xt7gms3k0n7t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt7gms3k0n7t/data/mets.xml Forrest County, Mississippi Mississippi Historical Records Survey 1938 Prepared by The Historical Records Survey, Division of Women's and Professional Projects, Works Progress Administration; Includes bibliographical references and index; v, 140 pages, 28 cm; UK holds archival copy for ASERL Collaborative Federal Depository Program libraries; Call number Y 3.W 89/2:43 M 69i/no.18 books English Jackson, Mississippi: The Survey This digital resource may be freely searched and displayed in accordance with U. S. copyright laws. Mississippi Works Progress Administration Publications Inventory of the County Archives of Mississippi, Number 18 Forrest County (Hattiesburg) text Inventory of the County Archives of Mississippi, Number 18 Forrest County (Hattiesburg) 1938 1938 2015 true xt7gms3k0n7t section xt7gms3k0n7t I   I . A V     .   I  VV'     Q · I __&      C I · _ _ ` > .    ZS I »         I
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T2;   , 1 
J INVENTORY OF THE COUNTY ARCHIVES l
ll _ at OF NHSSISSIPPI
®@ Prepared by `
_Q? The Historical Records Survey
iQ} Division of Nomen’s end Professional Projects
~ V fi Works Progress Administration i
tR$? No. 18. FORREST COUNTY (HATTIESBURG)
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T     ‘ _ . UK LIBRARIES,
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  Jackson, Mississippi
r_‘”j§# l The Historical Records Survey
yW{ June, 1958
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The Historical Records Survey he
th
Luther H. Evans, National Director pu
Ci C. Fisher, State Director BI-
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{ Division of Women's and Professional Projects it
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Ellen S. Woodward, Assistant Administrator th;
J Ethel Payne, State Director Cn
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i WORKS PROGRESS ADMINISTRATION hi:
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  Harry L..Hopkins, Administrator as
Roland B. Wall, Deputy Administrator in Charge _ wh:
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9 ? 

 { .
4 FOREWORD
Q The Invsqggrx of Qggggx Archiggg gg Missiggippi ia one of a number of bibliog~
;‘ raphies of historical materials prepared throughout tho United States by workers on
¥ the Historical Records Survey of tho‘Jorks Progress Administration. The publication
V herewith presented, an inventory of the archives of Forrest County, is number 18 of
the Mississippi series.
The Historical Records Survey was undertaken in the winter of 1935-36 for tho
purpose of providing useful employment to moody unomployod historians, lawyers, touch-
crs, and research and clorical workers. In carrying out this objective, thc projoct
was organized to compile inventories of historical matcridls, particularly tho un-
published government documents and records which are basic in the administration of _
local govcrnmcmt, and which provide invaluable data for students of political, ooo-
nomic, and social history, Tho archival guido horowith prcsontod is intended to moot
thc requirements of day-to-day administration by thm officials of the county, and also
thc needs of lawyers, business mon and other citizens who roquirc facts from thc pub-
lic records for thc propor conduct of their affairs. Tho volume is so dosignod that
it can bo used by the historian in his rasodrch in unprintod sourccs in the camo way
ho uocs tho library card catalog for printud sources.
d Tho inventories produced by tho Historical Rocordx Survey dttompt to do mor;
than givc morcly a list of rocords - they dttcmpt further to skotch in tho histori-
cal background of the county or othor unit of govcrnmout, and to describe procisoly
and in dctuil tho organization and functions of tho government igoucios whoso records
they list. Tho county, town, and other local inventories for the ontiro country will,
when completed, constitute an encyclopedia for local govcrnmont as wcll as u bibliog-
raphy of local archivcs.
Tho successful conclusion of tho work of the Historical Records Survey, cvon in
l a single county, would not bc possible without tho support of public officials, tho
historical and logdl spocialists, and many othor groups in fno community. Thoir co-
operation is gratefully acknowlodgod. .
The Survey wzs organized and hgc boon directed by Luther H. Evans, and opsrat-s
as m natiou·widc project in the Divicion of Woman's and Profossionxl Projects, of
8 1 which Mrs. Ellen S. Woodward, Assistcnt Administrator, io in chzrgc.
