Lawrence County, Tennessee Genealogy

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Guide to Lawrence County, Tennessee ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, and military records.

County Facts
County seat: Lawrenceburg
Organized: October 21, 1817
Parent County(s): Hickman, Maury[1]
Neighboring Counties
GilesLauderdale (AL)LewisLimestone (AL)MauryWayne
See County Maps
Courthouse
TNLawrencecourthouse.jpg
Location Map
Location of Lawrence County, Tennessee.PNG

County Information[edit | edit source]

Description[edit | edit source]

Lawrence County was named for Captain James Lawrence (1781-1813), who while commanding the USS Chesapeake in an 1813 battle with the Royal Navy frigate HMS Shannon, issued his famous command: "Don't give up the ship! Blow her up." The ship was nevertheless given up to the enemy and Lawrence died of wounds. The county is located in the south-central area of the state.[2]

County Courthouse[edit | edit source]

Lawrence County Courthouse
240 West Gaines St.
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464
County Courthouse Phone: 931-762-7700
County Health Department
County Clerk Phone: 931-766-4176
Clerk Circuit Court Phone: 931-762-4398
Clerk and Master Phone: 931-766-4182
Register of Deeds Phone: 931-766-4180

County Health Department has birth records
County Clerk has marriage records from 1818 and probate records from 1829
Circut Court Clerk has divorce records
Register of Deeds has land records[3]

Lawrence County, Tennessee Record Dates[edit | edit source]

Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.

Known Beginning Dates for Government County Records[4]
Birth* Marriage Death* Court Land Probate Census
1908 1818 1908 1818 1819 1829 1810
*Statewide registration for births and deaths began in 1908 (1913 missing). General compliance by 1927.

Record Loss[edit | edit source]

Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]

Populated Places[edit | edit source]

For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit HomeTown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]

Cities
Towns
Unincorporated communities
Census-designated places


History Timeline[edit | edit source]

Additional Information

U.S. Naval Officer James Lawrence (1781-1813)

Middle Tennessee county. Established 1817. The county is named after U.S. naval officer James Lawrence (1781-1813).[7]

Resources[edit | edit source]

Bible Records[edit | edit source]

Biographies[edit | edit source]

Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]

  • Middle Tennessee's Forgotten Children: Apprentices from 1784 to 1902. 2004. By Alan N. Miller. Baltimore, Md.: Clearfield Company. FS Library US/CAN 976.8 U2ma. Includes Lawrence County.

Cemeteries[edit | edit source]

Cemeteries of Lawrence County, Tennessee online and in print
Tombstone Transcriptions Online
Tombstone Transcriptions in Print (Often more complete)
List of Cemeteries in the County
See Tennessee Cemeteries for more information.


Additional Cemetery Resources

Census Records[edit | edit source]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1820 3,271
1830 5,411 65.4%
1840 7,121 31.6%
1850 9,280 30.3%
1860 9,320 0.4%
1870 7,601 −18.4%
1880 10,383 36.6%
1890 12,286 18.3%
1900 15,402 25.4%
1910 17,569 14.1%
1920 23,593 34.3%
1930 26,776 13.5%
1940 28,726 7.3%
1950 28,818 0.3%
1960 28,049 −2.7%
1970 29,097 3.7%
1980 34,110 17.2%
1990 35,303 3.5%
2000 39,926 13.1%
2010 41,869 4.9%
Source: "Wikipedia.org".

1820, 1830, 1840, 1850, 1860, 1870, 1880, 1900, 1910, 1920, 1930, and 1940 federal population censuses of Lawrence County are available online. For tips on accessing census records online, see Tennessee Census. If you're having trouble finding your ancestors in online indexes, try checking printed indexes. Created by local experts familiar with the area's families, these indexes are often transcribed more accurately than nationwide online indexes.

See Tennessee Population Schedule Indexes: Fiche, Film, or Book for more information about statewide printed indexes.

