Changes

|resting_place=Grace [[Episcopal]] Church Cemetery in t. Francisville, Louisiana​

|resting_place=Grace [[Episcopal]] Church Cemetery in t. Francisville, Louisiana​

|residence=St. Francisville<br>West Feliciana Parish

|residence=St. Francisville<br>West Feliciana Parish

|spouse= Harriet Mathews "Hattie" Lawrason (married 1875)​

|spouse= Harriet Mathews "Hattie" Lawrason (married 1875-1924, his death)​

|children=Samuel Lawrason, Jr. (died at three months of age in 1891)​

|children=Samuel Lawrason, Jr. (died at three months of age in 1891)​

Zelia Lawrason<br>​

Zelia Lawrason<br>​

​George Carson Lawrason and the former Zelia McCutcheon. }}

​George Carson Lawrason and the former Zelia McCutcheon. }}

​

​

'''Samuel McCutcheon Lawrason''' (July 31, 1852 &ndash; November 8, 1924) was an [[attorney]] who served two nonconsecutive terms in the [[Louisiana]] State Senate for East and West Feliciana Parish, located north of the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. He is principally known for the Lawrason Act of 1898, by which municipalities in Louisiana may incorporate into towns or cities without specific clearance from the state legislature.<ref name=lahist>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-l/|title=Lawrason, Samuel McCutcheon|publisher=''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography''; Louisiana Historical Association|accessdate=May 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' uses 1909-1924 files from the law firm Lawrason & Kilbourne in St. Francisville, Louisiana, and certain West Feliciana Parish records in writing its biography of Samuel Lawrason.</ref>​

'''Samuel McCutcheon Lawrason''' (July 31, 1852 &ndash; November 8, 1924)<ref name=findagrave>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35649544/samuel-mccutchon-lawrason|title=Samuel McCutcheon Lawrasonpublisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 11, 2020}}</ref> was an [[attorney]] who served two nonconsecutive terms in the [[Louisiana]] State Senate for East and West Feliciana Parish, located north of the capital city of [[Baton Rouge]]. He is principally known for the Lawrason Act of 1898, by which municipalities in Louisiana may incorporate into towns or cities without specific clearance from the state legislature.<ref name=lahist>{{cite web|url=https://www.lahistory.org/resources/dictionary-louisiana-biography/dictionary-louisiana-biography-l/|title=Lawrason, Samuel McCutcheon|publisher=''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography''; Louisiana Historical Association|accessdate=May 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>''A Dictionary of Louisiana Biography'' uses 1909-1924 files from the law firm Lawrason & Kilbourne in St. Francisville, Louisiana, and certain West Feliciana Parish records in writing its Lawrason biography.</ref>​

==Background==

==Background==

Lawrason was born in [[New Orleans]] to George Carson Lawrason and the former Zelia McCutcheon, hence his middle name. He was educated in [[France]] and [[Spain]] before he received a degree in 1872 in civil [[engineering]] from the [[University of Virginia]] in Charlottesville, [[Virginia]]. Two years later he received an LL.D. degree from [[Tulane University]] Law Schoo], then part of the institution known as the University of Louisiana at New Orleans, where he susequently launched his law practice. Lawrason also held interests in [[cotton]] and [[sugar]] planting at different locations along the [[Mississippi River]].<ref name=lahist/>

Lawrason was born in [[New Orleans]] to George Carson Lawrason (1816-1874) and the former Zelia Henderson McCutcheon (1828-1864).<ref name=findagrave/> He was educated in [[France]] and [[Spain]] before he received a degree in 1872 in civil [[engineering]] from the [[University of Virginia]] in Charlottesville, [[Virginia]]. Two years later he received an LL.D. degree from [[Tulane University]] Law Schoo], then part of the institution known as the University of Louisiana at New Orleans, where he susequently launched his law practice. Lawrason also held interests in [[cotton]] and [[sugar]] planting at different locations along the [[Mississippi River]].<ref name=lahist/>

In 1875, Lawrason married the former Harriet "Hattie" Mathews, daughter of Charles Lewis Mathews and the former Penelope Stewart. He then relocated his law practice and residence to West Feliciana Parish. The couple had nine children: Zelia Lawrason, Annie Mathews Lawrason Butler, George C. Lawrason, Charles Lawrason, Helen Stewart Lawrason Kilpatrick, Margaret Butler Lawrason, Thomas Butler Lawrason, and Levering Lawrason.<ref name=liblsu>{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.lsu.edu/special/findaid/m4358.html|title=Mathews-Ventress-Lawrason Family Papers|publisher=lib.lsu.edu|accessdate=December 27, 2010; material no longer accessible on-line}}</ref> In 1891, the Lawrasons' next-to-the-youngest child, Samuel, Jr., died at three months of age on May 8.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://familytreemaker.genealogy.com/users/b/e/n/Julia-Benson-PA/WEBSITE-0001/UHP-1146.html|title=Samuel Lawrason, Jr. (1891)|publisher=familytreemaker.genealogy.com|accessdate=May 11, 2020}}</ref>​

In 1875, Lawrason married the former Harriet "Hattie" Mathews (1856-1927), daughter of Charles Lewis Mathews and the former Penelope Stewart. He then relocated his law practice and residence to West Feliciana Parish. The couple had nine children: Zelia Lawrason, Annie Mathews Lawrason Butler, George C. Lawrason, Charles Lawrason, Helen Stewart Lawrason Kilpatrick, Margaret Butler Lawrason, Thomas Butler Lawrason, and Levering Lawrason.<ref name=liblsu>{{cite web|url=http://www.lib.lsu.edu/special/findaid/m4358.html|title=Mathews-Ventress-Lawrason Family Papers|publisher=lib.lsu.edu|accessdate=December 27, 2010; material no longer accessible on-line}}</ref> In 1891, the Lawrasons' next-to-the-youngest child, Samuel, Jr., died at three months of age on May 8.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/35649649/samuel-lawrason|title=Samuel Lawrason|publisher=Findagrave.com|accessdate=May 11, 2020}}</ref>​

Lawrason was affiliated with the Grace [[Episcopal]] in St. Francisville, the parish seat of West Feliciana Parish. He was also a member of the Masonic lodge.<ref name=lahist/>

Lawrason was affiliated with the Grace [[Episcopal]] in St. Francisville, the parish seat of West Feliciana Parish. He was also a member of the Masonic lodge.<ref name=lahist/>