One of the splendidly organized and carefully directed organizations that has been built up in St. Louis is the Missouri State Life Insurance Company, of which Thomas F. Lawrence is the vice president. He might be termed a man of singleness of purpose, so closely has he applied himself to the interests of his business, so carefully organized the work in its different departments and so thoroughly studied every phase of the business to a point when he can speak authoritatively and instructively to any who seek advice or information. An eminent statesman has said that when eastern training and culture are grafted onto western enterprise and opportunity the strongest in American manhood is developed. Such is the record of Mr. Lawrence, who was born in Hartford, Connecticut, February 16, 1877, his parents being Charles H. and Juliette H. (Fisher) Lawrence, the former a native of the state of New York, while the latter was born in Connecticut and belonged to one of the old colonial families The father was identified with the life insurance business for many years and during an extended period was secretary of the Mutual Life Insurance Company of Hartford, Connecticut, where he passed away in September, 1913, at the age of sixty-three years. His widow survives and is yet a resident of Hartford.
Thomas F. Lawrence was reared to manhood in the city of his birth and was educated in the public and high schools of Hartford and in Yale University, from which he received his Bachelor of Arts degree as a member of the class of 1899. Following the completion of his studies he turned to the life insurance field and became associated with the Aetna Life Insurance Company, being a representative of its office force for four years. In 1903 he took charge of the Hartford Life Insurance Company as assistant secretary and subsequently was made secretary, while later he was advanced to the vice presidency. He remained with that corporation for ten years and in 1913 came to St. Louis upon the amalgamation of the Hartford and Missouri State Life Insurance companies. Mr. Lawrence was then made secretary of the newly organized Missouri State Life Insurance Company, in which capacity he served for five years, and in 1918 he was made vice president of the company, which office he is now filling. He is a man of most progressive views, of broad vision and of undaunted enterprise. He has studied the question of life insurance from every possible standpoint and his initiative and thoroughness are manifest in the opinions which he has expressed to insurance men in conventions-opinions which have found fulfillment in practical efforts for the upbuilding of business. A man whose frankness and cordiality of address are coupled with a forcefulness and resourcefulness that is productive of results, he has been a most stimulating influence in the development of the business of the corporation of which he is now the executive head.
In 1913 Mr. Lawrence was united in marriage to Miss Lyn F. Fernald, of Chicago. They are members of the Protestant Episcopal church and Mr. Lawrence gives his political allegiance to the republican party, keeping well informed on the questions and issues which are dominant in the public mind, yet neither seeking nor desiring office as a reward for party fealty. His interest is concentrated upon the upbuilding of the rapidly increasing business of the insurance corporation of which he is the vice president, the formulation of plans for its healthy development, the stimulation o1 the activities of its representatives and the careful organization of all branches of the business that maximum results may be achieved.