See Lawrence County, TN census assignments, including links to transcribed files. The USGenWeb Census Project®

1810-1891

1820
Census takers found no free African Americans living in Lawrence County, Tennessee in 1820.[8]

  • Bentley, Elizabeth P. Index to the 1820 Census of Tennessee. Baltimore: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1981. FS Catalog 976.8 X22b 1820. Online at Ancestry ($).
  • Carter, Marymaud K. and Joan C. Hudgins. 1850 Census, Lawrence County, Tennessee (Including some Other Early Records).S.l.: s.n., 197-?FS Catalog 976.842 X2p
  • Lauderdale County Library. Vertical files, census records. Salt Lake City, Utah: Filmed by the Genealogical Society of Utah, 1978. FS Catalog 1034009Item 2.
  • Presley, Mrs. Leister E. Census, Lawrence, Perry, Shelby Counties, Tennessee, 1820.Searcy, Arkansas Presley, 198-?. FS Catalog 976.8 X2p 1820
  • Rice, Shirley H., ed. Lawrence County, Tennessee, Census Records: 1820, 1840 and 1840 and Miscellaneous Early County Records, of Private Acts, Field Calls for the First Civil Districts, Marriages, Taxable Property and Polls, Old Newspapers, Business Directory, and Officials. FS Catalog 976.842 X2r 1820-1840

1820 Manufactures

The original manufactures schedules for the Eastern and Western Districts of Tennessee are kept at the NARA, Washington, D.C. FS Library copies: FS Library US/CAN Films 1024517-1024518.

1830

  • Rice, Shirley H., ed. Lawrence County, Tennessee, Census Records 1820, 1840 and 1840 and Miscellaneous Early County Records, of Private Acts, Field Calls for the First Civil Districts, Marriages, Taxable Property and Polls, Old Newspapers, Business Directory, and Officials. FS Catalog 976.842 X2r 1820-1840

1840

  • Carpenter, Viola H. and Marymaud K. Carter. Lawrence County, Tennessee, 1860, 1840 Census: Private Acts, Miscellaneous. Columbia, Tennessee P-Vine Press, 1977. FS Catalog 976.842 X2pa
  • Rice, Shirley H., ed. Lawrence County, Tennessee, Census Records 1820, 1840 and 1840 and Miscellaneous Early County Records, of Private Acts, Field Calls for the First Civil Districts, Marriages, Taxable Property and Polls, Old Newspapers, Business Directory, and Officials. FS Catalog 976.842 X2r 1820-1840

1840 Revolutionary War Pensioners

1850

  • Carter, Marymaud K. and Joan C. Hudgins. 1850 Census, Lawrence County, Tennessee (Including some Other Early Records).S.l.: s.n., 197-?FS Catalog 976.842 X2p

1860

  • Carpenter, Viola H. and Marymaud K. Carter. Lawrence County, Tennessee, 1860, 1840 Census: Private Acts, Miscellaneous. Columbia, Tennessee P-Vine Press, 1977. FS Catalog 976.842 X2pa

1870

  • Rice, Shirley H., ed.Lawrence County, Tennessee, Census Records, 1870.Lawrenceburg, Tennessee Family Tree Press, 1992. FS Catalog 976.842 X2c 1870

1880

  • Carpenter, Viola H. and Marymaud K. Carter. Lawrence County, Tennessee, 1880 Census. Columbia, Tennessee: P-Vine Press, 1983. FS Catalog 976.842 X2L 1880
  • Sistler, Byron H. 1880 census Lawrence County, Tennessee. Nashville, Tennessee: Byron Sistler and Assoc., 1999. FS Catalog 976.842 X2s 1880

1890 Lost, but substitutes are available:

  • Reed, Sue S. Enumeration of Male Inhabitants of Twenty-one Years of Age and Upward, Citizens of Tennessee, January 1, 1891, as Provided for by an Act of General Assembly of Tennessee, Passed January 15, 1891, and Approved January 22, 1891. 8 vols. Houston, Texas: S.S. Reed, 1989. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 X2r v. 8 1891. Lawrence County is included in Vol. 8.
  • Sistler, Byron H. and Barbara Sistler. 1890 Civil War Veterans Census, Tennessee. Evanston, Ill.: Byron Sister and Associates, 1978. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 X2s 1890.