Harry L. Hopkins
q Administrxtor
V _

 PREFACE
Work on the Historical Records Survey began in Mississippi in February 1936
____ es e part of the program of the Federal writers’ Projects. In November 1935 the
* Mississippi Survey became e seperate unit of Federal Project N0. 1 end in July 1937
T",‘- G. C. Fisher, editor-in—chief, was made stste director.
T*‘d"“·· To attain its general objective the Survey in Mississippi has examined, thor-
·"· °o oughly and carefully, records kept by state, county, and municipal governments. In
_ addition, preliminary lists of historical manuscripts, msps, and early imprints in
`·_ private and unofficial collections have been prepered. Much has been accomplished
`“"? ···``· in locsting end inventorying the records of all churches in ell counties. In cone
;"€" pleting this particular task the Survey will include the records of defunct churches
jfli " if it is possible to locete them.
H ,re~», In Mississippi the Survey has stressed the completion of e stete-wide exami-
°°°*_“ nation of county records with the view to preservinp them, making them more acces-
·‘° ¥f’ sible, and disclosing their intrinsic value in the development of Mississippi as
· * 'TA s Territory and e state. The Survey plans to publish the Inventory of the County
*· ‘°`· ”** Archives of Mississippi in 82 units, one for exch county in the stctE;--EEch unit
~*“ ~ will be numbered separately from l to B2, its number depending on the relative po-
t·· ` sition of the county in an alphabetical list of ell counties. The inventories of
V the state archives, of nwnuscript collections, of church records, of eerly imprints,
‘Y , end of municipal end other local records will be published separately.
·   ’·” By sssemblinr and preparing concise, deteiled inventories of, and guides to,
**7 · the srchives of all counties, the Survey will make available e series of publications
;* L-·' which will: display for comparison the records system of the 82 counties of the state
** ~ Q? the study of which may lead to the sdoption of e simplified, standardized method of
V*’t keeping records which will eliminate unnecessary and overlapping records; give e com-
prehensive medium which will familiarize the general public with history es it is
shown by the records, and arouse interest in it; end help office holders to n better
*» `· understanding of the exact scope of their office records and show them the record
: Assessments.
· II.  IIOIOIIIIIIlnlltllllfllilllltllr•••••|••••\•••l|I|•1•••  
JV Land Deeds. Mortgages and Deeds of Trust on Land. Chattel
gi xp Deeds and Deeds of Trust. Sixteenth Section Records.
fQfi“ _i.V’ Homesteads. Tax Sales and Releases. Corporations. Dis-
*lf'H charge Record. Maps. Miscellaneous.
_ III. Clerk of the Chancery Court ..... ............. ................ .. 54
I Case Records. Dockets and General Court Records. Pro-
·_"· ceedings. Fees. Newspapers. Wills and Estates.
IV. Clerk of the Circuit Court ..... .............. J ........ . ........ 59
Case Records. Dockets and General Court Records. Pro-
ceedings. Judgments. Grand Jury Records. Juvenile
Records. Naturalization. Protests. Fees. Certificates.
Bonds. M rriage Records. Licenses.
V. County Court . ................... . .............................. 48
case Records, Affidavits. Dockets and General Court
l Records. Proceedings. Judgments. Fees.
VIC         OII|l•|I|I|•IlIQQOIIIOIIIOIIIOIII••||lO•II|  
' Q Case Records. Dockets. Reports.
_ VII!    •••l|IIOC!OlOOQIOIIUOOOUOOIIOOIIUOQO  
    OIOOIIOO•IthOIOI||••|¢|¢l§•||•IIIIIi|O•OOOlU|••|OOO••I•Ol  
Dockets. Write and Executions. Prisoners. Fees.
4     IX'   I|••l•O¢••)•§|•||•••¤|••••h•|I•O••••|OO|IO|•QIOOl•|I|• A  
XU  lIUOIIIOIOOOOI|!•OIOttlII|•$h||I•l•••O||l•••l•|•|•••lI•I  
.' Dockets.
H.   lI|•tI•III••l•I|!l••lOIIIII¤lIl•I|••••••1•••••••••II  
Assessments. Tax Rolls. Homestead Exemptions. Nbps.

