Thomas Maurice Lawrence Jr. was born in Springfield, Illinois on January 2, 1897, the son of Thomas M. Lawrence Sr. and Nettie (Barnstable) Lawrence. His father was an English immigrant who had married Nettie Barnstable, a young farm girl, in Montgomery County. They moved to Springfield when Tom became a grocer and the head of the local meat-packing plant, and built a house in Hawthorne Place. Thomas graduated from the University of Illinois in 1924. He went on to become an insurance and bond salesman, marrying when he was nearly 50 years old to Greta Wilkinson.
Thomas Lawrence Jr. was a veteran of World War I. He was active in many civic organizations. He died in 1991 and is buried at Camp Butler National Cemetery.
The collection is mainly composed of items relating to Mr. Lawrence’s insurance business-correspondence, receipts, insurance certificates-as well as other miscellaneous items-geographical surveys, a probate document and other materials of interest.