Biography

1786 - 04/17/1842

LAWRENCE, Joseph, a Representative from Washington County; born, 1786 in Adams County, Pa.; farmer; elected as a Democrat to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives for the 1818-1819 term; reelected to the House for 5 more consecutive terms; elected, Speaker (1819-1820, 1821-1824); unsuccessful campaign, United States Congress (1823); president, Pennsylvania Canal Commission (1825); elected, United States Congress (1825-1829, 1841-1842); reelected to the House as an Anti-Mason for the 1834-1835 and 1835-1836 terms; elected, Pennsylvania Treasurer (January 13, 1835-1836); unsuccessful campaign for reelection, Pennsylvania Treasurer (1837); elected, delegate, Whig National Convention (1840); died while in the office of Congress, April 17, 1842 in Washington, District of Columbia; interred, Congressional Cemetery, Washington,  District of Columbia.