Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey

:For the New Jersey municipality of the same name in Mercer County, see Lawrence Township, Mercer County, New Jersey.

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Lawrence Township, New Jersey
settlement_type = Township
nickname =
motto =

imagesize =
image_caption =


image_

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mapsize = 250x200px
map_caption = Lawrence Township highlighted in Cumberland County. Inset



mapsize1 = 250x200px
map_caption1 = Census Bureau map of Lawrence Township, Cumberland County, New Jersey

subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_name1 = New Jersey
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name2 = Cumberland
government_footnotes =
government_type = Township (New Jersey)
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Elmer Bowman
leader_title1 =
leader_name1 =
established_title = Incorporated
established_date = February 17, 1885

unit_pref = Imperial
area_footnotes =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 99.6
area_land_km2 = 97.0
area_water_km2 = 2.5
area_total_sq_mi = 38.5
area_land_sq_mi = 37.5
area_water_sq_mi = 1.0

population_as_of = 2006
population_footnotes =
population_total = 2944
population_density_km2 = 28.0
population_density_sq_mi = 72.6

timezone = Eastern (EST)
utc_offset = -5
timezone_DST = EDT
utc_offset_DST = -4
elevation_footnotes = [Gnis|882060|Township of Lawrence, Geographic Names Information System. Accessed January 4, 2008.]
elevation_m = 4
elevation_ft = 13
latd = 39 |latm = 21 |lats = 1 |latNS = N
longd = 75 |longm = 10 |longs = 14 |longEW = W

postal_code_type = ZIP code
postal_code = 08311 - Cedarville
area_code = 856
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 34-39450GR|2 [ [http://mcdc2.missouri.edu/webrepts/commoncodes/ccc_nj.html A Cure for the Common Codes: New Jersey] , Missouri Census Data Center. Accessed July 14, 2008.]
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0882060GR|3
website =
footnotes =

Lawrence Township is a township in Cumberland County, New Jersey, United States. It is part of the Vineland-Millville-Bridgeton Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area for statistical purposes. As of the United States 2000 Census, the township population was 2,721.

Lawrence Township was incorporated as a township by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on February 17, 1885, from portions of Fairfield Township."The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606-1968", John P. Snyder, Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 121.]

Cedarville is a census-designated place and unincorporated area located within Lawrence Township.

Geography

According to the United States Census Bureau, the township has a total area of 38.5 square miles (99.6 km²), of which, 37.5 square miles (97.0 km²) of it is land and 1.0 square miles (2.5 km²) of it (2.55%) is water.

Lawrence Township borders Fairfield Township, Millville, Downe Township, and the Delaware Bay.

Demographics

USCensusPop
1930= 1770
1940= 1754
1950= 2044
1960= 2639
1970= 2329
1980= 2116
1990= 2433
2000= 2721
estimate=2944
estyear=2006
estref= [http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/SAFFPopulation?_event=ChangeGeoContext&geo_id=06000US3401139450&_geoContext=&_street=&_county=lawrence+township&_cityTown=lawrence+township&_state=04000US34&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=population_0&ds_name=null&_ci_nbr=null&qr_name=null&reg=null%3Anull&_keyword=&_industry= Census data for Lawrence township] , United States Census Bureau. Accessed August 21, 2007.]
footnote=Population 1930 - 1990. [ [http://www.wnjpin.net/OneStopCareerCenter/LaborMarketInformation/lmi01/poptrd6.htm New Jersey Resident Population by Municipality: 1930 - 1990] , Workforce New Jersey Public Information Network. Accessed March 1, 2007.] As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 2,721 people, 920 households, and 712 families residing in the township. The population density was 72.6 people per square mile (28.0/km²). There were 1,023 housing units at an average density of 27.3/sq mi (10.5/km²). The racial makeup of the township was 81.88% White, 10.40% African American, 1.07% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.18% Pacific Islander, 3.42% from other races, and 2.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 7.02% of the population.

There were 920 households out of which 38.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.8% were married couples living together, 11.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.6% were non-families. 17.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.90 and the average family size was 3.27.

