Beginning with the Fall meeting of the Lawrence County Genealogical Society, Sept. 18, 2004, meetings will be held in the Fellowship Hall of First United Methodist Church which is located at 212 Waterloo Street, Lawrenceburg, TN. A Simple map is shown below.

George and Elizabeth Duck Harland marriage – 1678. Grandfather, Nathan Harlan purchased approximately fifty acres west of Cott’s Creek from Great Grandfather, William Harlan. The original tract belonged to Great Grandmother, Alpha Cottrell Lovell, daughter of Reuben and Martha Cottrell Lovell. Reuben Lovell died at the Civil War Battle of Shiloh. There is a descendant chart listing the James Harland descendants from 1625 to the 1990’s.Great Grandfather Will operated a water grist mill on Cott’s Creek at the Alabama state line.

From the pages of Mrs. Blanche Gallaher Olive’s diaries, all the births have been extracted from all three diaries. There are six pages and about 250 births recorded, such as #73, "Mr. And Mrs. Clyde Robertson baby girl July 10, 1939. Joyce Anne, real cute. Gave her a ring". She also includes birth dates such as # 70, "Paw Danley born March 10, 1855". There are other birth dates from the 1850’s, 1860’s, 1870’s, 1880’s, 1890’s and upward through the 1940’s.

The first article carried the history from 1820 through the 1860 census, and the second from the 1860’s through the 1870 census. In this segment, Kathy begins with the January 1871 term of court and continues through Oct. 1879. County Court Minute Bk. Sept. 1867-Apr. 1871, and County Court Minute Bk. 1871-1875, allows for burying clothes, medical bills, and coffins.

April 3^rd Term 1871 – Ordered the P. G. Austin be allowed $20.00 for making 5 coffins for paupers. Ordered that Dr. C. L. Herbert be employed as the regular physician to attend to the Paupers and allowed reasonable compensation for his attention to said Paupers. July 3^rd Term 1871 Ordered that John White be allowed $103.12 for keeping paupers last quarter. Ordered that Susan McClure be stricken from pauper list she being able to make a support for herself, (but she is back on the Pauper’s list for Apr. 1872 through April 1874). From April 1873 through April 1874, the number of paupers has increased. Blind Jack (Finch) is listed continuously from April 1871 through Jan. 1875. By October Term 1878 Allowance for most paupers is $25 per couple and for others, $7, $8, $10, and $15 per quarter. January 6 Term 1879 Upon the motion of G.O.W. White which motions is seconded, it is ordered by the court that all person’s wishing to obtain any assistance from the county as Paupers or under the careers making provisions for the Poor must make their application to the commissioners for the Paupers of said county and when application is make to them, and they are of opinion that assistance should be given, they are authorized and empowered to make the best arrangements they can always looking to the interest of the county as well as those claiming assistance from the county and representing their action to the Quarterly Court. Lists all paupers that could be found in the minute books and newspapers. (to be continued in the Fall issue of the Journal)  

Top photo – The family ready for an afternoon outing? Bottom photo – A well dressed young man. Graduation, wedding or maybe church?

Massey Genealogy 2000 by William W. Massey, Jr. The author did exhaustive research to document Book I: My Family in England, and Book II: Massey Families in America by Judge Frank A. Massey written in 1974.

Obituaries of Lawrence County, TN 1965-1969, by Nancy Lanning Crowder; 2004. This is the latest in a series of obituary books compiled by Mrs. Crowder. These books can be purchased by contacting the Lawrence County Archives.

The Life and Times of James Hollis Sr. and His Descendants by Mary Nell Hollis Franks and Shirley A. Hollis, PhD; 2004. This is a family history book of James Hollis of Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina to Tennessee and beyond and his descendants. This book can also be purchased at the Lawrence County Archives <lcarchives@lorettotel.net>.

LeMay – contact Ginny Keefer, 2065 Beechmont St, Keego Harbor, MI 48320-1170 Snellings/Snellens/Staggs/Seaton – contact Bettye Seaton, 19 Hoosac Street, #2R, Adams, MA.

