|
Mississippi State...
|
|
|
|
|
| |
Mississippi Counties
|
|
Click Image to Enlarge
Mississippi Counties
There are 82 counties in Mississippi. |
|
| |
|
|
Jefferson County, Mississippi
Jefferson County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Fayette
Year Organized: 1799
Square Miles: 519 |
Court House: P.O. Box 145
County Courthouse
Fayette, MS 39069-0145
|
Etymology - Origin of County Name
Jefferson is named for U.S. President Thomas Jefferson.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
Jefferson County was originally known as Pickering, the original county of Jefferson (in the southwestern part of the
State) was established April 2, 1799, by the following proclamation of Winthrop Sargent, the first territorial governor
of Mississippi:
"I do ordain and order by these letters made patent, that all and singular the lands lying and being within
the boundaries of -- the Mississippi Territory * * * should constitute two counties—the division of which shall
be a line, commencing at the mouth of Fairchild’s Creek, and running direct to the most southern part of
Ellicottville; thence easterly along the dividing ridge of the waters of Cole’s and Sandy creeks, so far as the
present settlements extend, and thence by a due east line to the territorial boundary—the southern or lower
division of which is named, and hereafter to be called Adams, and the northern or upper division, the county of
Pickering."
Within its extensive boundaries as thus outlined, were embraced the upper portion of the narrow fringe of white
settlements, along the Mississippi, forming a part of the so-called Natchez District, during the 18th century. It
received its present name January 11, 1802, in honor of President Thomas Jefferson. The County Seat is Fayette
Much of the early emigration to the county came in over the public road known as the Natchez Trace, which ran north
from Natchez through Jefferson County, to the distant white settlements on the Cumberland, Tennessee. This public
road was infested by bandits in the early years of the 18th century The original county site until 1825, was at
Greenville near the mouth of Cole’s Creek, but no trace of the old town remains. Greenville was the fourth station
from Natchez on the old Natchez Trace, distant about 28 miles.
The Old courthouse burned in 1990, A majority of records were saved, though some of the "saved" records were later
lost.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 527 square miles (1,365 kmē), of which, 519
square miles (1,345 kmē) of it is land and 8 square miles (20 kmē) of it (1.48%) is water.
Neighboring Counties:
- Claiborne County (north)
- Copiah County (northeast)
- Lincoln County (southeast)
- Franklin County (south)
- Adams County (southwest)
- Tensas Parish, Louisiana (west)
Cities and Towns:
|
- Fayette
(County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
|
|
County Resource Guide
|
|
|
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." |
|
|
| |
|
