The Reading Room
Welcome to our Reading Room, where you can explore books about Lawrence County, Ohio, its history, people, and communities. Some titles are available to read on our website, while others are available for purchase. We support local authors by providing links to their publications but cannot verify their accuracy or content. Please contact authors directly with any questions.
While you’re here, take some time to explore! Our collection of historical articles, photographs, and genealogical records offers countless opportunities to discover the people, places, and stories that helped shape Lawrence County.
Books to Read Online
The Early History of Chesapeake, Ohio
Read this free nine-chapter book about the people and communities that came together to form Chesapeake, Ohio, in 1907.
Books for Sale
Sheriff Register Book Three 1911 – 1923
The final volume covers Lawrence County jail records from the years of World War I and early Prohibition and includes an index of every name.
Sheriff Register Book Two 1892 – 1910
The second volume covers people arrested and held in the Lawrence County jail in Ironton from 1892 to 1910, with additional research on selected individuals.
Sheriff Register Book One 1867 – 1891
The first volume of the Lawrence County jail register series covers arrests from 1867 to 1891 and includes additional research on several people named in the records.
Infirmary Register 1876 – 1930 from Lawrence County, Ohio
Martha J. Martin’s compilation of Lawrence County Infirmary records includes death dates and burial locations that can be hard to find elsewhere.
Etna Iron Works Ledger 1876 – 1877
Carrie Eldridge’s book draws on the furnace’s final ledger to document employee names, occupations, and wages at Etna Iron Works.
Prisoners at Ohio State Penitentiary 1824-1905 From Lawrence County, Ohio
Martha J. Martin’s book collects Ohio State Penitentiary register entries for people from Lawrence County, Ohio, from 1824 to 1905.
Freedom Lies Across the River
Carrie Eldridge traces how free and formerly enslaved Black residents built communities and helped others escape slavery along the Ohio River in Lawrence County.
Narrow Escapes of the Civil War
Lawrence County veterans recount their Civil War experiences in their own words in this collection of Ironton Register articles compiled by Martha J. Martin.
Annotated Children’s Home Book
Martha J. Kounse’s annotated register documents the children who lived at the Lawrence County Children’s Home in Ironton from 1874 to 1926.