The Lawrence Paper Manufacturing Company was incorporated in 1882, with Lawrence, Kansas-based entrepreneur and industrialist Justin DeWitt Bowersock named as president of the company. The first paper mill west of the Mississippi River originally manufactured wrapping paper from straw. By the end of the 19th century, the mill was experimenting with manufacturing paper boxes.

In 1901, Bowersock turned management of the Lawrence Paper Manufacturing Company over to his sons-in-law, Irving Hill and Paul Dinsmoor, serving respectively as manager and assistant manager. Hill was interested in further experimenting with new product lines, and the company began selling corrugated paper boxes under the name Jayhawk to whisky distillers in Kansas City and the mason jar manufacturers Ball Brothers of Muncie, Indiana. The company also captured paper box manufacturing for the canned food industry and expanded into other areas, including creating moisture-resistant boxes for shipping meat and eggs.

After World War II, Lawrence Paper Manufacturing Company expanded its manufacturing operations to a plant in Fremont, Nebraska. In 1957, Justin Hill, Sr. took over as president of the company from his father Irving, and in 1969 Justin, Sr.'s son Alan became vice president. Alan Hill took over as president in 1978, and his son Justin Hill, Jr. became president in 2004.

The company further expanded operations in 1986, when Perry Manufacturing was founded in Perry, Kansas. Lawrence Paper Company sold Perry Manufacturing in 2008 and acquired American Packaging Company in 2012.

[Information retrieved from Lawrence Paper Company, "Our History," available at https://lpco.co/history/.]