- November 1838
- Early 1840s
-
Old Christian Union Church was organized
1847 – Old Christian Union Church was organized - 1848
-
Presbyterians of Lawson Was Organized
The Presbyterians, the oldest church group of Lawson was organized - 1851
- 1853
- 1859
- 1864
- November 8, 1868
- June 1870
- July 1870
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Luttie Palmer Taught First School Class
Miss Luttie Palmer taught first school class - August 1870
- December 31, 1870
- November 3, 1871
- 1872
-
Presbyterian & Methodist Combine Resources
Lawson Presbyterian and Methodist Churches were combined - February 20, 1872
-
St. Joseph Land Company Gave the City the Town Square
St. Joseph Land Company gave the City the town square - September 22, 1872
- August 5, 1873
- 1874
- August 1874
- 1879
- Mayor 1881 - 1883
- December 5, 1881
- August 14, 1883
- August 4, 1883
- 1883
- Mayor circa 1885-1889
- 1886
- 1887
-
Presbyterians Purchases Entire Building
Presbyterians purchased the Methodists’ half of the church - 1887
-
Methodist Church Dedicated
Methodist Church building at Sixth & Ingles was dedicated - 1888
- Mayor circa 1880s-1890s
-
Baptist Church Destroyed by Fire
Baptist church on Pennsylvania just south of Fifth - December 1890
- 1891
- 1895
-
Bee Hive Lodge Destroyed by Fire
Bee Hive lodge at the corner of Third and Pennsylvania - March 24, 1896
- 1897
- Late 1890s
- 1899-1901
- 1899 - 1916
-
Presbyterian Academy Classes Held at Bank
The last classes for Lawson Presbyterian Academy - 1900
- 1902
- Mayor 1903 - 1904
-
Ammerman Bought Local Telephone Company
Eldorus F. Ammerman bought the local telephone company - 1904
- 1904
-
Morrow Lumber Bought the Adjoining building
Morrow lumber bought the adjoining Young building - 1904
- January 4, 1904
- 1905
-
More Rural Mail Routes in Ray County
The Post Office Department ordered eleven new rural routes - August 16, 1905
- 1906
- September 30, 1906
- February 3, 1907
-
Presbyterian Church Building Was Dedicated
The new Presbyterian church building was dedicated - Mayor 1909 - 1910
- 1909
- 1910
- Mayor 1911 - 1912
- 1912
- 1913
- July 14, 1914
- 1915
- 1916
- March 1916
- May 11, 1916
- Summer of 1916
- 1916
- April 6, 1917
- 1918
- Mayor 1919 - 1922
- 1921
-
Junior-Senior High School Plan Adopted
The Junior-Senior High School plan was adopted - November 6, 1921
- 1923
-
Canaan Hill Church Was Dedicated
Canaan Hill Church of the Nazarene’s first church building - Mayor 1923 - 1924
-
Jefferson Highway Was Being Built
Jefferson Highway was being built with one branch coming down... - July 1924
- Mayor 1925 - 1930
- 1925
- May 20, 1925
- 1927
-
Lawson Cemetery Association Is Incorporated
Lawson Cemetery Association received its Certificate of Incorporation - 1931
- 1931
- May 31, 1931
- Mayor 1933 - 1936
-
Lawson Bank Reopened after National Bank Holiday
Lawson Bank re-opened after the bank holiday - 1935
- 1935
- 1937
- June 14, 1938
-
Bond Issue for New Water System
November 1938 – Voters approved a bond issue of $25,000... - November 1, 1939
- 1942
-
Assembly of God Church Was Organized
February 4, 1943 – Assembly of God Church was organized - 1945
- Mayor 1946 - 1949
- February 15, 1947
- 1949
- June 1949
-
Land Was Bought for an Athletic Field
Ten acres of land were bought for an athletic field - June 1949
-
Graham, Murray and Bisbee Annexed into Lawson Schools
Country schools began annexing into the Lawson School district - Mayor 1950 - 1951
-
Union, Butler and Riggs Were Annexed into Lawson schools
Union, Butler and the rest of Riggs district - Mayor 1951 - 1955
-
Canaan Hill’s Second Church Was Dedicated
Canaan Hill Church of the Nazarene’s second church building - 1952
- June 17, 1953
-
From Entry Fee to Fifty Three
The women of the Lawson Christian church sponsored publication - September 16, 1953