 - 3 -
T$d@OfCWN@WS
P6-gc
V      IIOIIOIOIIIOII•••IIIIQ••II|•I|I|l•III••i•||•OI•I||  
Cash Receipts. Repcrts. Tex Receipts. Licenses. Ccrres—
pendence.
        OICOIIOOU•I•|l•II••IIO•IO•••|•||IlI||••||•  
Dcckcts and Ledgers.
XIV!   I|IIlI||•|l•Il¤I|•I••|••n||Il•i•••O••n•••I•I•A•t|•t|•|  
Registrstien end Pell Reccrds.
XV. Superintendent ef Educsticn ........ ................. . ......... . 84
Administrntive. Einsncinl. Teachers. Reports. In-
surance. ngriculturel High Scheel. Scheel Children.
Adult Education. Correspondence
XVI. Heslth Department ........................ I ......... ... ........ .. 95
Reperts. Vital Statistics. Exsmineticns. Cem»
municeble Diseases. Immnnizeticns. Isbcretery
Reports. Miscelleneeus.
XVII. Pension Beard of Inquiry ....... ................................ 97
 |   OI•lO|iOI|OlIIIIQ•I|lOI••••••••|l•|¤O•••¤••¤••|I••l•••I  
XIX!     I•|Il||||ilQ••lI•|Il•¢•O|I•••••••I•I••||l•I!••n•  
H0   •llII•ilI•O•II•••|IllllDOI;|In•••I•l|•••l•¤••|I|••••••|I•  
XXI. Ccunty Agent ...... . ........................................ .... 102
_ Getten Centrcl. Repurts.
_ XXII. Home Demenstrntien Agent .. ................. . ................... 104
Appendix
Chart cf Government cf Forrest County .. ......... . ..... ......... 10A
Bibliegrsphy ..... .................................. . .......... . 106
List nf County Officials . .................................... .. 108
Chrenelegical Index ..... .... · ..... . ............................. 112
‘ Index te Inventcry Entries .... .... . ........................... . 117
Index te Ceunty History end Office Essays ..... ............. .... 132

 1 (First entry, p. 24)
V 1. HISTORICAL SKETCH
· Forrest County was created from the Second Judicial District of Perry County
by un act 0f‘ths lsgislnturs approved April 19, 1906 (Q. Q., QQQQ, pp. l7¢—l79;
ssc u1s0 Governmental Organization und Records System, p. 7, igjrg.) Brought into
existence during the saw mill and lumber srn of South Mississippi, th; economy of
ths county has been predominantly industri;1 nlthough ugriculturs hgs not bscn un-
' important. Forrest County wzs named in honor of Confzdcrnts Gennril Nxthpn Bedford
Forrest, fnmous Sguthgrn cavalry lender, The act creiting the county provided
that Huttiesburg, n fast-growing lumbsring and r;i1r0;d csntpr, sh0u1d be the county
’ ss t. This city was the suwt of justice of the Second Judicial District of Perry
County fermcd in 1892 (Q. Q., 1§2g, pp. 392-394).
The county is situnted in south-cnntr;1 Mississippi in the midst of the Long
Loaf Pins Bclt and is A regulgr p c,,. rnllslogrum with nn ;r;1 of 462 square miles. It
wns first 2 part of Washington County which was established by pr0c1&uuti0n 0f Gov-
crnor Winthrop Sirgsnt June 4, 1800 ns the third county in the Mississippi Territory
CTOu1min‘s Digest, 1§Q1, p. 3). This county smbrecsd x11 the c0untry·;xtending east
‘ from the Pcnrl River to the Ghuttmhoocheu River - now the cnstern u0und;ry of Alannmi
- and north from thy 31st p;r;11e1 to the nerthurn boundery of the Territory, just
nbovs thc 32nd p;rn11e1. From this vist county containing appruximutoly 2,600 square
miles, 18 counties in Mississippi nnd 29 counties in Alnbamx hzve been formed wholly
or in part. (Thomas Mcndory Owen, Qggtggg gf ggggggg, Chic&g¤, 1921, 4 v0lS·, vul-
` ‘ 11, p. 138).
