The first recorded foray by the colonists into what is now
Brunswick County occurred in 1650. Explorers left Fort
Henry (Petersburg) to follow the Occoneeche trail on an
expedition for trading with the Indians to the south.
By 1714 the area was known well enough that it was
selected by Governor Alexander Spotswood as the site of
Fort Christanna, a trading depot and school for Indian
children.
In 1720 the General Assembly passed an act for “erecting the
Counties of Spotsylvania and Brunswick” which directed
“That five hundred pounds…be paid by the Treasurer to
Nathaniel Harrison, esq., Jonathan Allen, Henry
Harrison, and William Edwards, gentlemen… for a church,
courthouse, prison, pillory and stocks, where they shall
think fit.” The first courthouse was constructed circa
1732 on a site near Cochran. Moved to the east in 1746,
the county seat was moved again in 1783 to be
established at the present site. A wood frame
courthouse, described by a visitor in 1835 as “a very
handsome building” was built in 1784 on the site now
occupied by the Brunswick County Museum.
The Town was created officially by an act of the
General Assembly on 22 January 1814. The act directed
that twenty acres of land belonging to Peggy Williams be
laid off into lots and be know as Lawrenceville.
Legend has it that the name was inspired by a famous
racehorse, Lawrence, owned by a prosperous landowner who
had built a nearby race track at the end of the
eighteenth century.
By 1836 the town was served by at least two stage
routes as noted on the Tourist’s Pocket Map of the
State of Virginia published that year. One ran
north and south between Petersburg and Warrenton, N. C.,
daily. The other, east and west between Lawrenceville
and Halifax Courthouse three times a week.
In 1846 the town was described thus: “It is a neat
village, pleasantly situated on a branch of the Meherrin
River, and contains 2 churches and about 25 dwellings.”
One of the churches, St. Andrew’s Episcopal, constructed
in 1829, continues to serve its parishioners as the
oldest public building extant in Lawrenceville.
Richard H. Sharp gave land on Church Street in 1847 for
construction of the Lawrenceville Methodist Church. The
original building was replaced by the present sanctuary
in 1906.
The Greek Revival courthouse, which remains on
Courthouse Square, was constructed in 1854 to succeed
the late 18th century structure. County court
records were maintained on the first floor there until
completion of the adjacent Clerk’s Building in 1893.
These two buildings are included in the Brunswick
County Courthouse Square nomination approved for
inclusion in the National Register in 1974.
Incorporation for the Town of Lawrenceville was
achieved in 1874. Mr. Charles E. May later recalled the
town of that era as “a very small village consisting of
a courthouse, a few small stores, two blacksmith shops,
a shoe maker’s shop and several dwellings.”
In 1888 James Solomon Russell, an Episcopal priest
born into slavery in 1857, established a parish school
for black children. By 1893 the school was incorporated
and became the Saint Paul’s Normal and Industrial
School. Dr. Russell’s efforts were blessed with
continuing success. The school became Saint Paul’s
College in 1957 and attracts students from around the
globe. Three of the early buildings remaining on campus
have been listed in the National Register of Historic
Places.
The coming of the railroad in 1890 gave an impetus
for growth. Establishment of the Atlantic and Danville
shops in Lawrenceville provided the town with a
significant industrial base. The merchantile buildings
along Main and Hicks Streets were transformed from one
and two story wood frame buildings into two and three
story brick masonry buildings over the next four
decades. Residential areas quickly developed to satisfy
the demand for housing. In 1907 the population was
described as about 2,000 “law-abiding and God-fearing
people.”
A bond issue passed in 1912 to fund construction of
a water filtration plant and distribution system, a
gravity sewage system, and an electric generating
plant. The newly organized volunteer fire department
constructed a firehouse on Sharp Street adjacent to the
then new 100,000 gallon elevated water tank. The
original fire alarm bell was moved to the grounds of the
Municipal Building on Main Street in 1980 where it rests
with an old road marker of 1819 inscribed “45 miles from
the Brunswick Courthouse to Petersburg.”
Lawrenceville continued as the major market center
for the rich agricultural areas of Brunswick County as
evidenced by the tobacco warehouses, cotton gins,
creameries, etc. which came and went during the first
half of the twentieth century.
