FRANK HAMILTON LAWLER

 The following bio was taken from page 281 of the book entitled “Rusk County History” compiled and edited and used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

 Transcribed by Shirley Koym

 Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of Texas

Frank Hamilton Lawler was born in Henderson County, Tennessee, July 16, 1854.   Sally Mixon Lawler was born in Fayette County, Alabama, February 2, 1860.  Frank was the son of J. H. Lawler, Sr.  J. H. Lawler, Sr. married S. E. Ballew in Tennessee.  S. E. Ballew was the daughter of Aaron Ballew and Martha Nichols Ballew of Tennessee.  Children born to J. H. Lawler, Sr. and S. E. Ballew Lawler were:  M.A.P., A.L., F.H., W.A., J. I., J. E., M. I., P. L., M. E., J. E., and J. H., Jr.

 The story was told that the Lawler family was very fond of the Tennessee statesman David Crockett.  David was in a very hotly contested race for congressman in Tennessee.  The opposition was wealthy and the backwoods friend, David Crockett, had to campaign on wits alone.  He managed to bring a coonskin to a saloon to barter for whiskey to pass around for votes.  The coonskin was soon “drunk up.”  To David’s delight, he managed to sneak the same coonskin from under the bar all afternoon and set up drinks, thereby hoping to win the election.  After the votes were counted and the election lost, David Crockett stood on a stump and told the people they could go to “hell” but he was going to Texas.  The Lawler’s supposedly followed.

 Frank H. Lawler was married to Sally Mixon Lacy at the home of her father, W. R. Lacy of the Lawsonville Community, on December 24, 1878.  She was the daughter of William R. Lacy and Maru J. E. Lacy.  Her sisters were Margaret R.Willson, Mary E. Garrison, and Martha A. Parker.  Her brothers were James T. Lacy, Thomas R. Lacy, and William M. Lacy.

 Children born to Frank and Mixon Lawler were Bonnie L. Parker, Alice L. Kirk, Maggie Lawler, Emily L. Madden, Monnie L. Creel, Eula L. Flanagan, Gertrude Lawler, Frank Lawler, Jr.,  James Frederick Lawler, and Gerald and William Roy Lawler.

 Most of the children of J. H. Lawler settled in West Texas.  Frank and Mixon, however, spent most of their lives in Mt. Enterprise; Frank did move to West Texas occasionally.  Some said often enough that he could borrow salt anywhere along the way.  In 1892 while at Midway, he helped to organize the Peoples Political Party and served as secretary.  His party advocated the St. Louis Platform.  His notes state that “the Party soared aloft and fell and busted its belly in 1898.”  In May of 1876, he was affiliated with the Masonic Lodge number 7645 at Rose Bud, Texas.

 Frank Lawler served as constable in Mt. Enterprise in 1887-1888.  Often he held law violators in his home overnight before carrying them into court.  He was constantly involved in the town feuds that were characteristic of Mt. Enterprise.  He was a meticulous record keeper.  These records have been a source of information for his family.  Along with these, he left his violin which he loved and would play along with Mary Ross, an accomplished musician in Mt. Enterprise. 

 Mixon Lawler died in 1940 at the age of eighty.  Frank H. died in 1941 at the age of eighty-six. 

 Submitted by Mrs. Clifton Whitehead