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Lawrence County, Ohio
Lawrence County, Ohio Courthouse
Lawrence County Courthouse
Seal of Lawrence County, Ohio
Seal
Map of Ohio highlighting Lawrence County
Location in the state of Ohio
Map of the U.S
Ohio's location in the U.S.
Founded March 1, 1817
Named for James Lawrence
Seat Ironton
Largest city Ironton
Area
 - Total
 - Land
 - Water

457 sq mi (1,184 km²)
453 sq mi (1,173 km²)
3.9 sq mi (10 km²), 0.9%
Population
 - (2020)
 - Density

58,240
auto/sq mi (Expression error: Unrecognized word "auto"./km²)
Congressional district 6th
Time zone Eastern: UTC-5/-4
Website http://www.lawrencecountyohio.org

Lawrence County is the southernmost county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2020 census, the population was 58,240.[1] Its county seat is Ironton.[2] The county was created in 1815 and later organized in 1817.[3] It is named for James Lawrence, the naval officer famous for the line "do not give up the ship".[4] Lawrence County is part of the Huntington–Ashland metropolitan area.

History[]

The earliest European-American settlers, Luke Kelly and his family, and May Keyser, settled at Hanging Rock along the Ohio River in 1796, having migrated from the east.[5] Lawrence County was formed on December 20, 1816 from parts of Gallia and Scioto counties, with the county seat named as Burlington.[6] In 1851 the county seat was moved from Burlington to Ironton. A new courthouse was built at that time. It burned in 1857. The present Lawrence County Courthouse was built in 1908.

Men from Lawrence County served in the Mexican–American War, with at least one having died during that conflict. By 1862, about 3,200 of Lawrence County's men were soldiers in the Union Army in the American Civil War.[7] During World War I, 2,200 of Lawrence County's men served in the armed forces, and 99 died.[8]

When first settled, Lawrence County was rich in natural resources such as iron, timber, coal, natural gas, oil, and salt. By the beginning of the twentieth century, many of these had been depleted by resource extraction and industrial development.

Geography[]

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 457 square miles (1,180 km2), of which 453 square miles (1,170 km2) is land and 3.9 square miles (10 km2) (0.9%) is water.[9] It is the southernmost county in the state of Ohio and part of Appalachian Ohio.

Adjacent counties[]

National protected area[]

  • Wayne National Forest (part)

Demographics[]

Historical populations
Census Pop.
1820 3,499
1830 5,367 53.4%
1840 9,738 81.4%
1850 15,246 56.6%
1860 23,249 52.5%
1870 31,380 35.0%
1880 39,068 24.5%
1890 39,556 1.2%
1900 39,534 −0.1%
1910 39,488 −0.1%
1920 39,540 0.1%
1930 44,541 12.6%
1940 46,705 4.9%
1950 49,115 5.2%
1960 55,438 12.9%
1970 56,868 2.6%
1980 63,849 12.3%
1990 61,834 −3.2%
2000 62,319 0.8%
2010 62,450 0.2%
U.S. Decennial Census[10]
1790-1960[11] 1900-1990[12]
1990-2000[13] 2020 [14]

2000 census[]

As of the census[15] of 2000, there were 62,319 people, 24,732 households, and 17,807 families living in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile (53/km2). There were 27,189 housing units at an average density of 60 per square mile (23/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 96.55% White, 2.09% Black or African American, 0.18% Native American, 0.19% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.11% from other races, and 0.88% from two or more races. 0.57% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 24,732 households, out of which 32.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.00% were married couples living together, 11.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 24.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.96.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 28.00% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 14.40% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 92.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 88.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,127, and the median income for a family was $35,308. Males had a median income of $30,622 versus $20,961 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,678. About 15.10% of families and 18.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 27.30% of those under age 18 and 12.90% of those age 65 or over.

