Acts of 1817 Chapter 42

SECTION 1. That the Territory, south of Hickman and Maury, and west of Giles county, shall constitute a county to be known by the name of Lawrence County.

SECTION 2. That said county of Lawrence, shall be bounded as follows, to wit: beginning on the south boundary line of the state, where the west boundary line of Giles county intersects the same; then west with the state line so far, that by running north to the Duck river ridge, then eastwardly with the top of said ridge to the north west corner of Giles county, will include a constitutional county and no more.

SECTION 3. That for the due administration of justice, the court of pleas and quarter sessions, and the circuit court in said county, shall be holden at the house of Doctor Joseph Farmer, until otherwise provided for, under the same regulations and restrictions, and shall exercise and possess the same power and jurisdiction, as possessed by said courts in other counties in this state.

SECTION 4. That the sheriff of Lawrence county, shall hold an election at the place appointed for holding courts in said county, on the first Thursday and Friday in March next, for the purpose of electing Field officers for said county of Lawrence, under the same regulations and rules as are prescribed by law in similar cases, and the militia of said county of Lawrence, shall constitute the fifty-seventh regiment, and shall be attached to, and become a part of the fifth brigade.

SECTION 5. That it shall be the duty of the commandant of said fifty-seventh regiment, having been first commissioned and sworn agreeable to law, to divide the militia of said regiment into at least eight companies, and it shall be the duty of said commandant to issue writs of election for company officers in said companies, giving at least fifteen days notice, in the company; which election shall be conducted in the same manner as in other cases for company officers.

SECTION 6. That said county of Lawrence shall be a part of the district for electing a Governor, representative or representatives to congress, elector to elect a President, and Vice President of the United States, and members to the general assembly, to which the county of Giles now belongs, and that elections be held at the place of holding courts in said county, at the time, and in the manner by law directed and the sheriff or returning officers of said county shall make return of the polls of said election to the sheriff of Giles county, in the town of Pulaski, on the day next succeeding each election, and upon comparing the votes they shall declare the candidate for the representatives of said counties of Giles and Lawrence, who may have the highest number of votes, and give a certificate accordingly, and it shall be the duty of the sheriff of Giles county, to make the return of votes in said counties of Giles and Laurence, for senator of said district, member of congress, governor, etc., as heretofore directed by law.

SECTION 7. That it shall, and may be lawful for any justice of the peace for Giles county, to attend at the place appointed by law, for holding court in Laurence county, at the first court of pleas and quarter sessions, appointed to holden for said county, for the purpose of administering to the justices of said county the necessary oaths.

Passed: October 21, 1817.