Lawrence, John, 1835-1908.

Biography / Administrative History

Bob Cormack was born in Edgewater, Colorado in 1914. He earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Southern California, and then worked as a commercial artist both in Los Angeles and Denver for most of his life. As his research files indicate, he had a deep interest in Western history. He joined the Denver Westerners in 1949, and was also a member of the Denver Kiwanis Club.

John Lawrence is a prominent figure in the Cormack Collection. From the Colorado Historical Society web pages, "He helped establish Saguache County and served it in various capacities, including state assemblyman, but it was through quieter gestures, loaning money, employing the jobless, nurturing schools and churches, that he earned the respect and friendship of the people Among these (largely Hispano) ranchers and farmers, Lawrence found the family he'd never had. When he died in 1908, his tombtone was inscribed simply: "The Founder of Saguache County Coloraod 1835-1909."

From the guide to the The Bob Cormack Papers, 1867-1966, 1960-1966, (Autry National Center. Institute for the Study of the American West)