The weather lately has everyone talking—though in 1816, folks didn’t just talk, they shivered and complained with a purpose. That year has gone down in history as “the year without a summer,” but the old-timers in New England, never ones to sugarcoat, just called it “1800 and starved to death.” January and February were suspiciously mild, like the weather was lulling everyone into a false sense of security. Then came March, which decided to make up for lost time by being as c

Let’s set the scene: John Pargin, feeling a bit under the weather (and perhaps sensing the Grim Reaper lurking nearby), wrote his Will on March 11, 1821. He didn’t know it, but he was about to become a local celebrity—the first person to have a Will filed in the brand-new County of Lawrence. Not exactly the kind of “first” most people aim for, but hey, history is history. In his Will, John assured everyone he was still of sound mind, though his body was apparently less enthu

Plan to attend the program “The Little Town with a Big Heart” on February 21, 2026, at 1:30pm at   at Sumner’s new City Hall, 224 S. Christy Ave. Free admittance and refreshment courtesy of the city of Sumner.  Presentation by George Zwilling. Lawrence County’s Black history begins early: free Black settlers arrived before the Civil War, owned land, built churches and schools, and left traces in places like Fort Allison and Portee Cemetery — local records and the Lawrence Co

The Research Library and History Center will be closed the week of December 21-27. Flatboats were used for trips down to New Orleans to sell excess farm products. These trips generally lasted about 90 days, not including the walk back north because the lumber in the flatboats was sold as well. These rectangular flat- bottomed boats had no keels making them more difficult to steer than an ordinary boat. In essence, they were just floating shoeboxes. About 1827, the Dubois Brot

The Research Library and History Center will be closed the week of December 21-27. The Kelsey Family of the Bethel Community in Lukin   William Stinson Kelsey and Harriet Blanchard Chamberlain were married in Norwich, Vermont. Eight children were born to this marriage: William Henry, George Thomas, Charles Dexter, Francis, Albert Curtis, Harriet Elizabeth, James Edward and John. William Stinson died on August 3, 1849, leaving his widow with eight children between four and e

Lawrence County Coroner’s Inquest February 19, 1846   Deceased: (Sgt.)  Oliver W. Norris Inquest was held concerning the body of Oliver W...

As early as May 15, 1819, the Western Star , a newspaper printed in Vincennes, reported that Thomas Emison ran a keelboat for freight up...

Previous Lawrence County researchers have stated that the first ferry was in operation before 1818 by a Mr. Lamphere near the junction of...

Dann M Norton has graciously agreed to allow me to post two of his blog articles about Betsey Reed.  They are both excellent and shed...

In reviewing soldiers’ Civil War records, the researchers soon discovered that many from this county enlisted in other places. That came...