William Lawrence House (Bellefontaine, Ohio)
Encyclopedia
The William Lawrence House is a historic house in Bellefontaine
, Ohio
, United States
. Located along Main Street (U.S. Route 68
) north of the city's downtown, it is historically significant as the home of William Lawrence, a prominent U.S. Representative
during the late nineteenth century.
structure, measuring approximately 50 feet (15.2 m) on each side, and topped with a hip roof
; its brick walls rest on a stone foundation with a basement. At the time of construction, the house included multiple chimney
s, but with one exception these have all been removed. Other changes since the time of construction have included the replacement of multiple doors and the addition of a wing in the rear and a small stone porch on the southern side. With the exception of the removal of shutters
from the windows, the Main Street front of the house differs little from its state when built. Inside, many original features remain, including walnut
panelling and two cherry
fireplaces. The most prominent original feature is the spiral staircase
, which climbs from the first floor to a skylight above the second floor. Lawrence's original dining room
and kitchen
were damaged by a fire; soon after new owners purchased the house in 1947, the rooms were completely reworked and converted into a storage room for the rear wing.
style. While the exact date of construction is unknown, its terminus ante quem
is 1861: in this year, a member of the Lawrence family incised
initials and the date into a windowsill.
in eastern Ohio in 1819, Lawrence was trained as a lawyer and moved to Logan County in 1841, where he lived for most of the rest of his life. During his years in Bellefontaine, he served in various county offices, was elected to both houses of the Ohio General Assembly
, served six terms in the United States House of Representatives
, and was appointed to the office of First Comptroller of the Treasury
. Lawrence was known professionally as an expert on land law; he was the primary lawyer on behalf of Great Plains
farmers who won nearly 1000000 acres (404,686 ha) of land in a prominent lawsuit against railroad companies. As a leading member of Logan County society, he served on the board of trustees
of Geneva College
in Northwood
from 1851 to 1854. In his private life, he was deeply interested in agriculture; after his death, his estate included multiple farms.
Lawrence purchased from P.S. Powell a lot at the intersection of Main Street and High Avenue in Bellefontaine in 1852; here he built his house approximately eight years later. He owned the property until 1897, when he conveyed
it to his family; however, he continued to live there until his death two years later.
. Later owners included a family who lived in the house, the Howard Kerr American Legion
Post, and B.O. Beatty, the owner of a car dealership
. After owning the house for only a short while, Beatty sold it to the recently-founded Calvary Baptist Church
, which quickly began to remodel the property. Two years of renovation included the addition of the rear wing, which was used as a sanctuary, and the removal of the kitchen and dining room that had been burned while the house was used by the American Legion; the rest of the house was used as offices and Sunday School
classrooms. Members of the church first worshipped at the property on March 6, 1949.
After growing membership forced Calvary Baptist to build a new house of worship in 1972, the house remained vacant until it was bought by a partnership
of lawyers. The law office remains in the house today; the rear addition has been converted into offices that are used by other businesses.
In 1979, the William Lawrence House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
. While its high degree of preservation was seen as significant, the house was added to the Register primarily for its association with Lawrence.
Bellefontaine, Ohio
Bellefontaine is a city in and the county seat of Logan County, Ohio, United States. The population was 13,069 at the 2000 census. It is the center of the Bellefontaine Micropolitan Statistical Area, as defined by the United States Census Bureau in 2003...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Located along Main Street (U.S. Route 68
U.S. Route 68
U.S. Route 68 is an east–west United States highway that runs for from northwest Ohio to western Kentucky. The highway's western terminus is at U.S. Route 62 in Reidland, Kentucky. Its eastern terminus is at Interstate 75 in Findlay, Ohio...
) north of the city's downtown, it is historically significant as the home of William Lawrence, a prominent U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
during the late nineteenth century.
Structure
The house is a square two-storyStorey
A storey or story is any level part of a building that could be used by people...
structure, measuring approximately 50 feet (15.2 m) on each side, and topped with a hip roof
Hip roof
A hip roof, or hipped roof, is a type of roof where all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. Thus it is a house with no gables or other vertical sides to the roof. A square hip roof is shaped like a pyramid. Hip roofs on the houses could have two triangular side...
; its brick walls rest on a stone foundation with a basement. At the time of construction, the house included multiple chimney
Chimney
A chimney is a structure for venting hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler, stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere. Chimneys are typically vertical, or as near as possible to vertical, to ensure that the gases flow smoothly, drawing air into the combustion in what is known as the...
s, but with one exception these have all been removed. Other changes since the time of construction have included the replacement of multiple doors and the addition of a wing in the rear and a small stone porch on the southern side. With the exception of the removal of shutters
Window shutter
A window shutter is a solid and stable window covering usually consisting of a frame of vertical stiles and horizontal rails...
from the windows, the Main Street front of the house differs little from its state when built. Inside, many original features remain, including walnut
Walnut
Juglans is a plant genus of the family Juglandaceae, the seeds of which are known as walnuts. They are deciduous trees, 10–40 meters tall , with pinnate leaves 200–900 millimetres long , with 5–25 leaflets; the shoots have chambered pith, a character shared with the wingnuts , but not the hickories...
panelling and two cherry
Cherry
The cherry is the fruit of many plants of the genus Prunus, and is a fleshy stone fruit. The cherry fruits of commerce are usually obtained from a limited number of species, including especially cultivars of the wild cherry, Prunus avium....
fireplaces. The most prominent original feature is the spiral staircase
Stairway
Stairway, staircase, stairwell, flight of stairs, or simply stairs are names for a construction designed to bridge a large vertical distance by dividing it into smaller vertical distances, called steps...
