Ollie Lawson was born in Thomas County, Georgia, USA, on 21 November 1913. She was one of seven siblings, with two sisters and four brothers. Growing up on a farm, she attended a segregated school. However, she left school after completing the sixth grade to help her family by working on the farm and taking on house cleaning responsibilities.

Upon turning 18, seeking greater opportunities, she to Miami, Florida. It was there that she met her future husband, Birden Lawson. They later married and had a daughter, Mildred. The Lawson family eventually moved to Bridgeport and later settled in Stratford, Connecticut. During her time in Connecticut, she served as a deaconess at the First Baptist Church for 24 years.