Lawrence County, Ohio is in the tri-state area of Kentucky and West Virginia and is separated by the Ohio and Guyandotte Rivers respectively. Many times, crimes were committed in Ohio and the offender would escape into one of these states or continue westward. With more frontiers opening up in the West, several Lawrence countians were found in Missouri, Kansas, the Indian Territory, and California committing crimes or running from a criminal past. Old Crimes and Desperados book one started with early 1800's - 1881. More stories were found from those years and have been added to book two as "addendums" to those years. We could not include everything we found about a few of the characters; some committed so many crimes that their story could make several books. The Hatfield and McCoy family feud, for instance, has been turned into a movie and several books; but, did you know the McCoy's also had criminal activities in Lawrence County? The Dr. Gates trial that started in book one and his absconding from his bondsmen continues in book two and we learned how he changed his name and finally what happened to him. We also discovered the parents of a famous 19th century child actress, later known by her stage name "Julia Marlowe," resided in Ironton for a while and her parents were involved in saloon fights and other activities. The Ashland, Kentucky triple murder of 1882 in which Irontonians were called to testify, was compared to the mob hanging that had occurred when Dr. Beggs was murdered, and one of his assailants hung by a mob. Perhaps one of the stories we weren't expecting was of a young man whose family was from Lawrence County and had settled in Missouri. He allegedly was one of Billy the Kid's gang and had killed over seven men during his lifetime.

Old Crimes: Lawrence County, Ohio (Book Two)

History

Kouns, Sharon M.

Martin, Martha J.

Americas

Independently published

Old Crimes Book One: Lawrence County, Ohio

Southern Ohio River News 1800 - 1869: Lawrence County Ohio and surrounding areas.

‘Kentucky’s Death Penalty – History, Crimes and Victims’ Kentucky, founded in 1792, opened the first penitentiary built west of the Allegheny Mountains in Frankfort in 1800. Capital punishment, for crimes of murder and rape, was “hanging by the neck until dead” on the gallows in the county of conviction. In 1890, a second prison opened in Lyon County and was known as the Branch Penitentiary. The 1910 Prison Reform Act changed the names of the two prisons; the location of where incarcerated men and children under and over 30 years of age were to be housed; and the legal execution law from the gallows to the electric chair. Finally, after one hundred and eleven years, Kentucky stood to “reform” instead of “penalize” the unfortunate criminal. The purpose of this book was intended to be a reference tool for current and future correctional staff and possibly criminal justice students regarding Kentucky’s capital punishment. However, it has turned out to become an interesting and factual read on the crimes and victims of those that paid the ultimate price for their criminal actions. Questions, such as the following, brought the book into a new perspective: How many men and women have died in the electric chair? How many were executed in one night? How old was the youngest, the oldest? What crimes did they commit? Has Kentucky ever executed women? What crimes were covered under the death penalty law? When did the laws change from the gallows to electrocution to lethal injections? What brought about the changes? Why is the chair located in Eddyville? Will it be used again? Etc. This book relates not only a brief history and photos of Kentucky’s first two prisons but gives the crimes, victims, and in some cases the execution time, last statement, and last meal of the 163 men that paid the ultimate price for their crime in Kentucky’s electric chair.

Kentucky's Death Penalty: History - Crimes - Victims

Another compilation of Lawrence County Ohio news items that I have researched over the years. This book focuses on village gossip columns and other small articles of interest in the first hundred years of Lawrence county's existence. There is a huge index with hundreds of family names. Lawrence county, Ohio was one of the early settlements when Ohio became a state in 1803; some settlers were there prior to the turn of the century.

Lawrence County Ohio: Village Gossip and Small Clippings

Contains resource stories about the 24 ironmasters that formed the Ohio, Iron & Coal Company that came up with the scheme to build a new town; their genealogy and their contributions to Ironton's growth and prosperity. This volume contains some of the first businesses; churches, schools, etc. The others will be in Ironton's Progress - Part Two.Many Lawrence countians moved from other parts of the county to the new town and played major roles in it's success. Lawrence Couny history:The government opened the uninhabited area known as the Northwest Territory for settlement in 1794. In 1803, Ohio, a part of the Northwest Territory, officially became a state. Early pioneers started arriving once the territory opened; however, Lawrence County was not officially formed until December 1816 part of it was taken from Scioto and Washington counties. The first county seat of Lawrence County was located at Burlington.

Ironton - Founding and Progress: Lawrence County Ohio

Compilation of some early marriages, births and deaths of Lawrence County, Ohio residents. Some obituaries are abstracted due to length. These were gathered over a period of time and does not include every year. The Lawrence Register newspaper was established in 1852; however, one contributor to the newspaper recorded marriages from 1817-1823. Lawrence County was formed December 1816.

Some Early Marriages, Births & Deaths: Lawrence County Ohio

FOLKLORE AND MORE: LAWRENCE COUNTY OHIO

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Kouns, Sharon M.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Kouns, Sharon M.