Tidbit # 1

There were several engagements within the boundaries of Jefferson County during the Civil War.

Union Church on Apr. 28, 1862

Fayette  on Nov. 22, Dec. 22, 1863

Griffing Landing on Oct. 24 and Nov. 10, 1863

Rodney on Dec. 17 & 24, 1863

Rodney on March 4, 1863

Clifton Cross Roads on Sept. 29 & Oct. 3, 1864

Red Lick ... Not sure of date. Do you know?

     Although no decisive battles fought within the county, it was the scene of frequent troop movements and heavily damaged by the confiscation of stock and supplies by the Union Army.  There was, however, little burning and destruction.

Anebec

Tidbits # 2

June 1861
The Proclamation of Mr. Reagan, Post-Master General of the Confederate States, announcing that he will take the entire charge and direction of the Postal Service on the first day of June, has the following clause: "Until a postal treaty shall be made with the Government of the United States for the exchange of nai9ls between the Government and the Government of this confederacy, and until suppliers of postage stamps and stamped envelopes are procured for the prepayment of postage under the provisions of the first section of the act approved March 1st, 1861, Postmasters will not be authorized to collect United States Postage on mail matter sent to or
received from those States. "   (found in the WPA papers in Jefferson County)

Anebec

Tidbits # 3

WPA records state "Names have been given to different portions of the county and the inhabitants are known by the different names. Those from near the River are known as people of the Gulf Hills, the North part is known as Red Lick, The North-eastern as Skilletville, the extreme east as Union Church or Scotland, the South as Hominy Ridge or Stampley Town, the southwest as Church
Hill or Maryland Settlement."

Anebec lives near Red Lick

Tidbits # 4

How about this tidbit?

Independence Bluff on Richland Plantation was so called because of political
meetings and military drills held there in the early and stormy days of the county. A Long hill near Fayette is called GRAVELLY HILL because of its chief formation is of gravel. There is a neighborhood called BLUE HILL. The clay is of a blue color. SIX MILE HILL is six miles from Fayette. ROCK HILL near Red Lick is composed chiefly of solid rock. CHURCH HILL is so named because of a beautiful old Episcopal Church located on a hill there. THE BLUFFS PLANTATION lies near the Mississippi River. There are sheer bluffs bordering the river there.
(from WPA records)

Anebec

Tidbits # 5

How about this tidbit?

FAYETTE was named for General LaFayette and selected as the county seat just about the time General LaFayette visited the U.S. for the last time. HARRISTON was named in honor of General Nathaniel Harris, first president of Vicksburg & New Orleans Railroad. RODNEY was named for Judge Thomas Rodney, one of the most popular Territorial Judges. Rodney was first called LITTLE
GULPH and later PETIT GULPH presumably because of a small gulf as the town was located on the Mississippi River. STAMPLEY was named for the early settlers of that name. MCNAIR was named in honor of Dr. A. K. McNair, an early settler there. LORMAN was named for the daughter of the lady who gave the right of way to the railroad.
(So states the info from the WPA papers)

Anebec

Tidbits # 6

How about this tidbit?

The Fayette Female Academy was established in 1827. The Jefferson County Agricultural High School for boys was established in 1884 by Dr. C. W. Grafton.
(So states the WPA records)

Anebec

Tidbits # 7

How about this tidbit?

BEECH HILL ACADEMY and Methodist Meeting House. "By an act to incorporate the Trustees of Beech Hill Academy and Methodist Meeting House, In Jefferson county passed February 6, 1819. Isaac Dunbar, George Barnes, Isaac Scott, William W. Boyd and Isaac A. B. Ross are declared a body corporate by the name and style of the Trustees of Beech Hill Academy and Methodist Meeting House and made capable of raising by subscription or receiving by donations any sum
not exceeding the thousand dollars for the use and benefit of said institution." Revised Code of the Laws of Mississippi at the end of year 1823.

Anebec

Tidbits # 8

How about this tidbit?