‘
‘ °'· Although thistxpnnse of 1nnd was c1;imed for thu Tcrritnry, it did not actu-
__ ;11y coms into the possession 0f thu Unitzd Stntes until 1805 when its n.tive owners,
‘ ni thc Choctaw Indians, cudsd it to the guvcrnn.nt us the culminntien of the first move
made to extinguish Indian titles within the limits ef the Territory. The Louisiana
A Purchase ef 1803 (Q St t. L., Treutigs, pp. 200-13), created tn; need for A southern
. route to New Orlsuns nnd Nntcnez. On Nuvnmbur 16, 1805, Mount Baxter, situated nezr
the present town of Macon in Ngxuben County, wns the scans of 1 trugty whereby the
Chcctaws grnntcd the United States 4,374,244 acres uf land lying in the extremc south-
1 ern part of thc Territory above the 31st par 1101 ind including present—uny Forrest
1 C0UHty (1 §jg§, Q., pp. 98-100). This trusty, known gs thc First Chcctgw Gcssinn,
I throw nsw lnnds open tn whit, settlement, mgus pessible tha wastwnrd extension ef Q
V pest rend from Ggnrgia (2 gint. Q., pp. 338, 397), und sapsrutcd the Indiens from
the tr0ub1u·msking Spaniards who still held Florin . (Clarence Edwin Csrter, @gg_
Tcrrit2ri;1 Eggers gi Egg United St;tE§,‘J;shingtnn, 1937, 5 vols., v01. V, The Mis-
1 sissippi Territory, pp. 317-18, 45ZT;
Greunc County was organized in this gra; un Deczmbsr 9, 1811 (Turn;r's Qiglgt,
1816, p. 105) ;ni from it sn Fsbrugry 3, 1E2O Purry County wuz formed (Q. M., 1§gQ,
pp- 27-28). In 1906 the liuits of the tnrritnry t ken from Perry County tc creato
Forrest County were described is "Beginning gt the n rthunst csrner of Twwnship 5
north of range 12, west of St. 5t0phsn's Meridi n, thun running ssutn eleng the line
A dividing ranges 11 and 12 to the scuthwsst corner ef township 1, scuth nf range 12,
west, then running west 410ng the 1in; dividing Harrison -nd Parry Counties to the
southwest earner sf township 1, south of r ng; 1}, west, thqn running elong the lins
dividing Pearl River Cgunty ini Perry Cuunty te the southwest cirnsr ef tcwnship 5,
Hcrth of rnnge 14, nest, than running znst ;1cng the 1in; diviiing Perry and L&m;r
C©unti0S to thn southwest egrnsr gf snii 1;st nimel tuvnship, then running ilong the
line dividing Perry nn; Limzr Counties, tz the northwest cernur of snid 1ust Coun-
tics, te thc point cf beginning" (&. E., 12QQ, chant. 165, pp. 174-179). In 1912
ML

 Historical Sketch A (First entry, p. 24)
the townships on the southern border were mods part of Stone County established at
that time (L. M., ljlg, p. 403). Otherwise, the boundaries of Forrest County have
not been changed and at present it is delimited on the north by Covington and Jones
T- Counties, on the east by Perry County, on the south by Stone County, and on the west
Q. by Lamar and Pearl River Counties.
·. " Until they relinquished their title to the region, the Choctaw Indians used it
e.‘ »- " T chiefly as s hunting ground. It was not until the early l880's that farmers and tro-
V “*»,—i dors penetrated the upper portions of the Piney Woods along the Leaf River and its
;" · tributary creeks.
