Tag Archives: politics
Lawrence County’s First Civil Districts
We take it for granted today that each county in Tennessee is subdivided into smaller civil districts. These districts each contain a relatively equal proportion of the county’s population. Our county commission is made up of representatives elected by the … Continue reading
Lawrence County and the Vote to Abolish Slavery
Today is the 160th anniversary of the end of slavery in Tennessee. And, according to one source, the men of Lawrence County who turned out to vote for its abolition had to arm themselves at the ballot box for fear … Continue reading
The Re-establishing: Lawrence County’s Wartime Unionist Government
Our county government was founded on October 21, 1817 by the state legislature. But did you know that it was re-founded 47 years later? On February 13, 1864, a group of local Union sympathizers met at the courthouse in Lawrenceburg … Continue reading
The Destruction of Crockett’s Mill
Thanks to Hurricane Francine, the weather forecast calls for lots of heavy rain over the next two days, increasing our chances of localized flooding. A little over two-hundred years ago, another September flood in Lawrence County helped change American history. … Continue reading
Lawrence County’s First Government
“A temporary government of our own…” Did you know that, before the city of Lawrenceburg even existed, there was once an independent and unauthorized government in operation in the area that would become Lawrence County? As can be seen in … Continue reading
Andrew Johnson Hits the Campaign Trail in Lawrenceburg
On June 10, 1853, twelve years before he became President of the United States, Andrew Johnson was on a different campaign trail in Lawrenceburg. That summer, Johnson was running for governor of Tennessee against Gustavus A. Henry. The two men … Continue reading
Could You Pass This Eighth Grade History Test from 1935?
Could you have passed an 8th grade history class in 1935? The following questions were taken directly from the first two sections of the history portion of an 8th grade final exam given in Lawrenceburg in 1935. The history portion … Continue reading
When Lawrenceburg Voted at Bayonet-Point
On this day 146 years ago, according to the Pulaski ‘Citizen,’ a company of Union soldiers under the command of General Don Carlos Buell arrived in Lawrenceburg. Although the article doesn’t specify why the company was dispatched to Lawrenceburg, it … Continue reading
When the President Came to Lawrenceburg
In 1836, the President of the United States stopped in Lawrenceburg. And what he said here incited the wrath of his political enemies. Andrew Jackson was no stranger to Lawrence County. Indeed, local tradition has it that he was a … Continue reading
The Life of Captain T.D. Deavenport
Captain Thomas D. Deavenport of Lawrence County had an illustrious career of public service that unfortunately contributed to a tragic path of self-destruction. Deavenport was born on September 18, 1837. He began life working on his father’s Lawrence County farm. … Continue reading
Lawrence County History Trivia 