Research by Sharon M. Kouns

IR Oct. 7, 1852 - Removal of the County Seat - An obedience to the act of the General Assembly passed March 20, 1851, “Referring to the voters of Lawrence county, the question of removal of the seat of justice of said county,” notice is hereby given that from and after the 23d day of October, 1852, the seat of justice of the county aforesaid will be at Ironton, suitable county buildings having been provided for that purpose. E. W. Wakefield, John Newton; commissioners.

IR Feb. 17, 1887 - AN OLD RECORD, On the Removal of the County Seat.
We have received from J. K. Kidd, under date of Jefferson City, Mo., February 7, 1887, the following interesting letter giving a copy of the minutes of a meeting to get the county seat moved from Burlington to Ironton:
Editor of Ironton Register. - In overhauling the contents of an old trunk the other day, I found the following record. It may be interesting to some of your readers and I send you a copy:
“Removal of the County Seat of Lawrence County, Ohio, from Burlington to Ironton.
At a meeting of the citizens of the town of Ironton, held in the School House on the 6th of Oct., 1851, to hear the report of a committee appointed at a previous meeting, to obtain subscriptions for the erection of a Court House in this place, &c., A. O. Sheppard was called to the Chair and J. K. Kidd appointed Secretary.
The committee reported that the sum of $3430.00 was subscribed on papers, then in the possession of the committee, and that there were other papers out for subscription which had been sent in-the amount not known.
Motion made and carried that the committee be instructed to guarantee to the County the erection of walls of a building for a Court House, &c.; that said building be 70 feet long by 65 in width, and 32 or 34 feet high and roofed, &c.
Motion made and carried that a committee be sent to the different townships in the county to induce the voters to vote for removal of the County Seat.
Committees - M. Sheppard, Rome tp.; J. Peters, Washington tp.; J. Kelly, Aid and Symmes tps.; R. M. Stimson in general through the county. J. M. Merrill, Aid, Lawrence and Mason tps.; J. K. Kidd, Mason tp.; H. Crawford, Rome and Union tps.; Thomas Kelly, Perry and Fayette tps.; J. M. Kelly in general throughout the county. J. Sullivan, J. Irwin, J. Smith and S. Silverman, Elizabeth tp.; J. Campbell, Decatur tp.
Moved and carried that fund be raised for the purpose of printing 3000 Whig and 2000 Democratic tickets with the words “for removal” printed thereon.
Moved and carried that the amount of funds necessary for the printing of said tickets be raised forthwith.
Moved and carried that all the tickets printed by the fund raised at this meeting have the name of W. Kerr printed on them for Recorder.
Moved and carried that we will vote for W. Kerr.
All the foregoing motions were carried unanimously.
Motion made and carried that we now adjourn to meet at the polls.
J.K. Kidd, Secretary.

IR Aug. 28, 1884 - The County Seat was changed by vote on Oct. 14, 1851 but transfer was not made till a year later. There were 1043 votes for and 697 votes against.