c JF . In 1841 Col. J. F. H. Claiborne, pioneer Mississippi historian, described the
,° ’=·’ section in tho following stylistic langu&go= "This country is thinly sottlsd and
adapted chiofly to gruzing. It is intorsectod by large crooks that afford fine wa-
` tsr power, more thon two-thirds of tho land yot belongs to tho government and will
C.? ‘ .. not bo entered for years to como at prossnt prices. Much of it is covered exclu-
-" . sively with tho long loaf pine; not broken, but rolling liko thc waves in the mid-
‘ ` ’;»‘- dle of the grunt occan. Tho gross grows three foot high and hill and volley ore
‘· ,’“‘ , studded all over with flowers of ovory hue. Tho flora of this section of the St te
J; TQ and thonco down to tho ssa board is rich ooyond doscription..,..Thousonds of cattle
-; ;i ·~ are grazed here for market. Tho unbroken forcsts abound with gone. The red door
.» .t·.- troop along by dozens; for miles tho wild turkeys run bofors you in the road, and
g Rn., the sharp whizzing of the startled portridge is constantly on the cdr. But for
* _ { . this panorama of life, the solitude of o rido through this region would be painful,
‘ ; ,g . The houses on the road stand from ton to twonty miles apart; thc cheering mile posts
and the gossipping trovoler are seldom mot with; thc ormloss pines look gaunt and
,*‘1` spectral and fill sadly on the soul.....Tho people sro for the most port pastoral,
y ~ r·. their herds furnishing their chief revenue.
_ .. "No rogord is paid to diet or woothor. The houses are chiefly built of logs,
~· p&rtly left unchinkod it all scosons of tho your; grost ousntitioo of fruit oro
· consumed; tho cotton ond corn fiolds oro planted over with melons of miich all eat
- . with impunity and frequently as they are pluckod,vJ;rm from the sun; many of tho
c A men spend days in tho woods herding cottlo or door stalking; and they swim wdtor
,5 . courses and catch the dronching winter rnhis without thinking of hot toms, warm
, *] - _ biths, and dry clothes to koop thom from taking cold. The univcrsdl practice is `
t ,_ to let tho drenchod girments dry on tho system. All ogos plunge with impunity
- into the strooms, und tho children and the ducks live in tho vmtor together. Yot
- C there is little or no sickness, scarcely ever a fever, not & doctor within fifty
· ;· miles; tho mon ure robust, dctivo, and long—livod; tho women beautiful, ond the
s ` M - children lively as crickets and ruddy os rosobuds.....Lund may bo had At govern-
A ment prices, or improved with comfortdblo cobins, 2 fino spring and g clearing
—; may be had ot i smell advance. The most juicy and richly flavored griss—fod beef
S _Q Gin be had at threo or four conts; buttor at o bit o pound; eggs and fouls, po-
,T»_.:,’ titoes, sto., at a more song; choose for u trifle; venison for thc shooting of it;
V . V and an owner of five hundred or ons thousand hood of cittli will thunk you for
_· · V ponniug, milking, and silting his cows. It is litorully d loud of "milk ond hon-
-- , Gy"-·f0r the wild boo builds hor nest in mdny L hollow troe, und hives by the
= dozen g@rnish tho giblo onds of ovory farm houso." (J. F. H. Claiborne, "A Trip
- Through the Piney Woods", in Publicdtions of tho Mississippi Historical Socioty,
3 _ Franklin L. Riley, cd., Oxford, Miss., 1906, l0 vols., vol. IX, pp. 5l4—l6).
V There was no concontrction of pepuliticn in the lend new Forrost County un-
til after the New Orleans and North Edstorn Rqilrood, new g;rt of thc Southern
~ T V R&ilWoy System, was projected through South Mississippi in 1882 from New Orlonns

 C Historical Sketch ‘ (First entry, p. 24)
.1 - .4 northeast to Mcridian in Mississippi. The railroad ostabliohod a round house, ro-
—» pair shop, and rcluy station which was the beginning of thc villwgc that grow into
j; —__ tho city of Hattiesburg. (Dunbur Rowlund, giggiggippi, Tn; ggpgt gg tgp Qgutn,
~ ._g Chicago, 1925, 4 vols., vol. II, p. 721). Tho most uctivo development followed tho
" completion in 1897 of tho Gulf and Ship Island Railroad botwoon Hattiesburg and tho
ze' port of Gulfport on tho Mississippi gulf const. This railroad cncrtorod by ttm otgto
_j- ¢. , in 1882 (E. Q., 1882, pp. 849-62), bocouse of financial difficulties occosiomod by
‘·;’tr, its failure and inability to obtain titlo to govornmont granted londs, had boon 15
; _,yl-,, yohrs in connecting tho Forrest County rogion with a nourby outlot for its yollow
pino lumb r. Onco finishod howovor, tho railroad trunsformod tho section into ono
J groot, roaring, 1umb.r camp with hundrods of saw mills.