Ms. Seaton would like information on any Baptist church where John Newton Bell was listed as pastor or preacher.

Society meeting at First United Methodist Church on Waterloo Street.

Renew your dues (the Society year begins on 1 September)

You might look into "First Families"

July Term 1844 through October 1844

Jacob Blythe, Sale Bill; Martin McAnnally, Guardian Settlement; William McCalester, Guardian Settlement; John Miles, Indebtedness; Jacob Blythe, Jr., Additional Sale Bill; Daniel McLaren, Guardian Settlement; James Martin, Guardian Settlement; William W. Evans, Last Will and Testament; Daniel May, Guardian Settlement; John Nelson, Last Will and Testament. (To be continued in the Fall 2004 issue of the Journal)

Beeler Family Bible Records: Daniel Beeler born Aug. 1^st, 1776 and died 1843 in Lawrenceburg Tennessee; John Buchanan was born 26^th August 1792; Elizabeth Bratton born May 29^th 1843 in Tennessee and died Nov. 11, 1918 in Giles County. Elizabeth married John D. Beeler May 16, 1860 in Giles County Tennessee by Billy Woods J.P. John D. Beeler was born June 18^th 1845 in Tennessee, he died April 23, 1928 in Lawrenceburg.

Legg Family Bible Records: Husband, Joel Edward Legg born April 1, 1853, Ala. Wife, Bettie Ann Speers Legg, Ala. Born July 12, 1867. Married [December 16, 1888] *Information in brackets added by staff at the Lawrence County Archives.

Lewis Family Bible Records: J. N. Walker was born Oct. 1^st 1829; M. A.. Walker was born March 12^th 1832; J. N. Walker and Marthey Ann Bradford was Mared December the 13^th and to Marthey Hutson November 1853 and to Mary B. Lewis May 17, 1876; through the death of Violet Lewis Cobb Feb. 21, 1976.

About Our Front Cover – Lawrenceburg Public School by Kathy Niedergeses

The Lawrenceburg Institute was a private school. The structure was frame and consisted of two stories. The building was dedicated in Sept. 1893. In a few years, the Institute had financial problems and was purchased to be used as a free school about 1906 by J. H. Stribling. The building was remodeled in the summer of 1909, after Mr. Stribling completed the erecting of the new two-story brick high school across the street. The elementary school burned in the spring of 1912. On July 11, 1912, the Board of Education purchased 18 lots between College Ave. and Jackson Ave. as the site of a new Lawrenceburg Public School to replace the one that had burn. The cost of the land was $2,600. School opened at the new site on September 4, 1912, with two hundred forty-five elementary pupils enrolled. Since the structure was not entirely finished, on Feb. 2, 1914, the building was completed. It was a beautiful, well organized brick building consisting of 15,200 square feet with steam heat. The water supply was hydrant and there were four toilets. The principal was Mr. Earl Lumpkins with a faculty of seven teachers instructing two hundred sixty-six pupils. In May of 1984, an agreement was reached between the board of education and the county commissioners for an extensive school building program. The "new" Lawrenceburg Public School was part of the first phase. The "Old" Lawrenceburg Public School was closed at the Christmas break during 1985 and the move was made to the new building. Prior to the closing of the doors, the faculty held an open house on November 10, 1985. Over 400 former students and faculty members came by to take one last tour of the building that held so many memories for them.

The meeting was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by President, Wallace Palmore. Kathy gave the Treasury Report for a total of $13,761.00. There were four visitors. A very interesting program was presented by State Archaeologist Nick Fielder on how to establish boundaries of a cemetery and the technique used to locate unmarked graves.

The meeting began at 1:30 p.m. with five members present. A discussion was held on where to hold meetings beginning in September, and the board voted to use the meeting room at the First Methodist Church on the corner of Mahr Ave. and Waterloo St. with the September meeting.

A regular membership is $10.00 yearly, a sustaining membership is $25.00 yearly. Make checks or money orders payable to Lawrence County Genealogical Society.