William S. Lawson was born in Brechin, Scotland in April 1825. He married there to Jane R. Allen b. Dec. 14, 1823. They had three children in Scotland; Ann L. b. Nov. 1846, Susan b. 1848, and Edwin L. b. Dec. 4, 1850 in Dundee. They immigrated to America in 1851 and settled in Andover. Four more children were born in Andover, Albert b. Sept. 1853 – d. Dec. 10, 1860, Clara b. Dec. 1855 – d. Oct. 5, 1858, Edith L. b. Dec. 1857, William A. b. Mar. 1862 d. June 23, 1873.

William began a day laborer, then employed at Smith & Dove Manufacturing Co., Andover’s flax mill as a Flax dresser. William became an Overseer in the Twisting Mill by 1885.

William purchased a one acre lot of land on the corner of Elm & Pine Streets for $250 from Plato Eames on July 5, 1879.
Andover Advertiser October 24, 1879 - Regan and Howard are putting in the foundation for the houses of W.S. Lawson, L. H. Eames and William Wood. Jones of South Lawrence furnishes the under-pining.
A.A. Dec. 12, 1879 Report on building..... W.S. Lawsons's new house on Elm street has been nearly completed by Hardy & Cole.
The house was completed as it was occupied by the Lawson's in the 1880 Federal census. William is listed as Foreman of the Twisting Flax mill. Also listed is his wife Jane R. age 54, a daughter Edith 22, working in the Tyer Rubber Co. and a grand-daughter Agnes Musket age 5.

Jane Lawson died in 1897 and was interred at West Parish Cemetery in the Lawson family lot, sec. 2 grave 133. Daughter Edith L. had married a Mr. Pierce and had one son Clarence G. Pierce, b. March 1885 in Andover. William deeded the property over to Edith on April 6, 1907. They then sold on Oct. 20, 1911 to Martha L. Caldwell of Beverly, MA.

William Sharpe Lawson – Andover Townsman June 19, 1914 p. 5 Obit
William Lawson, and old resident of Andover, died last week in Gorham, Maine, where he has resided lately.
He was born in Brechin, Scotland, ninety years ago. When young Mr. Lawson come to this country and was employed overseer at the Smith & Dove plant for many years. He was of a retiring disposition of the highest integrity, just and fearless, widely read, only the highest authors being his choice, also a deep lover of Nature. About three years ago he sold his property at the corner of Elm and Pine streets and went to live in Portland with his daughter Mrs. Edith Pierce, by whom he is survived, by two other children Mrs. Ann L. Musket of Methuen and Edwin L. Lawson of Boston, and five grandchildren and twelve great grandchildren.
Funeral services were held last week Wednesday, burial being in the family lot in the West cemetery.