He moved with his widowed mother to a farm in Washington County, Pennsylvania, in 1789, and attended the common schools.
He was nominated for the United States Senate in 1836, along with future President James Buchanan and others.
He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on Roads and Canals during the Twenty-seventh Congress.
Lawrence served as chairman of the Democratic convention of PA state legislators in 1824.
[8] On Monday, April 18, 1842, William Wallace Irwin of Pennsylvania took to the floor of the House of Representatives to announce Lawrence's death.