In 1924 the streets were paved with concrete. Sale
of the electric generating plant in 1925 provided money
for replacing the wood plank sidewalks with concrete.
During the depression years of the thirties, federal
funds were used to build a baseball field and a swimming
pool.
The town now is engaged in a beautification project
which involves replacing downtown sidewalks with brick
and installing new streetlights. The new Albertis S.
Harrison, Jr., Courthouse housing Brunswick’s Circuit,
General District, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations
courts was dedicated on 18 April 1999. Documentation
and field work has been completed for the Lawrenceville
Historic District and the nomination will be submitted
for approval this fall.
Written by Nathaniel Neblett
April 29, 1999
HISTORY
OF THE LAWRENCEVILLE POLICE DEPT
by
Chief
Pond
The Lawrenceville Police Department had its origins in
1874 when the Town was incorporated and the Town Charter
as granted by the Virginia General Assembly authorized
the appointment of a Town Sergeant. The first Town
Sergeant was F. W. Jones whose duties included Town Code
enforcement, collection of taxes, collection of license
fees, and “other duties as may be assigned.” Among the
Town ordinances the Town Sergeant was responsible for
enforcing in 1875 were a $2 fine for shooting a gun in
the street and a $5 fine for running a horse in the
street or riding one on the sidewalk.
The
Town Council was asked to consider the employment of a
“night watchman” in January of 1895. This was the first
consideration of a second policeman or Deputy Sergeant
on record and $4 per month was appropriated by the
Council toward the employment of the night watchman if
that $4 sum was matched by the citizens. The first
night watchman position was held by B J. Harrison until
November of 1895 when the position was discontinued.
L.
R. Vaughan was appointed Town Sergeant in 1912 at a
salary or $75 per month. In addition to the original
duties of the Town Sergeant, he was asked to
“superintend the building and repairing of streets and
sidewalks, make out the tax books and collect taxes,
collect water, sewer, and light accounts, rents, and
tolls.”
In
April of 1917 the merchants and businessmen of Main
Street raised money and the position of “night man” was
authorized once again. In October of 1920 the police
committee of the Town Council officially recognized the
importance of employing a night policeman “pointing out
frequent robberies of banks, etc in the State and the
danger of fires at this season”. In December of 1922 T.
L. (Tom) Stanley was appointed as night policeman and
elected policeman and night watchman at a salary of $100
per month.
On
August 30, 1930 there was a special meeting of the Town
Council because an audit showed a shortage of $4039.63
in the accounts of Town Sergeant S H. Browder and his
resignation was requested. Tom Stanley was then
appointed Town Sergeant and A. R. Pentecost was
appointed night policeman in September of 1930, the
beginning of a 40 year career with the Town. In
November of 1930 (Governor) A. S. Harrison Jr. was
appointed as Town Attorney.
A. R. Pentecost, who worked seven nights a week
from 9pm-6am, was on patrol late in February 1931 when
he and his dog Toby surprised four men from Petersburg
while they were attempting to break into the basement of
W. S. Peebles Company. A brief gun battle ensued during
which Officer Pentecost was shot once after knocking one
of the burglars down with gunfire. Officer Pentecost
was taken to St. Elizabeth’s Hospital in Richmond where
he spent a week recovering after the bullet, which had
lodged near his heart, was removed. The four men from
Petersburg were apprehended and the hospital bill was
$65.13.
Future Governor Albertis S. Harrison Jr., while
performing his duties as Town Attorney sought and
received a change in the Town Charter from the General
Assembly enabling the Town to establish and maintain a
department or division of police. On February 13, 1934
the Town Sergeant was given the same powers as a
constable within the Town limits and to a distance of
one mile beyond. June of 1935 saw the Town authorize
uniforms for the Sergeant and Deputy Sergeant with the
Town to pay one half the cost. The Sergeant and Deputy
Sergeant salaries were set at $135 and $125 per month
respectively.
In
order to summon the night policeman a signal bell was
installed on the Mayor’s office in March of 1938 since
it “would be very helpful in locating the night
policeman.”
