Salem Pioneer Cemetery ~ James W. Lawrence ~ part of the Marion County Pioneer Cemeteries of Oregon
James W. Lawrence
LAST NAME: Lawrence FIRST NAME: James MIDDLE NAME: W. NICKNAME: 
MAIDEN NAME:  AKA 1:  AKA 2:  AKA 3: 
TITLE:  GENDER: M MILITARY: 
BORN: 22 May 1854 DIED: Jul 1889 BURIED: 31 Jul 1889
ETHNICITY:   OCCUPATION:  Teamster
BIRTH PLACE:  
DEATH PLACE: Portland, Multnomah, Oregon
NOTES: 
IOOF - J. W. Larrence [sic] died in Portland, and was killed by a wagon running over him.
OBITUARY: 
No obituary found in DOS or WOS 
ANOTHER BAD SMASHUP; A NORTHERN PACIFIC ENGINE PLUNGES INTO THE DITCH NEAR HUNTER’S Several Cars Were Derailed
The Fireman, James Nolan, Killed - Engineer Jones Also Injured. 
Teamster Crushed to Death. 
James W. Lawrence Thrown From his Wagon and Ground Under the Wheels 
Murdered Boy’s Funeral [A long article concerning the train accident follows, and most of the page concerning the death of James W. Lawrence is unreadable because it is curled under. I will try to report what I can read.] 
A TEAMSTER CRUSHED TO DEATH
He Obstructed a Funeral and Whithin Five Minutes He Was Fatally Injured. 
James Lawrence, a teamster, 32 years old, employed by Duniway & Co., of East Portland, met death in a singular and tragic manner on the South Front street bridge at 1 o’clock yesterday afternoon. He obstructed funeral procession, and, in less than five minutes, was fatally crushed beneath the wheels of his wagon. [Apparently Mr. Lawrence had a large wagon, loaded with lumber, and had two men, one on each side of the wagon helping to keep the load from shifting. He was having some difficulty crossing the bridge, and the funeral procession wanted to proceed. Words were exchanged, a policeman called, and someone backed the wagon, the heavy load fell off. In the ensuing “scuffle” Mr. Lawrence fell and was run over by the wagon. The officer took him to the hospital where he died.] Lawrence leaves a family. He formerly resided in Salem, where the remains will be forwarded for interment. 
Oregonian, The (Portland, Oregon) 21 Oct 1880 6:7

The Salem Statesman says of the death of James Lawrence, the teamster who was crushed to death under the wheels of his wagon in this city last Sunday, that this event had been frequently predicted by a lady of Salem and that it was no surprise, either to Lawrence or his friends. It will take something more that the fulfillment of a "prediction" that a man who was in the habit of drinking heavily would meet death by violence to establish the fame as a prophet of the person who makes it. The chances, indeed, are all in favor of such a fulfillment. Neither is it probable that the man himself was "surprised" at the violent termination of his life, as according to all accounts of its suddenness, to say nothing of his stupefied condition just prior to the fatal event, there was little time to call up the emotion of surprise. A violent death is not the unnatural result of a reckless life, and it requires not occult power of divination to foretell it, in a general way.
Oregonian, The (Portland, Oregon) 25 Oct 1889, 6:4
INSCRIPTION: 
J. W. Lawrence 
Born May 22, 1854 
Died Oct. 20, 1889
SOURCES: 
LR 
IOOF Register of Burials 
OS 3 Jan 1890 (Necrological listing) 
Oreg 21 Oct 1880 6:7
Oreg 25 Oct 1889, 6:4
CONTACTS: 
LOT: 546 SPACE:  LONGITUDE: N 44° 55.183' LATITUDE: W 123° 02.877'