-
Order of Eastern Star Was Constituted
Lawson Chapter No. 549 of Order of Eastern Star - 1954
-
Klever Kraft Extension Club Was Organized
Klever Kraft Ray County Extension Club was organized - May 1, 1954
-
Land Was Purchased for Water System
The City purchased 111.2 acres on which the railroad pond... - July 12, 1954
-
Voters Approved Revenue Bonds For Water Plant
Voters approved Revenue bonds of $15,000 for developing a municipal... - Acting Mayor 1955
-
Canaan Hill’s Parsonage Completed
Canaan Hill Church of the Nazarene’s parsonage was completed - 1955
-
Thomas Dudley Williamson
Thomas Dudley Williamson served as Mayor of Lawson 1955 –... - January 1955
-
Water Plant Contractor Selected
Sealed bids for construction of the water plant were opened - May 3, 1955
-
Volunteer Fire Department Organized
The Lawson Volunteer Fire Department was organized - October 24, 1955
-
Voters Approved More Bonds to Complete Water System
Voters approved $14,000 in General Obligation bonds - December 7, 1955
-
More Bonds Approved for Water System
Voters unanimously approved General Obligation Bond Issue of $14,000 - 1956
-
P.E.O. Held 50th Anniversary Tea
Chapter A.O., P.E.O. held their fiftieth Anniversary tea - March 6, 1956
-
First Water Receipts Were Collected
The City of Lawson collected the first receipts from users... - May 5, 1956
- December 29, 1956
-
Elmira Schools Were Annexed into Lawson
Elmira schools were annexed into the Lawson school district - June 11, 1957
-
Groundbreaking Services for Baptist Church Education Unit
Groundbreaking services were held for the Baptist Church Education unit - September 1957
-
Rotary Club Installed Street Signs
The town board granted the Lawson Rotary Club permission - October 13, 1957
- 1958
-
Land Was Purchased for High School Building Site
Fifteen acres purchased as the site for high school building - April 1958
-
Watkins’ Farm Sold At Auction
Watkins’ family farm was sold at auction; George Stilley - June 11, 1958
- July 20, 1958
- December 24, 1958
-
School Had only Elementary Classes for the First Time
The school had only elementary classes - 1959
- May 21, 1959
- November 1959
-
1960 – Kitchen Space Added to the High School
Kitchen space was added to the high school - Acting Mayor 1960
- March 1, 1960
- September 12, 1960
- April 4, 1961
- June 1961
- September 5, 1961
-
Gas Service Company Franchise Approved
Voters approved granting a franchise to the Gas Service Company - November 4, 1961
-
Curb & Guttering Considered
The Board considered a proposal to lay curb and guttering - 1962
-
Bonds Approved for Sewer And Water System
Voters approved the issuance of $130,000 in General Obligation bonds - July 16, 1962
- October 1, 1962
-
Contractor Approved for Sewer & Water System
Bids for building the proposed sewer and water system were... - 1963
-
Canaan Hill Church Building Razed
Canaan Hill Church's second building was torn down - June 19, 1963
- October 1963
-
Two Letter State Abbreviations Were Introduced
The two letter state abbreviations were introduced - October 26, 1963
-
Eastern Pleasant Grove Annexed into the Lawson District
The eastern part of Pleasant Grove school - 1964
- April 19, 1964
- September 14, 1964
-
Lawson Swim Club Granted Building Permit
A building permit was granted the Lawson Swim Club - 1965
- April 18, 1965
-
Lawson Swim Club was Organized as a Nonprofit Corporation
Lawson Swim Club was organized as a nonprofit corporation - October 5, 1965
-
Methodists Celebrated the Centennial of the Two Rural Classes
The Methodists celebrated the centennial - March 3, 1966
-
First Services in the New Baptist Church
The first services were held in the new Baptist Church - November 1966
- 1967
- May 1967
- August 8, 1967
-
Presbyterian Church Refaced with Brick