The
first record of a formal police school comes in 1940
when Officer H. S. Fleshood attended a two week school
at the University of Richmond sponsored by the Virginia
Police Executives Association. Officer Fleshood also
was the town’s first bicycle patrol Officer when in 1942
the Town authorized the purchase of a bicycle from
Brunswick Ice and Coal. Officer Fleshood felt he could
better cover the Town at night by bicycle and thus give
“more protection to the people and property.” During
October of 1942 a third officer was hired to work
Saturday’s from noon until midnight and over the next
four years this position was made permanent. In April
of 1943 Town Sergeant Tom Stanley was given one half day
off per week to work his Victory Garden as part of the
war effort. As Deputy Sergeant A. R. Pentecost was the
only police officer in the entire County on duty all
night he was made the night jailer for Brunswick County
in March of 1944. Lawrenceville Police Department
Officers were the only police officers in the County on
Duty all night until the late 1980’s.
The
year after the war was eventful as the Lawrenceville
Police Department was blessed with the installation of
fifty parking meters on Main and Hicks Streets.
Raymond Poarch was hired by the Town on May 14 1946
after he returned from serving his country in the World
War II. Also in 1946 it was ordered that a signal bell
to summon officers be installed on Main Street to ring
simultaneously with the police telephone on the pole on
Hicks Street. To this point the only police vehicles
had been the occasional use of personal vehicles by
officers.
January of 1947 saw the granting by Town Council of one
day off per week for Chief Stanley, Officer Pentecost,
and Officer Poarch. The first parking meter complaint
was formally lodged early in 1947, the complaint being
that the officers were putting money in peoples meters
as opposed to writing parking tickets. Arrangements
were made in October of 1947 with State Trooper J. L.
Hedrick for a police school giving officers “about
twenty five hours instruction along all lines of police
activity.” Tom Stanley, who had been Town
Sergeant/Police Chief since 1931 passed on September 12,
1947.
During 1949 future Brunswick County Deputy Earl
Washburn was appointed to his first law enforcement
position when he went to work for the Lawrenceville
Police Department. The first proposal for a traffic
light at the corner of Main Street and Church Street was
made on November 8, 1949. Thirty years later the light
was installed.
“In
an effort to more strenuously enforce the Town ordinance
relative to speed and traffic” Lawrenceville bought its
first police car in October of 1950. The cost of the car
was $1397 and was purchased from Newsome and Allen
Motors. In August of 1951 D. T. Clary was hired as a
fourth officer and the first police radio was purchased
and installed in the police car. The radio frequency
was made compatible with Brunswick County’s existing
radio system, thus becoming part of the first central
dispatching system in the County. The next few years
saw the promotion of Raymond Poarch to Assistant Chief
and the hiring of future Brunswick County Sheriff P. G.
(Pete) Brockwell. In 1954 the Department roll
included Chief Pentecost, Assistant Chief Poarch,
Officer Luther King, and Officer Pete Brockwell, and in
1955 a sleeve insignia (shoulder patch) was designed and
worn on officer uniforms. State Senator Albertis
Harrison Jr. continued his duties as Town Attorney.
April of 1956 saw the police put under the supervision
of the Town Manager and in 1957 he recommended
improvements to the emergency telephone system by moving
one phone across the street from the courthouse to a
pole in front of F & M Bank, another to the corner of
Main and Hicks Street, and the addition of a third
emergency phone on the corner of Main and Church
Street. Albertis S. Harrison “discontinued his
connection as Town Attorney” in March of 1958 because of
his duties as Virginia’s Attorney General.
William Moody (father of present Officer William T.
Moody Jr.) joined the force in April of 1965 and was
assigned to work with the other officers until he
“learned the work expected of him.” September of 1965
saw present Town Attorney W. C. Outten paid $35 for his
services and in May of 1966 Freeman Majette, the Town’s
first minority officer was hired. In September of 1966
the force included Chief Pentecost, Assistant Chief
Poarch, Officer D. C. Brewer, and Officer Majette.
Chief A. R. Pentecost asked to be relieved of some of
his duties in March of 1968 and Officer Paul Lowell was
hired. Officers Lowell and Brewer had police dogs and
were authorized to use them on leash from 11pm until
7am. August of 1968 saw a fifth police officer added
and the force included Chief Pentecost, Assistant Chief
Poarch, D.C. Brewer, Paul Lowell, and George Vaughan.
Winifred Wray was a part time officer.
