The Mysterious Death of Orrin Lawrence

In the mid 19th century, there was an interesting landmark in the Saugatuck Village Square called the Republican Liberty Pole. Our nation's flag flew 130 feet tall, unfurled, to be seen by residents and visitors. The September 26, 1868 edition of the Saugatuck Commercial reported that new halyards had been strung to replace those that had been stolen the week before.

Republican Liberty Pole -1874

Twenty-three year old Orrin Lawrence was the one to climb the pole and string the new ropes. The young man, son of Asa Lawrence and Emeline Moulton, was born May 22, 1845 and served in the US Navy during the Civil War. Orrin had been discharged in August of 1865. He had hazel eyes, brown hair, and a dark complexion. We do not know what became of his father Asa, but his mother Emeline died September 20, 1855, and rests in the Plummerville cemetery under an attractively carved stone erected by her son Orrin. Her age is given as "27y 11m 9d." It is thought that Emeline was a daughter of Almarin Moulton, an engineer at the Singapore mill who served as justice of the peace in 1839.

Orrin Lawrence Discharge Papers - 1865

By the 1850 census, there is no sign of Orrin's father Asa Lawrence, but Emeline Lawrence (listed as 24 year old) is shown in Newark (which later became Saugatuck) in the household of Timothy L. Coates. Orrin, age 5 in that census, is shown to be residing in Ganges Township in a Plummerville area boarding house living with 14 year old Elvira Moulton, perhaps a sister of his mother Emeline. Others listed as living in the same boarding house at that time included Plummers, Pincheons, Weeds, and others, many of whom seem to have been in the tannery trade. In the 1870 census, Orrin is shown in the village of Saugatuck and his occupation is listed as "sailor."

Orin A. Lawrence married Susan Ensfield on May 12, 1872. In the 1880 census, the young couple was shown living in the household of his father-in-law Christian Ensfield, in Ganges Township, and Orrin's occupation is still given as "sailor." By that time the couple had lost 2 daughters Foola and Tula, both of whom rest under smalls stones at the Taylor cemetery. One rests under a carved lamb, and the other under a small cross.

On October 2, 1890, Orrin Lawrence was sailing as first officer of the steam barge, H. A. Root, under Capt. O. E. Parks. The Lake Shore Commercial gives the following report:

"The steamer was light, bound north about 12 miles from Michigan City, and about six miles from shore, at 3 o'clock in the afternoon of Thursday October 2, when Lawrence was seen entering the pilot house with a piece of watermelon in his hand. Soon afterward it was noticed the boat was swinging, and it was found the wheel was deserted. Search was immediately instituted and the captain and crew were dismayed to find that the missing officer was not on the vessel. The boat was immediately put about and in just seven minutes from the time the search was instituted, a cap worn by the missing man and two cigars were found to be floating on the water which solved beyond doubt the fate of the owner. How the accident occurred is a mystery almost beyond conjecture. The watermelon was found on the deck opposite the pilot house door and near the rail, as if the unfortunate man had stepped there and fallen overboard, but it seems almost impossible that this should occur, as the deck is protected by a two foot railing. But this must have been the case from some reason, which will never be known, and once overboard he must have been drawn under the boat and struck by the wheel as he was a good swimmer and could easily have made his predicament known to the others of the steamer. There is no probability that the body will ever be recovered."

The family did not accept this conclusion readily. His wife's brother Christopher had worked for three years on his brother-in-law's ship, and when Orrin was lost at sea. Christopher and his father Christian walked the shore between Benton Harbor and Muskegon looking for the remains.

Floral Memorial to Orrin Lawrence

In January 1891, a memorial service was held at the Methodist Episcopal Church in Ganges. The Jacob G. Fry Post, Grand Army of the Republic (of which Orrin Lawrence was a member) turned out in force for the ceremony. About 30 people from Saugatuck attended, including Capt. and Mrs. O. E. Parks, Capt. and Mrs. R. Ames, Capt. and Mrs. William Trumbull, and Capt. George Phelps. "The church was crowded to standing room to accommodate the attendance, "The memorial service was given by Rev William Nelson Breidenstein, who used the Revelations 21:25 scripture for his message, "And there shall be no night there." An excerpt from the newspaper report of that service read as follows: "The mystery surrounding the casualty occasioning the death of Orrin Lawrence will never be cleared."

In the summer of 1893, the grieving widow erected a beautiful marble memorial to her husband in Taylor Cemetery. The work had been done by a Plainwell firm. She had reportedly been completely prostrated by the news of her husband's death and rarely left the house of her father for the balance of her life. She died November 9, 1894, at the age of 43 and rests beside her husband's memorial in the Ensfield family plot.

Orrin Lawrence Memorial

The Ensfield family was not to forget this honored brother-in-law. Beginning with the birth of Christopher Ensfield's eldest son in 1880, three generations of Ensfield's have borne the name "Orrin." Ensfield family members believed that because Orrin had the reputation of being a strict task-master, a member or members of the crew may have "helped him over the side" instead of this being a simple accident.

Susan Ensfield of Ganges writes: "The story of this man was often repeated because our 'limb of the tree' was a namesake bearer. My husband is a III-third; his father would tell the story of family members walking the shoreline looking for remains of Orrin for several seasons." The story went on - "I was surprised to read that he disappeared in the middle of the afternoon. We had always assumed it occurred in the dark of night, when there was no one around to witness what happened. When Orrin Ensfield Sr. told the story no one ever questioned; just listened as it was a sad one for him because he remembered the pain his family felt all of their lives. Yes, the family of his generation (Orrin Lawrence Ensfield and Orrin Ensfield Jr.) definitely believed that he was "helped" overboard."

Many thanks to family historian Susan Ensfield for sharing the wonderful memorabilia from her family collection and her family story.