Hinds County, Mississippi

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

Etymology - Origin of County Name

Hinds is named for U.S. Congressman from Mississippi Thomas Hinds. Thomas Hinds (January 9, 1780 - August 23, 1840) was a politician from the U.S. state of Mississippi.

Born in Berkeley County, Virginia (now West Virginia), Hinds would later move to Greenville, Mississippi. He served as major of cavalry in the War of 1812 and distinguished himself at the Battle of New Orleans, later being brevetted brigadier general for gallantry.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick Facts

County History

Hinds County was created on February 12, 1821. It was named in honor of Gen. Thomas Hinds, who, with General Jackson, were the United States Commissioners appointed to treat with the Choctaws and obtain the cession noted. The Legislature of the State of Mississippi passed an act declaring that

"all that tract of land ceded to the United States by the Choctaw Nation of Indians on the 18th day of October, 1820, and bounded as follows, that is to say: Beginning on the Choctaw boundary, east of Pearl River, at a point due south of the White Oak Spring on the old Indian path; thence in a direct line to a black oak standing on the Natchez road, about forty poles eastward from Doak’s Fence, marked A. J., and blazed with two large pines, and a black oak standing near thereto, and marked as pointers; thence a straight line to the head of Black Creek, or Bogue Loosa, to a small lake; thence a direct course so as to strike the Mississippi one mile below the Arkansas River; thence down the Mississippi to the mouth of the Yazoo River; thence along the line heretofore known by the name of the Indian Boundary line, to the beginning, shall be, and is hereby directed and established into a new county, which shall be called and known by the name of Hinds County."

Many Counties were formed from Hinds County. On January 21, 1823, the legislature created Yazoo County out of Hinds, and by the same act the county of Copiah. A little later, February 4, 1828, from all that portion of Hinds County lying east of the Pearl River, the county of Rankin was erected. And on February 5, 1829, Hinds County surrendered “the fractional township seven, in ranges two and three—to be attached to Madison County.” Out of these several counties many other counties have been created, so that Hinds is indeed the "mother of counties."

The county seat was at Clinton for a short time, but on February 4, 1828, the Legislature ordered the election of five commissioners to locate a site for a court house, and they were directed to put it in Clinton or within two miles of the center of the county. This center was found within two miles of Raymond and was marked by a large stone; next year, by act of the legislature, Raymond was made the county seat. Here the old records of the county are kept, though courts are also held at the capital, Jackson, the county being divided into two court districts. The capital of the State was located at Jackson within its borders, November 28, 1821,

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 877 square miles (2,272 km²), of which, 869 square miles (2,251 km²) of it is land and 8 square miles (21 km²) of it (0.93%) is water.

Neighboring Counties:

• Madison County (northeast)
• Rankin County (east)
• Copiah County (south)
• Claiborne County (southwest)
• Warren County (west)
• Yazoo County (northwest)

Cities and Towns:

County Resources:

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