Franklin County, Mississippi

Franklin County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education

County Seat: Meadville
Year Organized: 1809
Square Miles: 565

Court House:

P.O. Box 297
County Courthouse
Meadville, MS 39653-0297

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Franklin is named for Founding Father Benjamin Franklin. Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706 [O.S. January 6, 1705] – April 17, 1790) was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America. A noted polymath, Franklin was a leading author and printer, satirist, political theorist, politician, scientist, inventor, civic activist, statesman and diplomat. As a scientist he was a major figure in the Enlightenment and the history of physics for his discoveries and theories regarding electricity. He invented the lightning rod, bifocals, the Franklin stove, a carriage odometer, and a musical instrument. He formed both the first public lending library in America and first fire department in Pennsylvania. He was an early proponent of colonial unity and as a political writer and activist he, more than anyone, invented the idea of an American nation and as a diplomat during the American Revolution, he secured the French alliance that helped to make independence possible.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

History

This is one of the oldest of the counties, having been established on the 21st of December, 1809, while David Holmes of Virginia was serving as territorial governor. The County was named after Benjamin Franklin. The original act of the General Assembly recites that the part of Adams included within the following boundaries shall be known by the name of Franklin County:

"Beginning at the point where the basis-meridian line intersects the river Homochitto, and pursuing the said meridian line until it intersects the line dividing the counties of Adams and Jefferson, thence pursuing the last mentioned line to the western boundary of Washington County, thence pursuing the last mentioned line until it intersects the northern boundary of Amite County, thence along the said last mentioned boundary line to the point where it intersects the said river Homochitto, and thence Pursuing the meanders of said river to the beginning."

The county seat is located at the town of Meadville, in the center of the county, named for Cowles Mead, second secretary of the Mississippi Territory.

The County Courthouse burned in 1877, some records were destroyed.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 567 square miles (1,468 km²), of which, 565 square miles (1,462 km²) of it is land and 2 square miles (6 km²) of it (0.38%) is water.

Neighboring Counties:

Jefferson County (north)
Lincoln County (east)
Amite County (south)
Wilkinson County (southwest)
Adams County (west)

Cities and Towns:

- Bude	town	Incorporated Area
- Meadville (County Seat)	town	Incorporated Area
- Roxie	town	Incorporated Area

County Resources:

Enter County Resources and Information Here

County Resource Guide

Counties: US Map

The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic features of our country!"

But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.

Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally, act locally."

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