Imagine a time long ago. A young man receives a vast plot of farmland on his twenty-first birthday. This is the story of Stephen Decatur Lawrence and the Lawrence Farmstead Plaque.
The Lawrence Farmstead Plaque commemorates the legacy of Stephen Decatur Lawrence. He was the son of an original member of the Mercer colony. In 1874, Stephen began building a small home here. This was on the 640 acres he received in 1853.
Eight years later, in 1882, contractor Charley Florrer built a T-plan house. It stood about six feet east of the original structure. This new house featured clapboard construction secured with square nails.
Then, in 1886, a kitchen was added. The building then took on a cruciform floor plan. Notice the striking central tower. It is an example of the home’s Victorian features. These include the steeply pitched roof and prominent porches.
Stephen D. Lawrence and his first wife, Louisa E. Porter, raised three children here. Charley Florrer also built the barn in 1887. Other structures included a smokehouse, a brick-lined root cellar, and the wash house. These buildings were erected just north of the main house.
The Lawrence Farmstead complex represents the evolution of domestic buildings. It spans from the 1870s to the late twentieth century. It shows the changes on the North Texas plains and blackland prairie.
Stephen D. Lawrence later married Louisa Hill Walker. Together, they raised eight more children here. The Lawrence family lived on this land until 1995.
One of Stephen and Louisa’s daughters wished for the complex to become a city historical park. Now, 13.7 acres, including the family complex, is a historical park. The Lawrence Farmstead became a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 1998.
S.D. Lawrence was married to Louisa Porter of Mesquite. They had three children. One son, John Lawrence, served as mayor of Mesquite for three terms. His siblings were Ida Bell and Charley. As a widower, S.D. married Louisa Hill Walker of Missouri. They had five daughters and three sons: Ruby, Pearl, Opal, Garnet, Onyx, Eddie, Hugh, and Hill.
S.D. Lawrence was involved in public life. He served on the committee to begin Mesquite ISD. He also helped raise funds for the first Mesquite school buildings. Opal, Onyx, and Garnet lived on the family farm their entire lives. They raised cattle and hens. They sold eggs to regular customers. Opal and Garnet never married. Onyx married Fowler Summers. Fowler joined Onyx and her sisters on the farm.
Opal Lawrence’s last will and testament gifted the house and two acres to the City of Mesquite. The City then purchased an additional 11 acres. This included the barn and outbuildings.
The Lawrence Farmstead stands as a testament to family, perseverance, and community. It connects us to the past. It reminds us of the lives lived and the legacies built on this very land.