2010 census[]

As of the 2010 United States Census, there were 62,450 people, 24,974 households, and 17,405 families living in the county.[16] The population density was 137.7 inhabitants per square mile (53.2 /km2). There were 27,603 housing units at an average density of 60.9 per square mile (23.5 /km2).[17] The racial makeup of the county was 95.9% white, 2.0% black or African American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% American Indian, 0.2% from other races, and 1.4% from two or more races. Those of Hispanic or Latino origin made up 0.7% of the population.[16] In terms of ancestry, 18.0% were American, 15.4% were German, 12.9% were Irish, and 10.8% were English.[18]

Of the 24,974 households, 32.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.0% were married couples living together, 13.2% had a female householder with no husband present, 30.3% were non-families, and 26.1% of all households were made up of individuals. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.95. The median age was 40.1 years.[16]

The median income for a household in the county was $36,461 and the median income for a family was $46,732. Males had a median income of $38,170 versus $28,251 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,452. About 15.2% of families and 19.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.0% of those under age 18 and 11.9% of those age 65 or over.[19]

Politics[]

Lawrence County tends to support the Republican Party in presidential elections. Bill Clinton was the last Democrat to win the county, in 1996 -- a distinction shared with 16 other Ohio counties, mostly in this region. Despite this fact, Democrats continued to crack 40% in election years.

United States presidential election results for Lawrence County, Ohio[20]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
2020 20,306 72.06% 7,489 26.58% 384 1.36%
2016 18,689 69.76% 6,974 26.03% 1,126 4.20%
2012 14,651 56.50% 10,744 41.43% 537 2.07%
2008 15,415 56.28% 11,262 41.12% 713 2.60%
2004 15,455 55.77% 12,120 43.74% 135 0.49%
2000 12,531 51.25% 11,307 46.24% 614 2.51%
1996 8,832 36.91% 11,595 48.46% 3,499 14.62%
1992 10,044 37.17% 12,325 45.61% 4,652 17.22%
1988 12,937 52.23% 11,628 46.95% 203 0.82%
1984 14,793 55.96% 11,431 43.24% 213 0.81%
1980 13,799 52.68% 11,366 43.39% 1,029 3.93%
1976 10,668 46.39% 12,072 52.50% 256 1.11%
1972 15,125 67.02% 7,112 31.52% 330 1.46%
1968 9,782 46.75% 8,671 41.44% 2,470 11.81%
1964 7,757 38.04% 12,635 61.96% 0 0.00%
1960 13,159 60.32% 8,656 39.68% 0 0.00%
1956 12,607 62.72% 7,492 37.28% 0 0.00%
1952 11,962 56.22% 9,316 43.78% 0 0.00%
1948 8,113 45.88% 9,495 53.69% 76 0.43%
1944 9,312 53.90% 7,966 46.10% 0 0.00%
1940 10,274 49.08% 10,661 50.92% 0 0.00%
1936 8,498 42.35% 11,471 57.17% 97 0.48%
1932 8,598 50.83% 8,157 48.22% 160 0.95%
1928 10,346 74.51% 3,470 24.99% 69 0.50%
1924 6,798 63.96% 2,729 25.68% 1,101 10.36%
1920 7,616 65.08% 3,955 33.80% 131 1.12%
1916 4,363 59.10% 2,821 38.21% 198 2.68%
1912 2,650 37.39% 2,042 28.81% 2,395 33.79%
1908 5,708 66.67% 2,654 31.00% 200 2.34%
1904 5,587 72.42% 1,905 24.69% 223 2.89%
1900 5,505 64.97% 2,876 33.94% 92 1.09%
1896 5,408 63.42% 3,050 35.77% 69 0.81%
1892 4,193 56.84% 2,988 40.50% 196 2.66%
1888 4,713 59.54% 3,068 38.76% 135 1.71%
1884 4,817 60.91% 3,024 38.24% 67 0.85%
1880 4,627 61.50% 2,862 38.04% 34 0.45%
1876 3,975 57.15% 2,949 42.40% 31 0.45%
1872 3,624 68.17% 1,637 30.79% 55 1.03%
1868 3,159 65.73% 1,647 34.27% 0 0.00%
1864 2,985 72.68% 1,122 27.32% 0 0.00%
1860 1,801 55.90% 1,147 35.60% 274 8.50%
1856 743 26.58% 1,150 41.14% 902 32.27%



