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LAWRENCE COUNTY
HISTORY & GENEALOGY
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Established January 16, 1821
Named for Captain James Lawrence, Commander of the "Chesapeake",
who was mortally wounded in an engagement between that vessel and the British vessel, "Shannon", during
the War of 1812.
Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in:
LAWRENCE COUNTY
- one of the eastern counties in the "southern tier," originally a part of Edwards, but separated from
the latter in 1821, and named for Commodore Lawrence. In 1900 its area was 360 square miles, and its population,
16,523. The first English speaking settlers seem to have migrated from the colony at Vincennes, Ind.
St. Francisville,
in the southeastern portion, and Allison prairie, in the northeast, were favored by the American pioneers. Settlement
was more or less desultory until after the War of 1812. Game was abundant and the soil productive. About a dozen
Negro families found homes, in 1819, near Lawrenceville, and a Shaker colony was established about Charlottesville
the same year. Among the best remembered pioneers are the families of Lautermann, Chubb, Kincaid, Buchanan and
Laus -- the latter having come from South Carolina. Toussaint Dubois, a Frenchman and father of Jesse K. Dubois,
State Auditor (1857-64), was a large land proprietor at an early day, and his house was first utilized as a court
house. The county is richer in historic associations than in populous towns. Lawrencville, the county-seat, was
credited with 865 inhabitants by the census of 1890. St. Francisville and Sumner are flourishing towns.
LAWRENCEVILLE
- the county-seat of Lawrence County, is situated on the Embarras River, at the intersection of the Baltimore &
Ohio Southwestern and the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis Railways, 9 miles west of Vincennes, Ind.,
and 139 miles east of St. Louis. It has a courthouse, four churches, a graded school and two weekly newspapers.
Population in 1890 was 865; In 1900 - 1,300; (1903, est.) 1,600.
SUMNER
- a city of Lawrence County, on the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern Railroad, 19 miles west of Vincennes, Ind;
has a fine schoolhouse, four churches, two banks, two flour mills, telephones, and one weekly newspaper. Population
in 1890 was 1,037; In 1900 - 1,268.
ALLISON TOWNSHIP (Name changed from Thompson on April 10, 1857)
BOND TOWNSHIP
BRIDGEPORT TOWNSHIP (Formed from Christy on September 10, 1872)
CHRISTY TOWNSHIP (Name changed from Hardin on April 10, 1857)
DENISON TOWNSHIP
LAWRENCE TOWNSHIP
LUKIN TOWNSHIP (Name changed from Marion (probably 1857)
PETTY TOWNSHIP (Name changed from Perry to Ohio on April 10, 1857 and from Ohio to Petty (date unknown).
RUSSELL TOWNSHIP
Birds
Bridgeport
Lawrenceville
Russellville
St. Francisville
Sumner
Lawrence County Links and Research Aids
Helpful Addresses:
Lawrence County Courthouse
1100 State St.
Lawrenceville, IL 62439
Phone: (618) 943-2346
County Clerk: (618) 943-2346
Circuit Clerk: (618) 943-2815
Recorder: (618) 943-5126
Lawrence County Health Department
P. O. Box 516
Lawrenceville, IL 62439
Email: lchd@wworld.com
Lawrence County Historical Society
P.O. Box 425
Lawrenceville, Illinois 62439
Lawrence County Public Library
814 12th St.
Lawrenceville, IL 62439
Phone: (618) 943-3016
Irene Black Genealogical Library
125 E. Olive
Bridgeport, IL 62417
Phone: (618) 945-7113
