b. Bristol, England 1780
d. Green Bay, Wisconsin, 1846

John Lawe was a Fur trader. He was educated in Quebec. He moved to Green Bay in 1797 and worked as a clerk for his uncle, Jacob Franks. Lawe spent the next few winters trading with the Indians in the region between Green Bay and the Mississippi.

Trade

In 1805, he acquired land from his uncle and constructed a sawmill and gristmill. For several years, he traded independently and sometimes joined other traders in the Michilimackinac Company or the Green Bay Company. Eventually, he became a trader for Astor's American Fur Company. For years, his trading post on the Lower Fox was a landmark for travelers. 

Decline

He supported the British cause in the War of 1812 and participated in the campaign against Mackinac. In 1820, he became an associate judge of the Brown County court. As the quantity of furs decreased, the trade diminished. Knowing no other occupation, Lawe continued to trade. He constantly sank deeper into debt to Astor, until finally he lost most of his valuable and extensive lands.

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Colls. State Hist. Soc. Wis., 7, 19, 20; Proc. State Mist. Soc. Wis., 1920 (1921); K. W. Porter, J. J. Astor (2 vols., Cambridge, 1931); WPA MS.