Lawrence County, Ohio: Its History From the Time of Its Organization — No. 1

Ironton Register, November 13, 1902

By Thomas A. Walton, Lambert, Oklahoma

Submitted by Sharon M. Kouns

Lawrence County, Ohio, was formed from portions of Gallia and Scioto counties in the early nineteenth century. This 1902 historical account by Thomas A. Walton traces the county’s earlier boundaries, the legislative acts establishing it, and the organization of its first Court of Common Pleas in 1817. The article also preserves the names of several early county officials and the location of the first court proceedings in Burlington.

Original 1902 Newspaper Article

(First of a series of articles on the history of Lawrence County, by Mr. Thomas A. Walton of Lambert, Oklahoma, to be published from week to week until completed.)

Lawrence County, Ohio,  was once included in Washington County, as the latter county embraced all the territory extending from the Scioto River to the Pennsylvania line. When Adams County was laid out, it took from Washington all the territory lying west of the upper boundary of the French Grant and of a line running directly north from the interior part of that boundary. This gave to Adams a small strip of the present township of Elizabeth.

In March 1803, Scioto and Gallia counties were formed, the eastern boundary of Adams being taken as the dividing line of these two counties, and all Lawrence County was included in Gallia, with the exception of a few sections in the western part of Elizabeth, which belonged to Scioto. The effect of the act of 1803 was to give to Scioto that part of Lawrence County embraced in Adams and to Gallia that which belonged to Washington. Thus remained the geographical divisions until December 20, 1816, when the following boundaries, which were fixed by law on December 21, 1815, gave Lawrence County a separate organization. Following is a copy of the act: vol. 14, page 22.

Sec. 1. That so much of the counties of Scioto and Gallia as comes within the following boundaries: viz., Beginning on the Ohio river at the southwest corner of township number two, in range fifteen thence west to the southwest corner of said township; thence north to the northeast corner of township three, range sixteen; thence west to the northwest corner of said township; thence north to the northeast corner of township five, range seventeen; thence west to range line between the seventeenth and eighteenth ranges; thence north to the northeast corner of township four, range eighteen, thence west to the northeast corner of section five in said township; thence south to the northeast corner of section twenty-nine in said township; thence west to the northwest corner of section twenty-seven in township four, range nineteen; thence south to the southwest corner of section thirty-four in township three thence west to the northwest corner of section three in township two in said range; thence south to the French Grant line; thence southeastward to the east corner of said Grant; thence southwestward to the corner between fractional sections number three and four in township one; thence south to the Ohio river; thence with the meanderings of said river to the place of beginning, be, and the same is hereby erected into a separate county, of the name of Lawrence, to be organized whenever the legislature shall hereafter think proper, but to remain attached to the said counties of Scioto and Gallia, as already provided for by law until said county of Lawrence shall be organized.

The following resolution was passed December 16, 1816, and took effect March 1, 1817 (vol. 15, page 6):

Sec. 1. That the county of Lawrence be and the same is hereby organized into a separate county.

On February 26, 1816, this resolution was adopted.

"Resolved by the General Assembly, etc., That Judge John W. Campbell and Moses Baird of Adams County and John Barr of Pickaway County be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to fix the seat of Justice of the county of Lawrence.

County Organized

On the 4th day of March, 1817, the first Court of Common Pleas was organized and the county officers were appointed. The record was kept in a book of about fifty pages, made of rough paper and bound in pasteboard.

The following order refers to the organization of the court:

"Be it remembered that John Davidson and William Miller produced their several commissions from His Excellency Thomas Worthington, Governor of the State of Ohio, appointing each of them Associate Judges of the Court of Common Pleas of the county of Lawrence; also the said John Davidson and William Miller, produced certificates on their several commissions, stating that they and each of them having taken the oath of allegiance to the United States and the oath of office, also Gabriel Kerr produced a certificate stating that his commission was lost; also stating that he, the said Gabriel Kerr, having taken the oath of allegiance to the United States and the oath of office.

"Thereupon a Court of Common Pleas was made for the county of Lawrence, at the house of Joseph Davidson of Burlington, on the 24th day of March, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and seventeen and the fifteenth year of the state. Present the Hon. John Davidson, William Miller and Gabriel Kerr, Associate Judges of the county of Lawrence. Ordered that John Kelly be appointed sheriff pro tem, to serve until a sheriff is duly elected, commissioned and sworn to office, he having taken the oath as the law directs. Ordered that W. G. Robinson, be appointed Clerk pro tem, to the Court of Common Pleas in and for said county of Lawrence until next term, he having given bond and security and sworn in according to law.

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Editor's Notes

Historical transcription: This is the first installment of a series originally published in the Ironton Register on November 13, 1902. The historical account and quoted legislative and court records have been preserved, apart from clear transcription and typographical corrections. Uncertain dates and wording have not been changed without supporting evidence.

Dates requiring verification: The text states that a resolution was passed on December 16, 1816, and then says, “On February 26, 1816, this resolution was adopted.” The latter date appears inconsistent with the sequence given. The text also mentions both March 4 and March 24, 1817, for the first court proceedings. These statements should be checked against the original newspaper and court records.

Transcription details: Obvious transcription errors have been corrected for readability, including “beginnng” to “beginning” and inconsistent capitalization of “Lawrence County.” Historical dates and wording that cannot be confidently corrected have been retained for comparison with primary records.

Incomplete source: The supplied transcription ends before the original newspaper installment concludes. The remainder of the article has not been included or reconstructed.