Lawrence, Michigan

History

Founded in 1835 as "Mason" (in honor of then-popular first Territorial Governor Stevens T. Mason) by speculator/developer John Allen of Ann Arbor. Allen purchased 40 acres at the location of today's Brush Creek and Paw Paw River. He constructed a sawmill there in 1836, and by 1843, it was a small village of 10 homes. Each of the residents' families engaged in various trades: carpentry, farming, livestock trading, and two blacksmiths. During these first 7 years, John Allen renamed the new village "Brush Creek", then sold all his interests to Paw Paw resident John R. Baker. Allen left Michigan, taking his profits to California to try other real estate deals.

Mr Baker did not care for the new Brush Creek name, stating, "not to call my bright little village by the ugly name of Brush Creek." He rechristened it Lawrence, following the name of Lawrence Township, which had been previously established in 1835. The Lawrence Township name was derived from James Lawrence, a hero from the War of 1812.

The population increased from approximately 70 residents in 1840 to 339 in 1860, and to 555 by 1870. In March 1869, the Village of Lawrence was incorporated under an act of the Legislature, with approval by election of village officers in May 1869, at which 139 men voted.

Demographics

As of the 2010 the census of 2010, there were 996 people, 371 households, and 251 families living in the village. The population density was 582.5 PD/sqmi. There were 436 housing units at an average density of 255.0 /sqmi. The racial makeup of the village was 79.4% White, 27.2% Hispanic or Latino,1.4 % African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.1% Asian, 15.6% from other races, and 2.9% from two or more races.

There were 371 households, of which 41.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.6% were married couples living together, 16.7% had a female householder with no husband present, 8.4% had a male householder with no wife present, and 32.3% were non-families. 29.1% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.65 and the average family size was 3.25.

The median age in the village was 31.7 years. 32% of residents were under the age of 18; 8.6% were between the ages of 18 and 24; 27.8% were from 25 to 44; 22.1% were from 45 to 64; and 9.1% were 65 years of age or older. The gender makeup of the village was 50.5% male and 49.5% female.

Architecture

• Marshall's Store - 102 E St Joseph St. known today as the DeHaven Store. 3 story Italianate built 1874, closed as store 1965.

• Webster Circus House. -305 E St Joseph. Built 1850 by Ohio natives Razleman "Ralph" & Betsy Webster. In 1873 their daughter Nett and husband Burr Robbins, of the Robbins Traveling Circus, painted the signature red and yellow circus theme colors that exist today[[File:Webster circus house - Lawrence Michigan.jpg | thumb | right | Webster house - Lawrence Michigan]]
• Lawrence Old Town Hall - 126 W St Joseph St. Built 1902. Operated as a vaudeville stop, community theatre, dance hall, movie theater, library and Township meeting offices. Presently under control by The Lawrence Townhall Preservation Foundation.

• American Legion Hess-Eastman Post 174 - 130 E St Joseph St https://mylegion.org/personifyebusiness/Post-Detail?@IP_IDENTITY_MCID=00025017400L&@IP_IDENTITY_SCID=0

Education

• Lawrence Public Schools
• Van Buren County Intermediate School District

Notable people

• Shayne Whittington, Professional basketball player born 1991. Played for Lawrence High School, Western Michigan University, Indiana Pacers, and in Spain, Russia, & Japan. His jersey #32 was retired by Lawrence in 2015.
• Barbara Jean Crandall-Daniel, Miss Michigan, 1984
• James Toumey, born in Lawrence 1865, died in New Haven, CT 1932. A pioneering educator at the Yale School of Forestry (now the Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies)

References

References

1. "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau.
2. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].
3. (October 25, 2007). "US Board on Geographic Names". [[United States Geological Survey]].
4. "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov.
5. "U.S. Census website". [[United States Census Bureau]].