1891 Male Voters

1900

  • Franks, Mary Nell H. and Shirley H. Rice Lawrence County, Tennessee, Census Records, 1900. Lawrenceburg, Tennessee: Family Tree Press, 1994. FS Catalog 976.842 X2f 1900

1910

  • Franks, Mary Nell H. and Shirley H. Rice Lawrence County, Tennessee, census Records, 1910. Lawrenceburg, Tennessee: Family Tree Press, 1995. Districts 1-11. Supplement with district 12.FS Catalog 976.842 X2f 1910

1920

  • Franks, Mary Nell H. and Shirley H. Rice Lawrence County, Tennessee, Census Records, 1920. Lawrenceburg, Tennessee: Family Tree Press, 1994. FS Catalog 976.842 X2f 1900

Church Records[edit | edit source]

List of Churches and Church Parishes

Court Records[edit | edit source]

Law and Legislation

  • Tennessee State Library and Archives, Acts of Tennessee 1796-1850: Index to Names. January 25, 2005. In addition to creating new laws, legislative acts were often required to obtain a divorce, grant legitimacy to a child, or for appointments to or grant payments for public service. The TSLA has created an index to names that appear in these acts covering the years 1796 to 1850. Online searchable index at TSLA.

Directories[edit | edit source]

Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]

Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]

African American
Census takers found no free African Americans living in Lawrence County, Tennessee in 1820.[9]

Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]

Genealogies[edit | edit source]

General

As of August 2010, a query for persons born in Lawrence, Tennessee at World Connect, results in more than 35,000 entries.

Bibliography

  • Allen - Rowles, W.P. and Alfred Osborn Pope Nicholson. The Life and Character of Capt. Wm. B. Allen: of Lawrence County, Tenn., Who Fell at the Storming of Monterey, on the 21st of September, 1846. With an Appendix, Containing a Number of His Essays and Speeches. Columbia, Tenn.: J. J. M'Daniel, "Democratic Herald" Book Office, 1853. Digital version at Google Books.
  • Choates - Williams, Irene Choate and Betty Lee Swann. The Choates of Lawrence County, Tennessee. n.p.: I.C. Williams, 1971. FS Library FAM HIST Book 929.273 C451wi.
  • Clayton - Franks, Mary Nell Hollis and Shirley Ann Hollis. William "Flat River" Clayton and Benjamin Crews: Families of Person County, NC to Lawrence County, TN. Multi-volume. Leoma, Tenn.: Family Tree Press, 2003. FS Library US/CAN Book 929.273 C579fm v. 1 pt. 1 ff.
  • Crews - Franks, Mary Nell Hollis and Shirley Ann Hollis. William "Flat River" Clayton and Benjamin Crews: Families of Person County, NC to Lawrence County, TN. Multi-volume. Leoma, Tenn.: Family Tree Press, 2003. FS Library US/CAN Book 929.273 C579fm v. 1 pt. 1 ff.
  • Leeper - Gambill, Nell McNish The kith and kin of Captain James Leeper and Susan Drake, his wife [S.I. s.n., c1946] FS Library US/CAN book 929.273 L518 Free lookups available!
  • McDonald - McDonald, William L. The McDonalds, Early Settlers and Descendents, 1834-1994. [Florence, Ala.: W.L. McDonald], 1994 Printing. FS Library FAM HIST Book 929.273 M145mw; digital version at FamilySearch Digital Library. Alternative title: History of Clan McDonald in Lauderdale County, Alabama and Lawrence County, Tennessee.
  • Pennington - Pennington, Michael Thomas Descendants of David Newton Pennington and Matilda Clingan Littleton, Colorado M.T. Pennington, c1997 FS Catalog book 929.273 P384pm. Digital version available at FamilySearch Digital Library
  • Reading - Redding, Mrs. Jackie and William L. McDonald. William H. Reading of Lawrence County, Tennessee; Soldier of the American Revolution: Progenitor of the Redding Families of Lauderdale County, Alabama and Lawrence County, Tennessee. Typescript, University of North Alabama, Florence, Ala. Microfilmed in 1979. FS Library US/CAN Film 1035162 Item 6.
  • Scheidt - Carter, Kathryn S. Ancestors and Descendants of John Scheidt and Anna Maria Elizabeth Frenzel. Tecumseh, Okla.: K.S. Carter, 1991. FS Catalog 929.273 Sch25c
  • Springer - Coffey, Laura Lou White and Mobley, Lidalee Springer Springers in the south Lawrenceburg, Tennessee L.W. Coffey, c1977. FS Library US/CAN book 929.273 C654cL Free lookups available!