In the township the population was spread out with 28.5% under the age of 18, 6.7% from 18 to 24, 30.9% from 25 to 44, 23.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 99.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.2 males.

The median income for a household in the township was $46,083, and the median income for a family was $48,456. Males had a median income of $36,891 versus $22,188 for females. The per capita income for the township was $17,654. About 6.2% of families and 8.9% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.3% of those under age 18 and 7.3% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Local government

Lawrence Township is governed under the Township form of government with a three-member Township Committee. The Township Committee is elected directly by the voters in partisan elections to serve three-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with one seat coming up for election each year. ["2005 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book", Rutgers University Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, April 2005, p. 19.] At an annual reorganization meeting, the Township Committee selects one of its members to serve as Mayor and another as Deputy Mayor.

Members of the Lawrence Township Council are Mayor Elmer Bowman, Deputy Mayor Thomas Sheppard and Council Member Eugene Miletta. [ [http://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/govtserv/municipalityview.asp?interest=&fldMunicipality=Lawrence+Township Cumberland County webpage for Lawrence Township] , Cumberland County, New Jersey. Accessed March 8, 2007.]

Federal, state and county representation

Lawrence Township is in the Second Congressional District and is part of New Jersey's 3rd Legislative District. [ [http://www.lwvnj.org/pubs/CG06.pdf 2006 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government] , New Jersey League of Women Voters, p. 59. Accessed August 30, 2006.]

Education

Lawrence Township School District serves public school students in Kindergarten through eighth grade. The Myron L. Powell School had an enrollment of 491 students as of the 2005-06 school year. [ [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3408370 Data for the Myron L. Powell Elementary School] , National Center for Education Statistics. Accessed June 11, 2008.]

For grades 9-12, public school students in Lawrence Township are assigned to one of two school districts determined by the location of their residence. Students attend high school either in Bridgeton or Millville, based on sending/receiving relationships with the respective school districts, the Bridgeton Public Schools and the Millville Public Schools. Students sent to Bridgeton attend Bridgeton High School. [ [http://education.state.nj.us/rc/rc07/narrative/11/0540/11-0540-020.html Bridgeton High School 2007 Report Card Narrative] , New Jersey Department of Education. Accessed June 11, 2008. "In addition to city students, the high school also serves as a receiving school for two rural school districts, Downe and Lawrence Townships."] Students sent to Millville attend Memorial High School for grades 9 and half of the 10th grade and Millville Senior High School for half of the 10th grade through the 12th grade. [Jones, Jean. [http://www.nj.com/southjersey/index.ssf/2008/01/maurice_river_enlists_state_he.html "Maurice River enlists state help in fighting Millville HS tuition increase"] , "South Jersey News Online", January 16, 2008. Accessed June 11, 2008. "He said Millville is unwilling to pass on its need for more funding to its own taxpayers so it is passing the increase on to the sending districts -- Commercial, Maurice River and Lawrence townships and Woodbine."]

Notable residents

Notable current and former residents of Lawrence Township include:
*Ephraim Bateman (1780-1829), represented New Jersey in the United States Senate from 1826 to 1829 and in the United States House of Representatives from 1815-1823. [ [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=B000228 Ephraim Bateman] , "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Accessed August 21, 2007.]
*Benjamin Franklin Howell (1844-1933), represented New Jersey's 3rd congressional district from 1895 to 1911. [ [http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000857 Benjamin Franklin Howell] , "Biographical Directory of the United States Congress". Accessed August 29, 2007.]

References

External links

* [http://www.co.cumberland.nj.us/govtserv/municipalityview.asp?interest=&fldMunicipality=Lawrence+Township Cumberland County webpage for Lawrence Township]
* [http://www.mlp.k12.nj.us/ Myron L. Powell Elementary School]
*NJReportCard|11|2570|0|Myron L. Powell Elementary School
* [http://nces.ed.gov/ccd/schoolsearch/school_list.asp?Search=1&DistrictID=3408370 Data for the Myron L. Powell Elementary School] , National Center for Education Statistics