The Presbyterian church was refaced with brick - 1968
-
Schools Held Classes at Baptist Church
School held two classes in the Baptist church’s educational quarters - February 6, 1968
-
Canaan Hill Church of the Nazarene 50th Anniversary
Canaan Hill Church celebrated its 50th anniversary - July 1968
- February 4, 1969
- August 10, 1821
- March 27, 1839
-
Watkins Was Operating Grist & Flour Mill
Early 1840s – Watkins was operating the area’s first grist... - 1847
-
Watkins First Circular Saw Mill
Watkins installed the county’s first circular saw mill - June 18, 1849
- 1852
- 1856
-
Watkins Woolen Mill Under Construction
Waltus L. Watkins began construction of the woolen mill - 1861
- 1868
- 1870
- June 1870
- August 1871
- September 20, 1870
- October 13, 1871
- November 7, 1871
- 1872
- February 20, 1872
-
Presbyterian’s New Church Building
J. M. Scott preached the first Presbyterian sermon - January 23, 1873
- October 17, 1873
- 1874
- August 1874
- 1880
- April 8, 1881
- January 29, 1882
- June 1883
- October 22, 1883
- January 24, 1884
- 1885
- 1887 - 1889
-
Milwaukee Railroad Completes Line
The Chicago, Milwaukee, St. Paul & Pacific Railroad built a... - 1887
- November 1887
-
Morrow Lumber Buys Grizzel & Maggey
Morrow Lumber Company purchased the lumberyard from - 1889 - 1899
- 1890
-
Cemetery Purchased More Land
Land north and east of the existing cemetery was purchased - December 1890
- 1892
- 1896
- December 13, 1896
- 1898
- October 4, 1898
- 1899
- 1900
-
Presbyterian Academy Classes Discontinued
Presbyterian Academy classes were discontinued - 1900
- 1902
- 1904
- 1904
- 1904
- Spring 1904
- Mayor 1905 - 1906
- January 1905
- 1906
- February 22, 1906
-
Salem Church Building Was Dedicated
The present Salem church building was dedicated - Mayor 1907 - 1908
-
First Sermon in New Presbyterian Church
The first sermon was given in the new Presbyterian church. - May 26, 1907
- 1909
- 1910
-
Slip Up Christian Church Disbanded
Slip Up Christian Church disbanded which added membership - January 1910
- November 6, 1911
-
Girl Scouts was Organized in the United States
Girl Scouts was organized in the United States - Mayor 1913 - 1914
- 1914
- Mayor 1915 - 1916
- May 1915
-
Electric Lights Installed in City Park
Electric lights were installed in the City Park - 1916 - present
- May 4, 1916
- July 1916
- 1916
- Mayor 1917 - 1918
- May 18, 1917
- September 1, 1918
- 1919
-
East Fork and Riggs Added Lawson School District
East Fork and a part of Riggs district were added - 1921
-
Methodists Tenth Anniversary of the Church Dedication
Methodists celebrated their tenth anniversary - 1922
- 1923
-
William Henry “Billie” Meyer
William H. Meyer served four terms as mayor and six... - 1924
-
McDavid-Halstead Bus Line
The McDavid-Halstead bus line between Lawson and Excelsior Springs - November 9, 1924
- 1925
- 1925
- May 4, 1926
- November 28, 1930
- 1931
- Mayor 1931 - 1932
- 1932
- March 13, 1933
- 1935
-
Red Dust Was Filling the Air
The Dust Bowl, also known as “the Dirty Thirties,” started... - March 11, 1936
- Mayor 1937 - 1945
- November 1938
-
Lawson Girl Scout Troop Organized
November 1, 1939 - The first Girl Scout troop in... - April 8, 1941
- February 4, 1943
-
Canaan Hill Church Building Destroyed by Fire
Canaan Hill Church building destroyed by fire - 1946
- March 1946
- September 18, 1947
-
Gymnasium – Auditorium Was Added to the School
A gymnasium-auditorium extension was added - 1949
-
V.F.W. Post Bought A Lot To Build a Post
V.F.W. Post No. 9065 bought a lot across from the... - June 1949
-
Presbyterian Church Celebrated Its Centennial
The Presbyterian Church celebrated its centennial - December 1949
- 1951
- February 25, 1951
-
Bonds for the Municipal Water System
City of Lawson voted bonds for the municipal water system - August 13, 1952