Guardianship[edit | edit source]

Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]

  • Lawrence County Register of Deeds has Land Records from 1818 and is located at the county Courthouse, 240 W. Gaines, Lawrenceburg, Tennessee 38464; Telephone: (931) 762-7700. Land and property records include transfer of real estate or personal property, mortgages, leases, surveys, and entries.
  • The FamilySearch Library has microfilm copies of a general index to deeds 1819-1871; deeds 1819-1891 with index 1819-1908; land surveys 1820-1929; entry takers books 1820-1849; road books 1853-1863; stock mark books 1882-1913.

Online Land Indexes and Records

Local Histories[edit | edit source]

  • The Goodspeed histories of Lawrence, Giles and Wayne Counties Goodspeed Publishing Co., 1887. Free lookups available
  • Pruitt, Wade Bugger Saga A Civil War story of guerrilla and bushwhacker warfare in Lauderdale County, Alabama Includes information on Lawrence and Wayne counties, Tennessee. s.n. 1977. Free lookups available!

Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]

Lewis CountyMaury CountyGiles CountyLimestone CountyLauderdale CountyWayne CountyTN LAWRENCE.PNG
Click a neighboring county
for more resources

Migration[edit | edit source]

Military Records[edit | edit source]

Revolutionary War
The following Lawrence County Revolutionary War records are available online through TNGenWeb:

Additional resources include:

  • A Census of Pensioners for Revolutionary or Military Services: With their Names, Ages, and Places of Residence, as Returned by the Marshals of the Several Judicial Districts, Under the Act for Taking the Sixth Census. 1841; reprint, Baltimore, Md.: Genealogical Publishing, 1967. FS Library US/CAN Book 973 X2pc 1840; FS Library US/CAN Film 2321. Online at: FamilySearch Digital Library, Internet Archive, Ancestry ($). See Tennessee, Middle District, Lawrence County on page 156.
  • Rejected or Suspended Applications for Revolutionary War Pensions. Washington, D.C., 1852. Reprinted by Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1969, and 1991. Reprints include "an Added Index to States." Digital version at Ancestry ($). Tennessee entries abstracted online at Tennesseans in the Revolutionary War, courtesy: TNGenWeb. Includes veterans from this county; Tennessee section begins on page 381.

War of 1812

Mexican War

  • Rowles, W.P. and Alfred Osborn Pope Nicholson. The Life and Character of Capt. Wm. B. Allen: of Lawrence County, Tenn., Who Fell at the Storming of Monterey, on the 21st of September, 1846. With an Appendix, Containing a Number of His Essays and Speeches. Columbia, Tenn.: J. J. M'Daniel, "Democratic Herald" Book Office, 1853. Digital version at Google Books.
  • Davis, Donna Niedergeses Lawrence County, Tennessee Mexican War 1846-1848 Soldiers Discharge Papers. As found in Deed Book 1 including personal information about the soldier.

Civil War

Online Records

Regiments. Men in Lawrence County served in various regiments. Men often joined a company (part of a large regiment) that originated in their county. Listed below are companies that were specifically formed in Lawrence County:

Confederate Soldiers

Union Soldiers

Additional sources for Civil War soldiers from Lawrence County:

Spanish American War

Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]

Newspapers[edit | edit source]

For a list of newspapers available at the archives for Lawrence County click on the following cities and towns:

Obituaries[edit | edit source]

Other Records[edit | edit source]

Prisons[edit | edit source]

Periodicals[edit | edit source]

Genealogical periodicals can contain unique sources and can be local, regional, or statewide. The following periodicals cover this county:

  • Lawrence County Heritage: Index is found on the PERiodical Source Index

Probate Records[edit | edit source]

The Lawrence County Court has responsibility for the probate records. Many records are held by the Lawrence County Archives.

Online Probate Indexes and Records

Book Abstracts and Indexes

  • 1829-1861 Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Index to Tennessee Wills and Administrations 1779-1861. Nashville, Tenn. Byron Sistler and Associates, Inc., 1990. FS Library US/CAN 976.8 P22s. Includes an index to this county's probate records.

