From NKAA, Notable Kentucky African Americans Database (main entry)
Lawrence County (KY) Slaves, Free Blacks, and Free Mulattoes, 1850-1870
Lawrence County, established in 1821 from portions of Greenup and Floyd Counties, is located in eastern Kentucky, bordered by the state of West Virginia and six other Kentucky counties. The county is named for James Lawrence, who was born in New Jersey and was a U.S. naval officer: He commanded the USS Chesapeake during the War of 1812.The county seat of Lawrence County was named Louisa in 1822; The exact origin of the name is not known. The 1830 county population was 618 [heads of households], according to the U.S. Federal Census, increasing to 7,453 in 1860, excluding the enslaved. Below are the number of slave holders, enslaved, free Blacks, and free Mulattoes for 1850-1870.
1850 Slave Schedule
- 41 slave owners
- 105 Black slaves
- 32 Mulatto slaves
- 1 free Black [Alim Shaw, born in SC]
- 1 free Mulatto [George Fugett]
- 38 slave owners
- 101 Black slaves
- 45 Mulatto slaves
- 0 free Blacks
- 0 free Mulattoes
- 100 Blacks
- 22 Mulattoes
- About 10 U.S. Colored Soldiers listed Lawrence County, KY, as their birth location.