and life credos.

"Both were stern disciplinarians but they disciplined themselves. They expected a lot from their children but never more than they would do themselves. They were, in many respects, frugal, but also generous. They were religious, Dad being a deacon in the church and a Sunday School Superintendent and both teaching Sunday School and singing in the choir. They took care of Dad's Uncle Will and Aunt Dorothy (who never had children of their own) financially in their old age as well as Dad's mother when she needed it in her old age. In looking through Dad's check book after his death, I was somewhat surprised to find some of the charities he had supported. I never heard them be angry at one another and when their word was givenr you could count on it. Mom was a rock and a steadying influence when Dad might get upset. She was the positive thinker that always assured him that every thing would be all right and it was, in the end.
They taught us to work, to be independent and to be honest.
Mom was only two months past her fifteenth birthday when they married but she worked shoulder to shoulder with him for over 62 years until he died, which puts the lie to that adage of today that marriage at that age doesn't work out.
They were good people and we miss them."

Miscellaneous

During the mid 1920s, Claude Albert Lawrence was a school teacher at Flat and other Coryell County schools and at Mesquite, Borden County, Texas.
In the late 1920s, he ran an abstract office in Abilene, Texas.