gunsmith inventor manufacturer
Richard Smith Lawrence was the son of Richard and Susan (Smith) Lawrence, both of English descent, and was born on his father's farm in Chester, Vermont. When he was two years old the family moved to Jefferson County, New York, and for nineteen years Lawrence lived in the vicinity of Watertown.
He attended school for three years.
While living in Lefferson County, Lawrence worked on the farm, in a wood-working shop, and spend his spare time in a custom gun shop. After serving for three months in the army during the Canadian Rebellion he went in 1838 to live with relatives in Windsor, Vermont. Here he found work with N. Kendall & Company, a firm that was making guns at the Windsor prison. In six months he had so mastered the manufacturing processes that he was put in charge of the work, continuing in this capacity until 1842, when gun-making was stopped.
He then remained at the prison for a time in charge of the carriage shop. In 1843, in partnership with Kendall, he opened a gun shop in Windsor. The following year, with the help of S. E. Robbins, a business man, they obtained a contract for 10, 000 rifles from the federal government, and a new company, Robbins, Kendall & Lawrence, was formed and a factory built at Windsor.
After three prosperous years Robbins and Lawrence purchased Kendall's holdings and for the next four years the two partners continued successfully. Lawrence supervised the design and production of the guns and was constantly improving the methods of manufacture. He devised the barrel-drilling and rifling machines, built a plain milling machine--the forerunner of the Lincoln miller--and invented the split pulley. In 1850 he introduced the practice of lubricating bullets with tallow, which made possible the success of the repeating rifle. By 1851 the partners had built up a wide reputation and were engaged to furnish all of the machinery for the Enfield Armory in England and, in addition, were awarded a large contract for British Enfield rifles.
In 1852 they contracted to manufacture Sharps carbines and rifles, the former at Windsor and the latter in a new plant at Hartford, Connecticut Production had hardly got under way, however, when the partners experienced serious financial difficulties induced by their unsuccessful attempt in 1850 to undertake the manufacture of railroad cars, and they failed with a loss of nearly a quarter of a million dollars. The Sharps Rifle Company thereupon bought the Robbins and Lawrence enterprise in Hartford and employed Lawrence as superintendent. He continued with the company from 1856 to 1872 when he resigned to accept a position with the city of Hartford. Until his death he served on the water board, the board of aldermen, the council board, and on the fire board. He died in Hartford.
Lawrence had married Mary Ann Finney in Philadelphia on May 22, 1842.