School Records[edit | edit source]

Social Security Records[edit | edit source]

Tax Records[edit | edit source]

Book Abstracts and Indexes

  • Carter, Marymaud Killen, Joan Coffey Hudgins and Shirley Hollis Rice. Lawrence County, Tennessee, Census Records: 1820, 1840 and 1840 and Miscellaneous Early County Records, of Private Acts, Field Calls for the First Civil Districts, Marriages, Taxable Property and Polls, Old Newspapers, Business Directory, and Officials. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.842 X2r 1820-1840.
  • 1826 Tax List, 1826, Lawrence County Heritage, Vol. 3, No. 4 (Summer 2000).
  • 1836 Map of Tax Districts, 1836, Lawrence County Heritage, Vol. 1 (Fall 1997).
  • 1842 Tax Delinquencies, 1842, Searcy County Ancestor Information Exchange, Vol. 8, No. 3 (Oct. 1998).
  • 1868 Tax List, 1868, Lawrence County Heritage, Vol. 4, No. 2 (Winter 2000); Vol. 4, No. 3 (Spring 2001); Vol. 4, No. 4 (Summer 2001).
  • 1890 First Civil District Tax List, 1890, Lawrence County Heritage, Vol. 10, No. 4 (Summer 2007).

Vital Records[edit | edit source]

Birth[edit | edit source]

Marriage[edit | edit source]

Online indexes and Records

Book Abstracts and Indexes

  • 1783-1870 Lucas, Silas Emmett and Ella Lee Sheffield. 35,000 Tennessee Marriage Records and Bonds 1783-1870. FS Library US/CAN Book 976.8 V2t
  • 1818-1854 Marriages of Lawrence County, Tennessee, 1818-1854. FS Library Book 976.842 V2w
  • 1818-1870 Sistler, Byron and Barbara Sistler. Early Middle Tennessee Marriages. 2 vols. FS Library Book 976.8 V2sb Indexes names of brides and grooms, and marriage dates for weddings in this county for the specified years.
  • 1818-1923 Lawrence County, Tennessee, Marriage Records, 1818-1923. FS Library Includes index of bride's surname.
  • 1838-1996 Lawrence County Marrages at the Tennessee State Library and Archives TSLA.
  • 1926-1999 Marriage index Lawrence County, Tennessee. FS Library 2 vols.

Death[edit | edit source]

Divorce[edit | edit source]

Online Records

Online Titles

  • W.P.A. Guide to Public Vital Statistics in Tennessee. Nashville, Tenn.: The Tennessee Historical Records Survey, 1941. FamilySearch Digital Library

Research Facilities[edit | edit source]

Archives[edit | edit source]

Listed below are archives in Lawrence County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.
Lawrence County Archives
2588 Highway 43 S
Leoma, TN 38468
Phone: 931-852-4091
Email: lcarchives@lorettotel.net
Lawrence County Archives

FamilySearch Centers[edit | edit source]

FamilySearch Center and Affiliate Library Locator map - search for local FamilySearch Centers or Affiliate Libraries

  • FamilySearch Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
  • FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a FamilySearch center.

Local Centers and Affiliate Libraries

Libraries[edit | edit source]

Listed below are libraries in Lawrence County. For state-wide library facilities, see Tennessee Archives and Libraries.

Lawrence County Public Library
519 East Gaines St.
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464
Phone: 931-762-4627
Website

Loretto Branch
102 S. Main Street
Loretto, TN 38469
Phone: 931-853-7323
Website

Museums[edit | edit source]

Societies[edit | edit source]

Listed below are societies in Lawrence County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Tennessee Societies.

Lawrence County, Tennessee Genealogical Society
P.O. Box 523
Lawrenceburg, TN 38464
Phone: 931-762-6338
Email: lcarchives@lorettotel.net
Website

Websites[edit | edit source]

Research Guides[edit | edit source]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tennessee.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  2. Wikipedia contributors, "Lawrence County, Tennessee" in https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_County,_Tennessee, accessed 24 Dec 2018
  3. The Handybook for Genealogists : United States of America, 10th ed., (Draper, UT: Everton Publishers, 2002) Lawrence County, Tennessee, p.641
  4. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tennessee.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  5. Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Tennessee.At various libraries (WorldCat); FS Library Book 973 D27e 2002.
  6. Wikipedia contributors, "Lawrence County, Tennessee," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lawrence_County,_Tennessee, accessed 1 December 2019.
  7. "List of counties in Tennessee," Wikipedia.
  8. Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census," online at Free African Americans.
  9. Waldrep, G.C. "'Free Colored' Heads of Household in the 1820 Tennessee Census." Online at Free African Americans.
  10. Genealogical Society of Utah, Parish and Vital Records List (July 1998). Microfiche. Digital version at https://www.familysearch.org/wiki/en/images/8/88/Igitennesseel.pdf.