History of DeSoto County
Desoto County was established on Feb. 9, 1836, and is one of the
twelve counties formed in that year from the Chickasaw Indian
cession of 1832. The county is bounded on the north by Shelby
County, TN, on the south by the counties of Tate
and Tunica,
on the east by Marshall
County and on the west by the Mississippi River and
Crittenden
County, AR. Hernando is the county seat. The area
of Desoto County is about six hundred square miles.
Desoto County was named in honor of Hernando De Soto, the county
seat taking his Christian name. Among
the early settlers were the families of the Condras, Paynes,
Sanders, Cobbs, McMahans, Blockers, Finns, Atelinsons, Browns,
Walkers, Martins, Mitchells, Moselys, and Cartrights.
The Louisville, New Orleans and Texas railroad cross the county on
the west side with the Illinois Central crossing in the center and
east. Some of the towns besides the county seat were: Alpika,
Blythe, Bright, Cedarview, Cockrum, Cublake, Days, De Soto Front,
Eudora, Grover, Horn Lake, Ingram's Mill, Kelly, Lake View,
Lewisburg, Love's Station, Miller, Moorotown, Nesbit, Norfolk, Olive
Branch, Penton, Pleasant Hill and Plum Point.
Courthouse photo used in banner, courtesy of Kenneth &
Jackie Rhodes, 2004
MSGenWeb State Coordinator:
Jeff Kemp
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