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Lawrence County

Established
January 16, 1821 (Laws, 1821, p. 16)

Origin of the name of the county
Named for Captain James Lawrence, Commander of the Chesapeake, who was mortally wounded in an engagement between that vessel and the British vessel, Shannon, during the War of 1812.

Present area, or parts of it, formerly included in
1816–1821 — Crawford
1815–1819 — Edwards
1812–1815 — Gallatin
1812–1815 — Madison
1809–1812 — Randolph
1790–1809 — Knox, Northwest Territory

County Seats
1821 — Home of Toussaint Dubois (Lawrenceville)
1821–  — Lawrenceville

History of county governing board
1821–1849 — Commissioners’ Court
1849–1857 — County Court
1857–   — County Board of Supervisors

Township Government
Adopted — November 4, 1856

Township Names
Allison — Name changed from Thompson on April 10, 1857.
Bond
Bridgeport — Formed from Christy on September 10, 1872.
Christy — Name changed from Hardin on April 10, 1857.
Denison
Lawrence
Lukin — Name changed from Marion (probably 1857).
Petty — Name changed from Perry to Ohio on April 10, 1857 and from Ohio to Petty (date unknown).
Russell

Township Map

Pertinent Databases
Federal Township Plats of Illinois
Illinois Public Domain Land Tract Sales Database
Illinois Statewide Death Index, 1916–1950
Illinois Statewide Marriage Index
Local Governmental Records Database
Name Index to Illinois Local Governments