Lawrence County was organized in 1845 out of northern Barry and southern Dade Counties. Earlier this area was part of the original Greene County. The first settlers of European descent began arriving in present day Lawrence County in the early 1830's, about five years after the Indian Removal of 1825. Immigrants came primarily from Virginia, Kentucky, the Carolinas and Tennessee. Today the county has 14 townships with Mt. Vernon being the County Seat. For a listing of towns, villages and features (past and present) click here

We are frequently confused with: Lawrence Co, Missouri Territory, 1815-1819 became Lawrence County, Arkansas 1819; "Many Arkansas families went back and forth across state lines between MO & AR. Our Lawrence Co. was here a long time and was about 1/3 of the state of {now} AR in 1815." -- Jeri Helms Fultz