These pictures are of the Lawton farm as run by Christopher Cosman and his common-law wife, Phoebe. There is Chris with his horse, as he was a horse trainer, Eddie at age 16, at the barn with barefoot Eddie, the Lawton house, ducks and geese, Donnie the dog in the backfield, Eddie in his own house, and Grama Phoebe.
The Eddie Lawton-Cosman Story
Eddie grew up as Eddie Cosman and faced a life of poverty and hard work from an early age. As I mentioned, he never attended school long enough to learn to read or write, and suffered both hunger and cold on the old farm. The farm house was colder upstairs in winter than it was outdoors, the only heat, a kitchen wood stove. The Old Black River Road was isolated by bad roads, impassable muddy tracks in spring, and there was no electricity, indoor plumbing, store bought food or the like. water, cutting wood, haying and barn work as well as weeding and planting were the order of the day. Toothaches had to be suffered and broken bones had to knit themselves together.
Eddie must have made some trips to town to visit his grandfather Jacob Wood who had a large house and barn on Rothesay Ave., where he met Muriel, his teenaged bride. Muriel's father worked at McAvity's Foundry which was right next door to Jacob Wood's house.
Eddie was a quiet and gentle person, very sensitive and tender, and loved kids and animals.Eddie and Muriel met and were married at 15, Eddie one month short of his 16th birthday.Edward Christopher ( Cosman) Lawton 
A visit to John Nelson Cosman Homestead in Millstrean, NB.
Date March 26 1868
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper Christian Visitor
d. At his residence, Havelock (Kings Co.) 20th ult., of pleurisy and inflammation of the lungs, John N. COSMAN, age 48, left widow, seven sons, five daughters.
Date April 24 1884
County Saint John
Place Saint John
Newspaper The Daily Sun
d. 12th March, Havelock (Kings Co.) Lydia Ann COSMAN widow of John N. COSMAN, 58th year, left seven sons, four daughters.
Above, Christopher's parents death notices.
Ghostly picture of Chris Cosman and horse made from a metal newspaper plate, very worn.
Eddie as boy on farm, about 16, and in the army, about 22.
Eddie on step with Darlene and baby Fred. Closeup of Darlene.
Lawton Family History NB Home
William Allen Cosman, Montana 
