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Lawrence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 39,926. The 2005 Census Estimate placed the population at 41,101 [1]. Its county seat is Lawrenceburg6.
History
Created by an act of the Tennessee General Assembly on October 21, 1817, Lawrence County was formed from lands previously included in Hickman and Giles Counties. The county was named in honor of Captain James Lawrence (1781-1813) who, while commanding the USS Chesapeake in an 1813 engagement with the Royal Navy frigate HMS Shannon, issued the famous command: "Don't give up the ship!". Lawrence died of wounds received during the engagement. The earliest settlers of European ancestry were largely from the Carolinas. In the early years, most residents were farmers, supported by a few tradesmen, such as harnessmakers, blacksmiths, and carpenters. Lawrenceburg was chosen as the county seat in 1819 because it was near the center of the county and Jackson's Military Road ran on the eastern edge of the town. In April, 1821, the road was rerouted through the center of the town. This road, which was a major thoroughfare from Natchez, Mississippi, to Nashville, Tennessee, played a significant role in the development of the county. An early resident who served as one of the county's first commissioners and justices of the peace was David Crockett, who lived in the county for a few years and ran a water-powered grist mill, powder mill and distillery in the area of county where David Crockett State Park is now located. In the early 1870's, a large number of German Catholics moved into the area, including many skilled tradesmen. After the arrival of the railroad in 1883 the county became a major producer of iron ore. Between 1908 and 1915, there was an influx of residents from Alabama. Most of these newcomers were cotton growers or in the timber industry. The timber industry declined because forests were not replanted after trees were harvested, but cotton continued to be a major crop until the 1960s. In 1944, Amish people migrated into the area and established a community in northern Lawrence County. The Old Order Amish community is still in existence. It is considered a tourist attraction. Timeline
Population History
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