, which climbs from the first floor to a skylight above the second floor. Lawrence's original dining room
Dining room
A dining room is a room for consuming food. In modern times it is usually adjacent to the kitchen for convenience in serving, although in medieval times it was often on an entirely different floor level...
and kitchen
Kitchen
A kitchen is a room or part of a room used for cooking and food preparation.In the West, a modern residential kitchen is typically equipped with a stove, a sink with hot and cold running water, a refrigerator and kitchen cabinets arranged according to a modular design. Many households have a...
were damaged by a fire; soon after new owners purchased the house in 1947, the rooms were completely reworked and converted into a storage room for the rear wing.
Construction
The Lawrence House was built circa 1860 in a modified version of the ItalianateItalianate architecture
The Italianate style of architecture was a distinct 19th-century phase in the history of Classical architecture. In the Italianate style, the models and architectural vocabulary of 16th-century Italian Renaissance architecture, which had served as inspiration for both Palladianism and...
style. While the exact date of construction is unknown, its terminus ante quem
Terminus post quem
Terminus post quem and terminus ante quem specify approximate dates for events...
is 1861: in this year, a member of the Lawrence family incised
Cutting
Cutting is the separation of a physical object, or a portion of a physical object, into two portions, through the application of an acutely directed force. An implement commonly used for cutting is the knife or in medical cases the scalpel...
initials and the date into a windowsill.
Life of Lawrence
Born in Mount PleasantMount Pleasant, Ohio
Mount Pleasant is a village in Jefferson County, Ohio, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the village population was 535. It is part of the Weirton–Steubenville, WV-OH Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
in eastern Ohio in 1819, Lawrence was trained as a lawyer and moved to Logan County in 1841, where he lived for most of the rest of his life. During his years in Bellefontaine, he served in various county offices, was elected to both houses of the Ohio General Assembly
Ohio General Assembly
The Ohio General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Ohio. It consists of the 99-member Ohio House of Representatives and the 33-member Ohio Senate...
, served six terms in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
, and was appointed to the office of First Comptroller of the Treasury
Comptroller of the Treasury
The Comptroller of the Treasury was an official of the United States Department of the Treasury from 1789 to 1817. According to section III of the Act of Congress establishing the Treasury Department, it is the comptroller's duty to...
. Lawrence was known professionally as an expert on land law; he was the primary lawyer on behalf of Great Plains
Great Plains
The Great Plains are a broad expanse of flat land, much of it covered in prairie, steppe and grassland, which lies west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada. This area covers parts of the U.S...
farmers who won nearly 1000000 acres (404,686 ha) of land in a prominent lawsuit against railroad companies. As a leading member of Logan County society, he served on the board of trustees
Trustee
Trustee is a legal term which, in its broadest sense, can refer to any person who holds property, authority, or a position of trust or responsibility for the benefit of another...
of Geneva College
Geneva College
Geneva College is a Christian liberal arts college in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania, United States, north of Pittsburgh. Founded in 1848, in Northwood, Ohio, the college moved to its present location in 1880, where it continues to educate a student body of about 1400 traditional undergraduates in...
in Northwood
Northwood, Logan County, Ohio
Northwood is a small, unincorporated crossroads village in northern Logan County, Ohio, United States. It lies along the line between Richland Township and McArthur Township, approximately two miles south of the village of Belle Center and near the South Fork of the Great Miami River. Northwood...
from 1851 to 1854. In his private life, he was deeply interested in agriculture; after his death, his estate included multiple farms.
Lawrence purchased from P.S. Powell a lot at the intersection of Main Street and High Avenue in Bellefontaine in 1852; here he built his house approximately eight years later. He owned the property until 1897, when he conveyed
Conveyancing
In law, conveyancing is the transfer of legal title of property from one person to another, or the granting of an encumbrance such as a mortgage or a lien....
it to his family; however, he continued to live there until his death two years later.
After Lawrence
Lawrence's widow Caroline sold the house to a Dr. W.W. Hamer in 1901; in it, Hamer operated Bellefontaine's first hospitalHospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
. Later owners included a family who lived in the house, the Howard Kerr American Legion
American Legion
The American Legion is a mutual-aid organization of veterans of the United States armed forces chartered by the United States Congress. It was founded to benefit those veterans who served during a wartime period as defined by Congress...
Post, and B.O. Beatty, the owner of a car dealership
Car dealership
A car dealership or vehicle local distribution is a business that sells new or used cars at the retail level, based on a dealership contract with an automaker or its sales subsidiary. It employs automobile salespeople to do the selling...
. After owning the house for only a short while, Beatty sold it to the recently-founded Calvary Baptist Church
General Association of Regular Baptist Churches
The General Association of Regular Baptist Churches is one of several Baptist groups in North America retaining the name "Regular Baptist"....
, which quickly began to remodel the property. Two years of renovation included the addition of the rear wing, which was used as a sanctuary, and the removal of the kitchen and dining room that had been burned while the house was used by the American Legion; the rest of the house was used as offices and Sunday School
Sunday school
Sunday school is the generic name for many different types of religious education pursued on Sundays by various denominations.-England:The first Sunday school may have been opened in 1751 in St. Mary's Church, Nottingham. Another early start was made by Hannah Ball, a native of High Wycombe in...
classrooms. Members of the church first worshipped at the property on March 6, 1949.
After growing membership forced Calvary Baptist to build a new house of worship in 1972, the house remained vacant until it was bought by a partnership
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
of lawyers. The law office remains in the house today; the rear addition has been converted into offices that are used by other businesses.
In 1979, the William Lawrence House was listed on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
. While its high degree of preservation was seen as significant, the house was added to the Register primarily for its association with Lawrence.