Lawrence County, MississippiA Proud Part of the Mississippi GenWeb!
Contact Us:
State Coordinator: Jeff Kemp
County Coordinator: Gerry Westmoreland
Welcome to the Lawrence County Mississippi Genweb site, providing genealogy and history information to researchers.
To share your Lawrence County, Mississippi genealogy or history information, send an email to msghn@outlook.com - we will be happy to include it here.
This site is part of a larger statewide genealogy project called MSGenWeb. The MSGenWeb is itself part of a much larger nationwide project known as the USGenWeb. Please visit these sites for more information around the state or the country.
Lawrence County, Mississippi, has a rich history that dates back to its founding in the early 19th century. Located in the southern part of the state, the county was established on December 22, 1814, and was named in honor of Captain James Lawrence, a naval hero from the War of 1812, known for his famous command, “Don’t give up the ship!”
Before European settlement, the area that would become Lawrence County was inhabited by Native American tribes, primarily the Choctaw and Chickasaw. European settlers, mainly of Scots-Irish and English descent, began arriving in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, drawn by the rich farmland and abundant natural resources.
As part of the Mississippi Territory, the county was carved from Marion County and quickly became a hub of agriculture and commerce. The Pearl River, which runs through the county, played a crucial role in transportation and trade, allowing farmers to ship goods like cotton, timber, and livestock to markets in Natchez and beyond.
Monticello, the county seat, was established along the Pearl River and became an important center of government and trade. By the mid-1800s, agriculture, particularly cotton farming, dominated the economy. Like much of the South, Lawrence County relied heavily on slavery to support its agricultural production.
During the Civil War, Lawrence County, like the rest of Mississippi, was deeply affected. Many local men enlisted in the Confederate Army, and the region suffered economic hardships due to the war. The Reconstruction era that followed was a difficult period, as the county struggled with economic rebuilding and the transition away from slavery.
Lawrence County MSGenWeb has many records here on our website. Marriage Records, Cemetery listings, tombstone photos, and more. Check out the Menu for links to all of the available data.
Birth Records - The Mississippi Department of Health maintains records of births after November 1, 1912 on file. This was the year Mississippi began keeping official birth records. You can obtain official copies of birth certificates by mail by using this birth record application on their website. If you have to order by internet or phone, or use a credit card, you can use VitalCheck, a third party records company recognized by the Mississippi Dept. of Health. Since there are no official birth records before November 1, 1912 for births prior to that date you will need to determine birth information from census records, bible records, baptismal records, cemetery tombstones, etc.
Death Records - The Mississippi Department of Health maintains births recorded after November 1, 1912 on file. This was the year Mississippi began keeping official death records. You can obtain official copies of death certificates by mail by using this death record application on their website. If you just have to order by internet or phone, or use a credit card, you can use VitalCheck, a third party records company recognized by the Mississippi Dept. of Health. Since there are no official death records...