‘_,,4y~ In 1900 Captain J. T. Jonos of Buffalo, Now York, ono of tho first northorn
._ ~· capitalists to moko heavy financial investments in Mississippi, purchuood tho rail-
- :~_ road. (Soo "Historicol Sketch" in lnvontory gg tho Qpugty ggggiggg gg Qiggigpippi,
— ‘» Q2. 24, Qgggiggg County, Qulfpggt, Jackson, Miss.)— Undor this now ownorship, tho
I l - rood was extended northwest to Jackson znd u br nch line was built from Muxio, o
.~ _, town south of Hattiosburg, wost to Columbia in Marion County, thon northwost to`
· _ Mendenhall in Simpson County, south of Jackson, to connect with tho main lino, thus
·» 1 giving Hottiosburg and Forrest County comploto north to south transportation and
._ ._ m;king Hattiesburg o financial, roilroud and commoricol center (Rowland, gp. git.,
· ;. P- 722)-
»_·. Tho rapid risc of Forrost County was tho diroot result of tho oxploit;tion of
‘ tho virgin st;nd of long luuf nr jollow pino. In comp1ris>n oith the clonri g of
land for lumbor tho clozring of land for farming was negligible ulthough by 1920
the valuo of firm proporty in tho county wiz $3,373,000 and tho v;1uo of its crops
w&S $1,070,000 (ipiQ.). AS tho timbor was out 1 flourishing m;v-1 stores business
p dovolopod, turpontino, resin, and pino tar being tho chiof products. Tho output
.9 of yellow pine through tho port of Gulfport in 1912 umountod to 19,035,353 foot,
_ much of this footago coming from tho Forrcot County aroa, and by 1917 tho ovorngc
= ,,_ export of lumbar through tho port wax $00,000,000 foot por yogr (Mixsiosippi Deport-
;_   mont of Apchivoscnnd History, Miosigoippi gggigigl ung$j:tisticg1 gggigtgr, Jackson,
_; Mios., 1917, p. 967). It is sgfo to assume that on olmost ogunl amount of lunmor
rt was shippod north entirely by r.il ,·,‘ during tho SAHO period. Evidence of tho furieus
I · 0,» .&ctivity of tho lumboring industry is tho fuct thut there woro 53 otuticns on 160 l
. 7 miles of mainlino of the Gulf gnd Ship Island Railroad, most of thom saw mills and
_ yy Sow mill towns. (Soo “Historico1 Skotch" in lgyontiry pj tgp Cougtg Avchiqgg gg
· A yipsiosippi, Q2. 24, ggrrison Countv, Gulfport, Jlckscn, Miso.)* —
1 ;_ _ In 1900 tho population of Perry County, including tho Socond Judicial District
` .__ which bocamo Forrest County in 1908, was 14,692. In 1910 tho combinod population
: , of Porry County and Forrost County was 28,407, on incroxso of 13,725 or 93.5 porcont
_. (Thirtoonth Consus of tho Unitod States, 1910, Populution, vol. II, tiblo I, p. 1029).
A_ Tho popu1;tion of Hottiosburg in 1890 was 1,172, ind in 1900 w;S 4,175 (Twelfth Con-
iv _ _ _ SUS of tho United S*.;.;;t·;:s, 1900,   vol. I, port I, tublo 5, p. 254). In
,_'· ·A 1910 it hud grown to 11,7}} (Thirtconth Census of tho Unitod Stetos, 1910, Populotipn,
_,:yY Vol. II, tnbl; II, p. 1060), in 1920 woo 1},270 und in 1930 mus 18,601 (Fiftconth
_ i4~ Consus of tho Unitod Btotos, Popul tion, vol. III, port 1, tghlo 12, p. 1281). Tho
itu .1 coming of tho rnilroud ·t.· rnd the dovolopmont of tho lumbor i