Of the early history of Louisa but little is known. There is mention in ancient conveyance of a blockhouse built at the forks of the Big Sandy River by Charles Vancouver, to whom in 1772 a grant of lands was made from George III, King of
England, by the hand of John, Earl of Dunmore, the Governor of the Colony of Virginia and to whom in 1788 a further grant of lands was made by Beverly Randolph, then Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, which then included all Kentucky; and which grants comprised land including part of what is now Louisa and adjoining territory. A map printed in England in 1790 shows a settlement at the forks of the Great Sandy River, its
name-Ba-clutha. As Vancouver was a citizen of London, England, it is probable that he gave this name to the settlement he attempted to establish, nothing further of the history of
which in now available.
Lawrence county was established by an Act of the General Assembly effective February 10, 1822, the county being named in honor of Captain James Lawrence, “late of the United States Navy,” and in perpetual memorial of his gallant conduct at the sinking of he Chesapeake.
As originally created, the county embraced what is now Lawrence county together with other areas which now are portions of the adjoining counties of Boyd, Carter, Elloitt, Morgan, Johnson and Martin. The act designated as Commissioners to select the site of a "permanent seat of justice” for the new county, John Rice, James Ward, Jr., Henry B. Mayo, Samuel May and David K. Harris.
These Commissioners having selected as the site for the county seat of the new county new county the land at the forks of the Big Sandy where Louisa now stands, the General Assembly by an Act effective December 11, 1822. established the town of Louisa, its first trustees being Samuel Bell, Andrew Johnson, Isaac Bolt, Nimrod Canterberry, Andrew Chapman, Joseph R. Ward and Elisha Welmond.
One hundred years have passed since these events and the County of Lawrence and City of Louisa are now celebrating their first Centennial. That it may prove an enjoyable occasion long to be remembered, and worth of an event which can of necessity come but once in the lives of any of us, is the hope of The Louisa and Lawrence County centennial Association.
