HISTORY CENTER OPEN SUNDAY APRIL 12 1-3 Dresses of the Decades Exhibit (Will be closing in May) Don't foarget to register for the Find Your Patriot program Contact: Lawrence County Historical Society lawrencelore@gmail.com  or 908-208-2372 Event: Find Your Patriot – Genealogy Research Program Dates: April 18, April 25, and May 2, 2026 Time: 9:00 a.m. Cost: $76.00 Location: Lawrence County Historical Society Research Library, Lawrenceville     Friday, April 8th, 1881 Doctor

(Readers: Ananias was the the man who lied to God and a 'coulter' is a metal plow blade. Now the following story may make more sense......)   Sumner Press  July 30, 1891 "Our friend Jesse P. Jones has so long enjoyed the honor of being the boss storyteller of the Ananias club of Sumner, that he had just about come to the conclusion that no one could attach anywhere near him in this line. Saturday he was entertaining the club at Corrie's drugstore. Among other stories was one

April 1st, 1881 News of Lawrence County “Ye, the time approaches when the earth casts off her snowy shroud and arrays herself in a new garment,” so sayith the editor. The wheat was beginning to look nice and green.  George Kyger furnished meat to the hungry at the old stand of Evans and Blevins . The water mill that ground wheat into flour was operated by O. Cole and Son. Frank Pierce ( remember he was the blacksmith who was shot in the throat) was apparently up and arou

For the Ladies: At our infamous lingerie program, Nancy King revealed that the Ladies of Lawrence bravely squeezed into these “engineering marvels”—risking a little health for a lot of va-va-voom. As the April 1881 edition of the Rural Republican reported: “The Robinson Brothers moved into the rooms formerly occupied by Barnes and Abernathy ." The editor could hardly contain his excitement when he discovered Bortrees’s Adjustable Duplex Corset —'undeniably the best on the m

Lawrence County Circuit Court 1889   Ella Richardville alias Ella Mullins on August 1, 1888 in the County of Lawrence and at other times between that time and the present time Feb 1889 unlawfully and wickedly did, and still does, keep and maintain, a boat on the Wabash River within the jurisdiction of the County, for the purposes of prostitution, to the encouragement of idleness, fornication and other misbehavior, and did then and there permit evil persons, men as well as w

On Friday, March 25th, 1881 The editor noted that the monotony of the season was relieved somewhat last Sunday and also on Tuesday morning by a nice little fall of snow. “There was hardly enough, however, for a successful snowballing party.” The sun was shining and the snow was falling.  Jay Leonard of Allison offered his celebrated stallion, English Draft, for sale. Mrs. Booker of Duncanville Illinois rented the residence formerly occupied by M E Barnes in Lawrenceville an

March 18 1881 Notices:  The M.E. Church of Lawrenceville had preaching every alternate Sabbath with Sunday school at 3:00. The Lawrenceville Christian Church had preaching every 3rd Lord's Day in each month with Sunday school every Sunday at 3:00. The Edwards Dobbins Lodge #164 A. F. & A. M. met in their hall every second and fourth Saturday nights monthly according to A. Lewis and WC Gilbert. As the weather was liable to be some better, the editor asked why it would not be

This photograph was donated to the us with only the name scribbled on the back (spelled incorrectly, I might add) and that he may have taught in the Sumner area. To properly file the photo we needed to know more about him. Google said the uniform was Civil War but Google was wrong. John King said it was Spanish American.  We gave it to Marilyn W. with the instructions to learn more about the man. She began by doing a genealogical search and in the process learned that Anc

G eorge McKinley Claycomb arrived in this world on November 24, 1845, in Monroe City Knox County Indiana. He was a twin to Elias, Jr both sons of Elias Claycomb Sr. , son of Revolutionary War veteran Frederick Claycomb .  Their father, Elias Sr died October 1845, a month before the twins were born, setting the tone for a life that would rarely follow the easy path.  Their mother, Elizabeth Couchman, died when the twins were only 14 months of age. The other siblings were se

Friday, March 11, 1881 Happenings around the County The old Odd Fellows building in Lawrenceville was sold to Barton and Curry for $500. A C. Clippinger took control of the Lawrence County Press published at Sumner. Jim Ryan was going into the rafting business. Mrs. Lib McCleave, 3 miles west of town, was seriously sick with spotted fever. James N Blevins was suffering from an attack of fever and the meat market he operated was closed that week. Sheriff Ryan had been q