The town is named after William Lawrence, an early land owner.

The Town of Lawrence is on the eastern border of the county and is east of Potsdam.

Settlers began arriving in the region shortly after 1800, but many left permanently to Vermont and New Hampshire during the War of 1812, leaving only five families in the town, who often survived off of venison due to difficulty reclaiming farmland at the time.

A state road constructed through the region in 1827 helped renew settlement of Lawrence.

New York State Route 11B cuts across the southeastern corner of the town.