Jefferson County Military Organizations serving in the Civil War
13th Inf., Co. A, Charlie Clark Rifles
18th Inf., Co. D. Thomas Hinds Guards
22nd Inf. Co. D. Rodney Guards
4th Cavalry Co. H.
Powers Regt. Cavalry Owen's Scouts
1st Regt. Light Artillery Co. A
1st Light Artillery, Co. K

Jefferson County was well represented in the 'War of Rebellion'

Anebec

Tidbits # 9

For your information:

Jefferson County Officers in 1877 were

Sheriff:  Joseph B. McCormick

Treasurer: J.J. Whitney

Assessor: J. Rives Wade

Surveyor: Dunbar B. Wade

Coroner & Ranger: W.P. McGary

Supervisors:  Dist 1  D. H. Cameron

                    Dist 2  Jno. D. Chamberlain

                    Dist 3  R. F. McGinty

                    Dist 4 Wm. Holmes

                    Dist 5 J. S. Vaughn

Justices of the Peace:  Dist 1  A. B. Cato and D. H. Cameron

                                   Dist 2  W. Sims and S.S. Johnson

                                   Dist 3   J. D. S. Davenport and J.J. Powell

                                   Dist 4   W. C. Nicholls and Robert Cox

                                   Dist 5  J. Millsaps and G. S. Mabbit

Constables  Dist 1 G. W. Cato

Tidbits # 10

The first paper publication in Jefferson County was in Rodney the winter of 1833-34.  Edited by Grafton Baker and published by Thomas Palmer, who for a long time, was connected with different publications in Jackson.  The name of the paper was Rodney Standard.  The press was moved to Fayette about 1836 and edited by W. B. Tebo.

Anebec

Tidbits # 11

The first mention of a road overseer that was found is that of Willie Smith who was appointed overseer of the road from the public square in the Town of Greenville to the north fork of Coles Creek.
In 1811 a jury was appointed to view and lay out a road from William Fairbank's to the mouth of Coles Creek and one from Union Town intersecting the road leading from Selsertown to William Fairbank's with particular regard 'to the old road' which was appointed for the eastern division of the road from Petit Gulph (Rodney) to Red Lick in February of 1812. The jury appointed to view the situation of the road from Greenville to the Petit Gulph to be turned by the new bridge over Coles Creek made their report and the road was established. Another road was from Greenville to Uniontown by the way of Samuel Bullen's.
(WPA records)

Anebec

Tidbits # 12

From the Fayette Chronicle, March 18, 1892

In 1825 Dr. N. L. Bouldin, a Surgeon in the United States Navy who was a
graduate of the Philadelphia Medical College , came to Rodney in Jefferson
County with a view to the practice of his profession. His success was
phenomenal as he at once rushed into a successful and extensive practice, but
the means he employed was so novel that some of the old Doctors who had
retired from the death dealing profession, denounced him as a quack for he
cured all manner of diseases, especially chills and fevers by administering
small doses of a fine white powder which was unknown to the druggist as it
could not be found in the pharmecoposite of that day. The only explanation
that could be given was the magical effect it had on various diseases common
to the country. "He came, He saw" and the disease fled before him. The
charm lay in the fine white powder which has of late years been freely
administered not only by the professional but by the laity - this fine white
powder was only quinine.

Continued in Jefferson County Tidbits # 13

Anebec

Tidbits # 13

(Continued from Tidbit # 12)

From Fayette Chronicle, March 18, 1892

"When quinine was first introduced into Mississippi it sold for $25.00 per
ounce, now it is worth only 75 cents per ounce. It is a universal remedy -
though people do say it not only produces deafness, but affects the brain and
causes a general derangement of the system. The doctors may decide that
question but remember that quinine was introduced in 1825 by Dr. Nathaniel L.
Bouldin."
(Pharmacopoeia by W.A. Watkins - New Orleans, February 20, 1892)

Some more of Mississippi firsts !!!!!

Anebec

Tidbits # 14

A complaint comes to us of the reckless driving of automobiles by Natchez parties who visit the Church Hill District of the county ... More or less frequently and it is stated that some of the these automobiles fail to give warning of their approach and on several occasions have narrowly averted running into vehicles in turning curves. Our information is from a prominent
citizen of the district mentioned and his complaint is well-grounded and our prosperous Natchez neighbors should show the proper consideration for the rights of pedestrians and persons driving teams while visiting this county, as well as respect of the law forbidding a speed greater than twelve miles per hour on the public roads.