- August 2, 1953
-
$103,000 Bond Issue Approved for Water System
Voters approved a $103,000 bond issue for the a new... - November 12, 1953
- 1954
- July 1, 1954
- November 9, 1954
- 1955
-
Methodists Purchased An Organ
1955 – The Methodists purchased a Hammond organ for the... - Mayor 1955 - 1960
-
Quit Claim Deeds Railroad Pond
Quit Claim Deeds for all lease rights over the railroad... - March 24, 1955
- May 23, 1955
- November 9, 1955
-
Revenue Bonds For Water Plant
Revenue Bonds of $15,000 for the municipal water plant - December 9, 1955
-
First Water Service Connections Completed
First resident service connections with the public water system were... - February 19, 1956
-
Sewerage Disposal Rules Established
Specific rules and regulations governing sewerage disposal - May 1, 1956
- June 1956
-
South Addition Was Annexed
Voters approved the annexing of land adjacent to the south... - 1957
- July 30, 1958
-
Bee Hive Lodge Purchased Building Site
Bee Hive Lodge and Rakla Shrine Club purchased land for... - October 1957
-
Second Baptist Church Organized
The second Baptist Church was constituted as a church - 1958
- January 1958
- May 6, 1958
- July 3, 1958
- November 25, 1958
-
Baptist Education Unit Was Completed
Construction on the Baptist Church Education unit was completed - 1959-1960 School Year
- 1959
- September 1959
- 1960
- Mayor 1960 - 1966
-
Director of Civil Defense Appointed
Noel T. Adams was appointed Director of Civil Defense - March 29, 1960
- November 29, 1960
- May 6, 1961
-
Construction Began on Bee Hive Building
Construction began on the Bee Hive building - June 24, 1961
-
Pennsylvania Opened Across Tracks
Public Service Commission ordered the opening of Pennsylvania Avenue - October 24, 1961
- November 15, 1961
- February 13, 1962
-
Grants Approved for Sewer & Water System
The city received approval for a Federal grant - August 20, 1962
-
City Planning Commission Established
An ordinance was passed to establish a City Planning Commission - November 7, 1962
-
Methodists Added Nursery Service
The Methodist Church added nursery service for young mothers - June 17, 1963
-
Assembly of God Church Purchased Land
Assembly of God Church purchased five acres of land where... - July 1, 1963
-
Bond Issue Approved for Additions to the School
A $85,000 bond issue was approved for additions to the... - October 1, 1963
-
First Service in New Canaan Hill Church
The first service was held in the newly built Canaan... - 1964
-
Watkins Mill Became a State Historic Site
1964 – Watkins Mill became a State Historic Site - February 1964
-
Dedication of the Canaan Hill Church
The formal dedication of the Canaan Hill Church - July 1964
- 1965
- January 10, 1965
-
The Educational Wing of the Presbyterian Church was Dedicated
The new educational wing of the Presbyterian Church was dedicated - June 29, 1965
- October 10, 1965
- July 17, 1966
-
Watkins Mill was Designated a National Historic Landmark
Watkins Mill was designated a National Historic Landmark - Mayor 1967 - 1972
-
Franklin and Part of Rayville Were Added to Lawson School District
Franklin and a part of Rayville were added to Lawson... - April 12, 1967
-
Lawson R-XII District Reorganization
During school district reorganization the name changed - August 8, 1967
-
Proposition Rejected for City Hall & Fire Station
Voters rejected a proposition for a city hall and fire... - 1967-1968
-
Evangelican United Bethren and the Methodist Church Joined
The Evangelican United Bethren and the Methodist church joined - 1968
- June 23, 1968
-
Bond Issue Passed for a Second Elementary School
A bond issue of $310,000 passed for a second elementary... - January 1969
-
Firefighting Equipment Bond Paid In Full
Firefighting equipment bond was paid off in full