Chief Pentecost submitted a letter of resignation
effective September 1, 1970 after a 39 year 11 month
career with the Lawrenceville Police Department. After
his retirement he was hired to check parking meters and
could be seen at age 81 checking the meters walking with
a cane. At age 81 he was the oldest active duty
uniformed police officer in the State of Virginia.
Raymond Poarch became Police Chief, D. C. Brewer was
appointed Assistant Chief and the other officers on the
force were Paul Lowell and Lonnie Powell. In July of
1973 future Sheriff J. R. Woodley was hired as a police
officer with the Lawrenceville Police Department and
attended the five week Central Police Training Course.
Two other new officers attended school two day a week
for ten weeks at the Keysville Campus of Southside
Virginia Community College.
March of 1975 saw the purchase of the Police Department
first radar gun and the Town became a charter member of
the Central Virginia Criminal Justice Academy. August
of 1975 saw the hiring of future police chief Douglas
Pond. Through the 70’s, 80’s and 90’s and through 2008
the Lawrenceville Police Department has kept pace with
changes in training and technology. Basic police
training has gone from eleven weeks in 1976 to a present
regimen of twenty three weeks at the Central Virginia
Criminal Justice Academy in Lynchburg. Also in the mix
are field training for the recruit and forty hours of
bi-annual in service training for veteran officers. All
this training is certified and approved for credit hours
by the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice
Services. Current training is quite different from when
Officer Pond was put on night shift by himself after two
days on the force.
Firearms have gradually changed over from the universal
police and military Smith & Wesson Model 10 .38 Special
(first manufactured in 1899), to the Smith & Wesson
Model 64 .357 Caliber Stainless in the 80’s. In the
early 90’s the Department changed over to the semi
automatic pistol and currently carries the Sig Sauer
Model 229 .357 Caliber Semi automatic pistol.
Realizing the difficulty of operating a single police
vehicle twenty four hours a day, the Department kept a
potential 1976 Ford trade and purchased a 1978 Ford
while keeping the 1976 Ford as its first backup vehicle
which Chief Poarch drove while on patrol and to his
residence. In 1986 Town Council agreed to the purchase
and outfitting of used State Police cars and over a two
year period take home police cars became a matter of
policy for the Department. The present fleet of
vehicles includes five new vehicles beginning with a
cycle in 2003 and including the recent purchase of a
2007 Dodge Charger police package vehicle.
Lawrenceville Police Department maintains a 1996 Ford
Explorer and a 1996 Chevrolet Caprice for backup
vehicles.
Technology in the Department has taken great strides
since beginning with one car radio in the early 1950’s.
Officers now carry hand held (walkie-talkie) radios
while away from the vehicles, and other technology
includes laser radar, in car video, TASER, and four
computers in the office, one having a direct link to the
Brunswick County 911 computer aided dispatch system.
The majority of the modern equipment purchased over the
years has been made possible through the successful
writing of State and Federal Grant applications.
Salaries for the Department in 1975 were in the $5,000
range but have been increased by Town Council to be
competitive with other area law enforcement. Education
and specialized training has been encouraged by the
police committee and two officers are now currently
instructors at the police academy. Officer Pond
graduated from Southside Virginia Community College in
1978 with an Associate Degree in Police Science and was
appointed police chief when Raymond Poarch retired in
1984. B.N Newcomb was appointed Assistant Chief shortly
afterward and both administrators remain in place in
2008. Officers who have served with the Lawrenceville
Police Department in recent years are current State
Police Sergeant Ronald Daniel, Brunswick County
Detective Sergeant Everette Gibson who served with the
force for thirteen years and was the trainer and handler
of our drug dog “Jake”, Brunswick County Detective
Lieutenant Gary Peterson who served for four years,
Master Deputy William Smith who served for four years,
and Deputy Jeff Clary who served Lawrenceville for four
years .
Specialized assistance with crime scenes, critical
incidents, and special events is provided to the five
officer Lawrenceville Police Department through
agreements with the Brunswick County Sheriff’s
Department, Virginia State Police, Lawrenceville
Volunteer Fire Department, Brunswick Rescue Squad, St.
Paul’s Security, and the Virginia Department of
Transportation. Lawrenceville Officers provide
assistance to all area Departments at critical
incidents, special events, priority security details,
and crime scenes.
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