(Fayette Chronicle 6 May 1910)
 

Anebec

Tidbits # 15, # 16, # 17 See Greenville

Tidbits # 18

Several have asked locations of different places within the county ... I would suggest that you order the map "ROAD NAMES FOR A RURAL ADDRESSING SYSTEM'" which can be obtained from R. K. Philips, County Surveyor, Rt. 2, Box 78, Fayette, MS 39069. The cost is $7.50 which includes shipping and handling.
For those of you that have that map:

From the various points of reference which were printed in Tidbit # 15, 16 and 17, the location of Greenville would be:

Some of the points of references to it's locations are:
1. Near where Gen Thomas Hinds is buried. Look at Sec 53 T9N R1E . Do you see the cross on the south side of Freeman Road and to the east of Green Mountain Road. THAT is the Hinds cemetery!
2. The Abijah Hunt place was in Sec 11 T9N R1E. Of course, it was much larger than that section, but that is where the cemetery where it is believed that he is buried and the cemetery was on his plantation.
3 . At the intersection of Rodney Road at Hwy 553, there is a Historical marker which indicates that Greenville was located close to there.
4. It shows the 'Proposed Natchez Trace' which is now open from Natchez to Hwy 20 in Hinds County.

Hope you found these Tidbits about Old Greenville to your liking!!

Anebec

Tidbits # 19 See Fayette
 

Tidbits # 20 See Union Town

Tidbits # 21 See Shankstown

Tidbits # 22 See Dennis Cross Roads

Tidbits # 23 See Raccoon Box

Tidbits # 24 See Spring Hill

Tidbits # 25 See Red Lick

Tidbits # 26 & # 27 See Church Hill

Tidbits # 28  & # 29 See Greenville

Tidbits # 30  See Beech Hill Academy

Tidbits # 31 & # 32  See Stonington

Tidbits # 33 The Cheese Factory

In January of 1931 Mrs. Etta Huttenlocher in consideration of $75. sold one square acre of land to Mr. August Lindner for the erection of a cheese factory. The land lay a short distance north of the corporate limits of the town of Fayette on the east side of the gravel road leading from Fayette to
the Poor House. The money was donated by certain citizens of Fayette who wish to encourage the enterprise. Mr. Lindner, after operating the business only a few months, closed the factory and left the county.

Ann Brown

Tidbits # 34 See Population

Tidbits #35 - Some of the Remarkable Early Settlers

Some of the tradesmen in the early developmental years of Jefferson County were:

Plows, axes, and wagons were made at Clifton by Richard Surry, and by Ben Miller at Raccoon Box in the Cane Ridge District.
John Shackleford established a tannery at Uniontown, Dowd's Creek and Ellisland.
Jacob Warner established an extensive manufacture of shoes, but ultimately had to yield to foreign competition.
John H. Shanks had a tan yard at Shankstown.
John Christy was a Silversmith. He made cups and spoons out of silver dollars.
John M. Pintard was both a cabinet maker and carpenter.
Christian Getzendanner made bull whips.
Robert B. Farley manufactured hats.
David Greenleaf had a gin at Selsertown and conducted a successful business until 1807.
Oliver William Fuller who with his sister Harriet taught a female school in 1810 at the Fuller Field whose two brick kilns since have been burned near Red Lick.

This tidbit came from the WPA records!!!

Anebec

Tidbits # 36 - The Harriston Oil Works

On June 29, 1899 the Harriston Oil Works was incorporated with a capitol stock of $20,000. S.R. Ewing was president and W. G. McNair secretary and treasurer for the stock company. A sum of money was borrowed by the company from S. Hirsch of Fayette in 1900 and as the concern was unable to meet the notes, Mr. Hirsch had the property sold at Auction August 5, 1901 at the
County Court House in Fayette. It fell into the hands of J. M. Frankenbush and Sons of New Orleans. The amount paid by Mr. Frankenbush was #5,325. There were other claims amount to $8,564., all satisfied by Frankenbush and sons.

On September 1901 the Jefferson Gin and Oil Works was incorporated at Harriston, MS with a capital of $15,000. / for the purpose of operating a cotton seed oil mill and public cotton gin; to buy cottonseed for manufacturing cotton seed oil, meal or cake, hulls and fertilizer. This mill
operated until 1911 and was owned by Joseph W. Frankenbush and Sons and was sold to Mr. Ewing. (Deed book LLL page 56)

Anebec

Tidbits # 37 - More on Oil Mills

In an article written by D. H. Chamberlain in the Fayette Chronicle of February 18, 1898, he suggested that if the two gins could be consolidated there would be successful exploiting of an oil mill, and industry which would add more to the town than anything. Not only this, but another industry would be added, that of feeding cattle on a large scale.

