Lawrence County Heritage

The Journal of the Lawrence County

(Tennessee) Genealogical Society

Vol. 20  No. 3  Spring 2017

Table of Contents

Compiled by Lawrence Niedergeses

From The Editor

Lawrence County is turning 200 years old this fall. To celebrate, Lawrence County will be holding several events throughout the year. Back issues of LCGS journals will be sold at reduced prices. Vol 1, #1 (Fall 1977) through Vol 14, #2 (Winter 2010) is 50 cents, Vol 14, #3 (Spring 2011 through Vol 19, #2 (Winter 2017) is $1.00.

A Crowder Family History of the Ancestors of Virgil Holt Crowder, Sr. (from a presentation by V. H. Crowder, Jr.) by Doyce Shaddix

The earliest Crowder found was Hugh Crowder in the Virginia Colony in 1619. Jeptha Crowder who died ca 1910 was born in Alabama and later lived in Lawrence County. He married a widow named Mildred Amanda Durrett. They had one child, Thomas Campbell Crowder who married Liza Jane Thomas. They had three sons and four daughters. Their son William Oscar married Saphronia Elizabeth Freemon and had nine children. Virgil's grandfather was William Oscar Crowder.

Over 80 Club Requests Submitted by Kathy Niedergeses

Letters written by local citizens to gain entrance into the Over 80 Club and originally published in the Democrat-Union are reprinted and include: Miss Cora Landaw (Democrat-Union, 8 Apr. 1965), and William Kenneth "Jack" Couch (Democrat-Union.)

Minutes to Lawrence County Genealogical Society Board Meeting, Saturday, December 10, 2016 by Doyce Shaddix

The meeting was called to order by Lila Gobbell. The minutes were read and accepted. The treasurer's report was read and accepted. Old Business: Purchase 200 additional pictorial books. New Business: Kathy announced almost 300 pictorial books have been sold. Discussion on how to attract new members. The meeting adjourned.

Minutes to Lawrence County Genealogical Society Meeting, Saturday, December 10, 2016 by Doyce Shaddix

The meeting was called to order by President Wallace Palmore. The minutes were read and accepted. The treasurer's report was read and accepted. Old Business: The September and December issues of the Journal have not been printed yet. New Business: Kathy gave an update on the Pictorial Book. Wallace announced that articles are needed for the Journal. The meeting concluded with a presentation by Wallace Palmore about the McMasters line of his family.

The Fire Fiend - Part XVI (continued from Winter 2016) Researched and compiled by Kathy and Lawrence Niedergeses

This is the 16th installment in a series that began in Vol 16 #4, Summer 2013, regarding fires, fire fighting equipment and firemen of Lawrence County. Sources include local newspapers, minutes of the City of Lawrenceburg, various community histories, Our Hometown: Lawrenceburg, TN, etc. and are given with each entry. The author asks the readers to submit any information regarding fires not listed to the Lawrence County Archives. See the article for details on the location, date, etc. of each fire listed. The following locations and surnames are mentioned in the article: Hedgepath, Stewart, Durham, Kelly, Davis, Dale, Martin, Hood, Staggs, Washburn, Max Erwin Store, Bassham, Lovell, Jones, Stone, Continental Ginning Company, Stephenson, Brock, Powell School, Bass, Jones, Clifton, Puncheon School, Townsend, Bonner, Smith, Mt. Horeb School, Lawrenceburg Warehouse Company. (To be continued in the Summer 2017 issue of the Journal)

The Stephenson (Stevenson) Settlement, Civil District 14 An African-American Community Researched and compiled by Kathy Niedergeses

All that is left of the community is a handmade wooden sign marking the site of a long-ago abandoned cemetery. By the 1880 census, several African-American families had migrated into the area. A community soon developed, and they established a church and school. Some of the families in the settlement were: Allen, Applin, Armstrog, Bailey, Benson, Boyd, Cannon, Carathers, Elliott, Frierson, Hall, Hampton, Harrison, Hogue, Gaskin, Gideon, Graves, Hayes, Johnson, Jordon, Lelard, Mack, Masthias, Mathus, Matthews, Mays, McFall, Phelfs, Pitts, Porter, Rye, Riggs, Roberts, Smith, Spindle, Stenison, Stephenson, Stone, Trigg, Wallace, Warren, Wilkes, Williams, and Woodson.

