To say that William “Bill” Lawrence loves history is an understatement.

As a member of the Gloucester Friends of the Museum of History, the Genealogical Society, and the Historical Society, he serves on the boards and is treasurer of both the Genealogical and the Historical societies, as well as serving as a docent at the museum one day a month.

A genuine scholar and history buff, Lawrence is passionate about learning more about Gloucester County and then recording and writing down as much as possible in his retirement years. Hearing Lawrence speak of so many old places in the county is like listening to a bottomless well of information. He has authored numerous books and has co-authored literally scores of others. All of these books showcase the many places in Gloucester that have been or are related to the community’s history.

Recently, Lawrence was interested in how many old stores were in the county. He knew there were a lot, but after researching and talking with folks, ...