The contract for erecting the Fayette Oil Mill buildings was awarded to Enochs and Davis of Vicksburg. The building was completed in 1900. It operated until 1906 and was then sold to the Butler Keyse Oil and Fertilizer Company of Birmingham, Alabama. The mill after a just a few years proved to be no longer profitable and this firm shipped the machinery to Birmingham and sold
the buildings to the Fayette Gin and Milling Company in 1912.

The Fayette Gin and Milling Company was incorporated in 1915. (Deed Book RRR, pg 207) James McClure was president of the Mill and Judge Jeff Truly, Vice president. T. B. Stone was the manager.

The Rodney Gin and Oil Company was incorporated in 1899 with a capital stock of $5,000. and continued operations until 1917 when the lands and personal property were sold in Fayette at the front door of the Court House to the highest bidder.
(Fayette Chronicle, April 20, 1917 - Deed Book, HHH, Pg 491)

Anebec
 

Tidbits # 38 - More on Gins & Oil Mills

Prior to 1883 Fayette's nearest gin was on the Coffey place on the outskirts of the town. This was an old fashioned mule powered engine, but the farmers living near by took their cotton there, and by paying toll, had it baled. The summer of 1883 saw quite an improvement in the ginning method. Mr. Joseph Huber, and his son, Willie, came to Fayette from Natchez and erected the first
steam gin in Jefferson County. In the fall it began operations as a public gin.

In 1886 Mr. Huber added a handle factory. In 1895 he sold out to McClure and Harper, Merchants and Cotton Buyers of Fayette, but continued its operation only a few years. The next public gin in Fayette was the Fayette Gin and Milling Company erected by S. Hirsch, Jeff Truly and others..

In 1915 this company incorporated and in the incorporators were: Hirsch, Hicks, Krauss Brothers and Noble. Domiciled in Fayette with a capitol stock of $6,000. "per value of shares $100. period of existence not to exceed fifty year. The purpose to operate a cotton gin, a grist mill, to buy and sell
cotton, corn, cotton seed and all kinds of fertilizers, to buy and sell timber, brick, lumber, shingles and all building material, to buy, sell, and feed all kinds of live stock, to loan or borrow money, and to buy and sell wood and coal."

The Producers Gin and Warehouse Company was incorporated in 1917. It was domiciled at Fayette, Jefferson County, Capital stock $16,000., par value of shares $100. not to exceed fifty years of existence. The purpose, to run and operate a cotton gin, grist mill, public ware house, grind corn and other grains for the public, to buy and sell cotton, cotton seed, corn, peas and all
kinds of grain, feed products and fertilizers; also timber, lumber., cement, brick, shingles, and all kinds of building materials. There were thirteen incorporators, from Fayette and the county.
(Fayette Chronicle August 17, 1917.)

The Union Church Gin was founded in 1899 by L.A. Cato and was later owned by his son Paul Cato. The average number of employees were four with a payroll of about $500. per ginning season. The cotton was marked in New Orleans or Brookhaven and the seed was sold to the Hazelhurst Oil Mill.

So Sayeth the WPA records.

Anebec

Tidbits # 39 - Enuf already on Gins & Oil Mills

The Cannonsburg Gin was founded in 1891 by W. P. Bisland. and after his death was operated by his wife. It was located at Cannonsburg on the Y. & M.V. Railroad. The number of employees were seven during the ginning season, and the payroll amounted to $1,000.

The Stampley Gin was located at Stampley and was founded in 1908 by C. M. Mardis. The number of employees during ginning season was six and the payroll amounted to $500. The cotton was marketed in Fayette and Natchez.

The Producer's Gin and Warehouse Company employed two regular workers, two part time and twenty during ginning season. The annual payroll was $6,887.

The Fayette Gin and Milling Company employed eight regular workers during the ginning season and the annual payroll was $1,238.