Brief News of Lawrenceburg

Lawrenceburg Meat Company moved back to its former stand where Higinbotham is located; W.D. Higinbotham moved to the Meat Company's former shop. (Lawrence Democrat, 23 June 1922.) E. R. Braley and S. Kelley have bought the Lawrenceburg Hotel. (Lawrence Democrat, 23 June 1922) Nail Shoe Hospital sold his shop to Mr. Pool of Florence. (Lawrence Democrat, 11 Aug. 1922)

George Martin Lanning Material submitted by Nancy Crowder, edited and additions by Kathy Niedergeses

George was born September 18, 1869 in Cambridge, Ohio. He was the oldest of eight children born to Isaac and Elizabeth A. (Wolverton) Lanning. George married Iona Elizabeth Leighton February 4, 1902. She was the daughter of Charles Daniel and Mary Showalter Bashor Leighton.

Lawrence County, Tennessee 1890 Tax List, Fifteenth Civil District - Part II (Continued from the Spring 2017 issue of the Journal) by Wallace Palmore

The names of those taxpayers in the Fifteenth Civil District of Lawrence County, Tennessee are listed with the following additional information: acres, land value, total property value, poll tax, state tax, county tax, school tax, RR tax, and highway tax: Bullion, Berryhill, Blair, Beasley, Johnson, Bennett, Burns, Bryant, Bell, Banks, Brown, Barkley, Bradley, Belew, Brewer, Bronst, Boatright, Bren, Bond, Barber, Bond, Brice, Blundless, Calaway, Couch, Chapman, Craik, Colebum, Cannon, Cavender, Coffman, Copeland, Clayton, Carter, Cothran, Cox, Clay, Childress, Cathey, Craig, Campbell, Clark, Clayton, Coter, Crow, Coker, Crews, Cook, Chambers, Casteel, Dishough, Dixon, Drake, Dodd, Dedrick, Downing, Davis, Duckworth, Douglas, Daniels, Delffs, Denam, Daniel, Darnell, Denson, Durham, Emmert, Eason, Eaves, Essec. (To be continued in the Summer 2017 issue of the journal)

Migrations To and From Lawrence County, TN During The 1870s Through Early 1900s -Part XXVI Researcher and Compiled by Kathy and Lawrence Niedergeses

This information was found in newspapers from the 1880s, 1890s and early 1900s. It includes names mentioned as migrating to or from Lawrence County, visitors, names registered in hotels, former residents subscribing to local newspapers. Copies of the actual newspaper pages are available from microfilm from the Archives. Please contact the Archives if you have migration information about your Lawrence County ancestors: McClugage, Gibson, Rippey, Harvey, Norman, York, Coop, Rose, Buchanan, Bently, Meredith, Severson, Hagan, Spence, Lewis, Craig, Hendley, Brown, Conner, Rivers, Montague, Ewing, Lindsey, Gallaher, Collier, Powell, Bassham. Harlan, Methvin, Finney, Bell, Nixon, McKeand, Reginold, Patterson, Bloom, McCluskey, McCrea, Simms, Baily, Gowen, Busby, Hardin, Dunn, Welton, McLean, Thompson, McMillian, Fleming, Gilbert, McDougal, Comer, Loe, Haugan, Saltnes, Menson, Nelson, Holverson, Heimark, Hughes, Mallay, Quinn, Tronson, Ward, Nixon, Jones, Sheppard, Harmon, Patty, Crane, Oakley.

Mystery Families and Photographs

Four pictures believed to of a Martin family: 1) A well dressed man and woman, 2) Four young children, 3) A lady in a big hat, 4) Three young girls. Also a picture of the Amoco service Station in Webber City.

The Family of Simon and Caroline Stevenson Submitted by Curley V. Harlan Bumpas

Simon was from Louisiana and Caroline was from Tennessee. The 1880 census shows Simon and his family lived in the 11 District of Maury County, Tennessee. They had five children: George Washington, James Henry, William, John, Ella, and Walter.

Leoma Store is Burned Friday

From the Lawrence Democrat Union dated June 3, 1927, the old Tipper building across the street from Harris Drug Store was destroyed by fire. Origin unknown.

Lawrence County Turns 200 by Kathy Niedergeses, Lawrence County Historian

Lawrence County was created on October 21, 1817. There was only one court to start, the Court of Pleas and Quarter Sessions followed by Circuit Court in 1826 and Chancery Court in 1840. The first minute book of the county, often referred to as the Crockett Docket, covers the time period May 4, 1818 through April 6, 1822. Traders were the first merchants in the area, but several general merchandise stores soon surfaced. A few industries were already in existence when the county was established. Houses of ordinary, taverns, inns and hotels were being licensed as early as 1818.The first Post Office was established on June 22, 1818. (To be continued in the Summer 2017 issue of the Journal)