Government[]

Lawrence County has a 3-member Board of County Commissioners that oversee the various County departments, similar to all but 2 of the 88 Ohio counties. Lawrence County's elected commissioners are:

  • County Commissioners: Colton Copley (R), Deanna Holliday (R), and Freddie Hayes, Jr. (R).[21]

Other Lawrence County Elected Officials: County Auditor (R) Jason Stephens, County Treasurer (D) Stephen Burcham, Clerk of Courts (D) Mike Patterson, Sheriff (R) Jeff Lawless, County Recorder (R) Sharon Gossett-Hager.

Primary Political Parties: Lawrence County Democratic Party, Lawrence County Republican Party

Communities[]

Map of Lawrence County Ohio With Municipal and Township Labels

Map of Lawrence County, Ohio with Municipal and Township Labels

City[]

Villages[]

  • Athalia
  • Chesapeake
  • Coal Grove
  • Hanging Rock
  • Proctorville
  • South Point

Townships[]

  • Aid
  • Decatur
  • Elizabeth
  • Fayette
  • Hamilton
  • Lawrence
  • Mason
  • Perry
  • Rome
  • Symmes
  • Union
  • Upper
  • Washington
  • Windsor

Census-designated places[]

  • Burlington
  • Miller

Other unincorporated communities[]

  • Eifort
  • Etna
  • Firebrick
  • Kitts Hill
  • Pedro
  • Rock Camp
  • Scottown
  • Waterloo
  • Willow Wood

See also[]

  • National Register of Historic Places listings in Lawrence County, Ohio

References[]

  1. ^ 2020 census
  2. ^ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx. 
  3. ^ "Ohio: Individual County Chronologies". Ohio Atlas of Historical County Boundaries. The Newberry Library. 2007. http://publications.newberry.org/ahcbp/documents/OH_Individual_County_Chronologies.htm. 
  4. ^ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. U.S. Government Printing Office. p. 182. https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ. 
  5. ^ Brown, Paul M. (1966). "A Story About Lawrence County, Ohio". 
  6. ^ Brown, Paul M. (1966). "A Story About Lawrence County, Ohio". 
  7. ^ Ironton Register, October 9, 1862
  8. ^ "WW I Stories". https://lawrenceregister.org/military/ww1/lawrence-county-ohio-99-of-2200-in-wwi-made-supreme-sacrifice/. 
  9. ^ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/data/docs/gazetteer/counties_list_39.txt. 
  10. ^ "U.S. Decennial Census". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html. 
  11. ^ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu. 
  12. ^ Forstall, Richard L., ed (March 27, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/oh190090.txt. 
  13. ^ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000". United States Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf. 
  14. ^ 2020 census
  15. ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. https://www.census.gov. 
  16. ^ a b c "DP-1 Profile of General Population and Housing Characteristics: 2010 Demographic Profile Data". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/DPDP1/0500000US39087. 
  17. ^ "Population, Housing Units, Area, and Density: 2010 - County". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_SF1/GCTPH1.CY07/0500000US39087. 
  18. ^ "DP02 SELECTED SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THE UNITED STATES – 006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP02/0500000US39087. 
  19. ^ "DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS – 2006-2010 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates". United States Census Bureau. http://factfinder.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/ACS/10_5YR/DP03/0500000US39087. 
  20. ^ Leip, David. "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS. 
  21. ^ "Lawrence County, Ohio". County Commissioner of Ohio Homepage. http://www.ccao.org/ohio-counties?county=lawrence. 

External links[]

Coordinates: 38°35′N 82°32′W / 38.59, -82.54

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