Annotated Children's Home Book; by Martha J. Kounse
This is a much-needed Ohio reference book and an important social history covering over 50 years of children in need and families in despair. In 1866 the Ohio General Assembly authorized the construction of children’s homes in each county, and in 1874, Lawrence County opened its children’s home in Ironton.
Mrs. Kounse transcribed the hard-to-read microfilm records from this home. She added, through her extensive notes, additional information gleaned from newspapers, penitentiary records, boys’ and girls’ industrial records, blind school records, and personal interviews, among other things. These children were often sent to homes in other cities or counties, and all other parties involved, including the children and their parents, have been indexed.
Prisoners at Ohio State Penitentiary 1824-1905 From Lawrence County, Ohio; by Martha J. Martin
Do you have a missing male from Lawrence County, Ohio who suddenly disappears? He might have served time at the Ohio Penitentiary in Columbus, Ohio.
This book was abstracted from microfilm reels filmed by the Columbus Historical Society. Each register of inmates includes their name, age, birthplace, occupation, term of sentence, county, discharge date, crime, property, physical description, habits, property, relatives, residence, and education. A lot of genealogical information can be found in these records.
Infirmary Register 1876 - 1930 from Lawrence County, Oho; by Martha J. Martin
In 1816 the Ohio General Assembly authorized the Board of County Commissioners to construct County Poor Houses and a Board of Directors to oversee their management. In addition to caring for the poor, these Homes served as a place of confinement for paupers, the needy, the sick, the mentally ill, and epileptic. However, by 1898 it became unlawful to confine the insane and epileptic in the Infirmary, and they were transferred to the Insane Asylum, usually in Athens, Ohio.
An important fact about the Infirmary Register is that there are many death dates and burial places in this book, many of which have not been recorded elsewhere, making this book invaluable to researchers. The burials from the Infirmary were interred in Newton Cemetery, Henry’s Cemetery, Woodland Cemetery, on the Hill, and many more places.
Sheriff Register Book One 1867 - 1891; by Martha J. Martin-Kounse
This is the first book in my series ‘Lawrence County, Ohio Jail Registers.’ These registers were microfilmed by agreement between the Ohio Historical Society and the Gen. Society of Salt Lake City, Utah. Further digitization advancements have made this document possible to view online at familysearch.org film #8196773. Beginning with the first Register [or Ledger 1] entry starts in 1867 and ends with the last Ledger Book 6 in 1923.
You will find counterfeiters, murders, rapes, manslaughter, murders, drunkenness, selling liquor, adultery, bastardy, carrying concealed weapons, streetwalking, prostitution, keeping a house of ill-fame, some just “ran off,” and even escaping the chain gangs.
Times were difficult back then, but the nature of people was the same. I couldn’t help but be struck by the many cases of Bastardy back then. DNA may answer questions or help someone discover why there are no matches with certain family members today.
This book covers the inmates arrested between 1867 and 1891. There is an extra section at the end of this book about several of the inmates who were arrested, along with additional research about them.
Sheriff Register Book Two 1892 - 1910; by Martha J. Martin-Kounse
This is the second book in my series, The ‘Lawrence County, Ohio Jail Registers.‘ The Jail registers were microfilmed by agreement between the Ohio Historical Society and the Gen. Society of Salt Lake City, Utah, and cover the years between 1892 – 1910. Further digitization advancements have made this document possible to view online at familysearch.org film #8196773.
Beginning with the first Register [or Ledger] entry starts in 1867 and ends with the last Ledger Book 6 in 1923. The books were never indexed, and the microfilm is very difficult to decipher, making this an invaluable asset to any genealogy or historical research. The careful abstraction of that microfilm of the inmates arrested and jailed in the Sheriff’s county jail in Ironton, Ohio.
This book covers the inmates arrested between 1892 – 1910. There is a section at the end of this book about several arrested inmates and additional research about them. I am now working on the last book of the series for 1911 – 1923 and will announce the publication when it is completed and ready for purchase.
Sheriff Register Book Three 1911 - 1923; by Martha J. Martin-Kounse
This is my third and final book in the series, “Sheriff’s Jail Register of Lawrence County, Ohio.” This book covers Prohibition and World War 1, bringing many new Federal Laws. Moonshine, possessing liquor, gambling, and desertion created challenges for the local Courts. The County Jail was overflowing with men, women, and even young children.
That brought a need to send prisoners to other regions of the State and Federal Institutions. Fortunately, most of these records have been scanned and are now available online from the familysearch.org website. Unfortunately, some records may not be available for privacy reasons, and most are not indexed. The Jail Registers from Lawrence County, Ohio, is one of those essential documents that needed an every-name index.
Freedom Lies Across the River by Carrie Eldridge
Slavery, manumission, the Baptist Church, and the Underground Railroad have been a major part of American History. The future without slavery began in the Northwest Territory only after an Ordinance was issued, which declared the new western lands of the United States to be free of slavery.
Subsequently, the southeast corner of the region became the State of Ohio in 1803, an undeveloped frontier until 1800. This area became Lawrence County, Ohio, the closest “free” area north of the Ohio River to the old south slavery.
Limited trails led west, but three ended at the Ohio River in Lawrence County. Manumitted Blacks settled in the county where they began the oldest Black Church in Ohio. They also created and maintained a “Black” trail of freedom, often called the Underground Railroad. Despite restricting Black Laws and the harassment by local slave catchers, these people risked their lives to live in an area where they could aid other people in escaping slavery.
Freedom Lies Across the River is a story of the Black freedom of this region. It provides the reader with numerous maps and an extensive appendix to help them trace their own connections to the area—available at amazon.com.
Etna Iron Works Ledger 1876 - 1877; Written by Carrie Eldridge
This ledger is a balance sheet of expenses and expenditures for that company for 1876-1878, when the furnace was about to be closed and maybe the last ledger produced.
It lists employees of the furnace with their job and salary. The ledge is important for researchers because the furnace worker lived in a company-owned town, similar to those found later in the Appalachian coal fields. Those towns provided all the services for their employees, mainly because the company paid in script accepted only at the company store.
The workers had little contact outside the community and maybe were ignored by the outside world, for it appears every census did not count people living in the Etna Iron Works community.
This book lists Lawrence County, Ohio residents not found in other sources. It also gives the researcher insight into the life and work of people engaged in the primitive iron business in the early period of an Ohio Valley settlement. A map, facsimile reprints of Etna scripts and newspaper ads, and an index to employee surnames (by ledger page number_ add to the value of this work.
Purchase from Heritagebooks.com $40.00
Narrow Escapes of the Civil War; by Martha J. Martin
Narrow Escapes were a series of articles collected by the Ironton Register newspaper from 1886 to 1888. These narratives were gathered by a newspaper reporter who went throughout Lawrence County, Ohio searching for Civil War Veterans and then encouraging them to tell their stories. That reporter was never mentioned by name but played an important part in our nation’s history for many years.
Union Missionary Baptist Church Minute Book 1843-1878 written by Janet Mayenchein
This book is a transcription of church business meeting minutes for Union Missionary Baptist Church, 1843-1878, In Lawrence Co. Ohio. The text has been transcribed just as the original words appear. Membership lists are included as well as an index.
The Meeting House at Low Gap Written by Janet Mayenchein
This book presents the 167-year history of Union Missionary Baptist Church located in Chesapeake, Ohio. Pictures and an index are included.
Available on Amazon.com
Available on Amazon.com
Available on Amazon.com