In 1899 the first Gin and Oil Mill was established in Rodney by a Stock Company. Later the gin was bought by August Reitze and operated until his death in 1936 at which time it passed into the hands of Vincent Piazza who operated it principally for his own use.

Scott Ellis established a Steam Gin in the 1890's at Lorman. Before 1902 Mr. L. Cohn bought the gin and pressed both round and square bales. The Gin was a up-to-date model and put out hundreds of bales each year. Mr. Cohn came to American from Alsace in 1872 and clerked in Rodney for two years. In 1875 he opened a store in Lorman. The Cohns owned large holdings of real and personal
property in Jefferson County.

Thus endeth the account in the WPA records of the Gins & Oil Mills in Jefferson County.

Ann Brown Anebec

Tidbits # 40 A Honey of a Deal

In 1884 H. B. Shaw of Gum Ridge Plantation established a apiary, and had all the latest patents to aid the busy workers in the manufacture of honey. He had one hundred and seventy stands under the management of an experienced apiarist from Michigan.

A swarm of Italian bees, which he considered superior to our native bees were imported. In 1885 he shipped four hives of bees to Ontario, Canada.

Anebec

Tidbits # 41 Silk Worms in Jefferson County?

A unique industry was carried on in Fayette by Mrs. L. B. Harrison. She became interested in silk culture and purchased a lot of eggs of silk worms to experiment with. After the eggs hatched, the busy little silk makers webbed up, and Mrs. Harrison had a large basket filled with cocoons. Shipment was made to the Woman's Silk Culture Association in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

This article appeared in the Fayette Chronicle, July 2, 1886.

Anebec

Tidbits # 42 - 49 See Mississippi Panic of 1813

Tidbits # 50 See Biography of Colonel John A. Watkins

Tidbits # 51 Misc

From the Fayette Chronicle in the 1960's.
Of the 78,000 Mississippians, who went off to war in the Confederate Service in 1861, more than 59,000 either died or were wounded. That certainly was a huge price to pay for fending southern rights. And that's not to mention the millions of dollars of property damage done by the conflict.
Over 100 years ago the men of this state fought, and as you see, many died for the principle. They took up arms to defend what was right. What a contrast to our present day situation. There is such wide-spread apathy across our country that many people don't even know what a principle is let along stand and fight for one. And what's so ironic is that we all feel so sophisticated in today's educated society and those poor lads in 1861 who went to war to defend their way of life were over 90 percent illiterate! Somewhere along the years we have lost some of the quality to life."

Anebec

Tidbits # 52 - Charlotte County

I found this tidbit in Rowland's MISSISSIPPI, Vol I A-K and thought that it might be of interest.

" This was the western division originally of British West Florida and included Mobile and the country to the Mississippi. Mobile was the seat of government, subordinate to Pensacola. The gulf coast of the present State was a part of it, also Baton Rouge. The gulf coast was opened by treaty with the Choctaws in 1765. After 1770 the Natchez district, to the Yazoo, was added, and the boundary established by treaty with the Indians. The population of the river border rapidly increased, and before 1778, or in that year, the county was divided, and the districts of Manchac and Natchez established."

Anebec

Tidbits # 54 Daniel Beasley

Taken from MISSISSIPPI VOL I by Dunbar Rowland

DANIEL BEASLEY, was a Virginian, who settled in Greenville, Jefferson county, in the early Territorial period, and practiced law. He was also sheriff of the county, an intelligent and popular man, with many personal friends. He had an affair on honor with a Mr. Fry, a rising member of the bar, of the same county. They fought opposite Rodney, and the latter fell. It was peculiarly
distressing, for he was on the eve of marriage with a most beautiful woman. This rendered Beasley very unhappy. He wrote to General Claiborne to obtain a commission in the army. The general appointed him his aide, and Colonel Wood, resigning about this time, Major Joseph Carson became colonel, and Beasley was appointed (by President Madison ) major on February 15, 1813. In command of two companies he was stationed at Fort Mims, where, through lack of vigilance, he was surprised about noon on August 30th, the Indians rushing through an open gate into the fort. Judge Toulmin wrote" Major Beasley was shot through the belly near the gate. He called to the men to take care of the ammunition and to retreat to the house. He went himself to a kitchen, where it is supposed he must have been burned."

Anebec

Tidbits # 55 through # 67  See Minutes of the County Court - July, 1832