County:  Adams
Title: Historic Jefferson College, and The Site of the Mississippi Statehood Convention
Submitter: Ellen Pack
Notice:  This file may be downloaded for Personal Use Only, and may not otherwise be printed or copied without prior written consent of the submitter.
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JEFFERSON COLLEGE

Historic Jefferson College was incorporated on May 13, 1802, by an act of the first General
Assemboy of the Mississippi Territory. The school was named in honor of Thomas Jefferson, and
was the first educational institution in the Territory. The first buildings were erected on a portion of 45
acres donated by John and James FOSTER, and Randal GIBSON, and the first classes were held
on January 7, 1811.

In 1830, the college purchased the Methodist Church building which had housed the 1817
Mississippi statehood convention.

The college was closed in 1863, due to the Civil War. Doors were not reopened until 1866. Around
the turn of the century, the school was known as Jefferson Military College. That name was retained
until it's final closing in 1964.

Today Historic Jefferson College is an offical state historic site and is listed on the National Register
of Historic Places. Restoration has been accomplished by the Mississippi Department of Archives
and History, and has been aided by The Friends of Jefferson College, Inc., a non-profit corporation.

Visitors may tour several buildings, one of which includes a visitor reception area, staff offices, and a
small display of photographs, history, and artifacts. A nature trail winds though the woods, and
passes Ellicott Springs, the place of encampment of Andrew Ellicott who, in 1797, surveyed the 31st
parallel to determine the dividing line between the territories of the United States and Spain.
 

              MISSISSIPPI STATEHOOD CONVENTION SITE
 

This monument was erected to designate the site of the Methodist Church, now on the grounds of
Historic Jefferson College in Washington, Adams Co., MS, where the 1817 Statehood Convention
was held. The marker reads:

 DONE IN CONVENTION AT THE TOWN OF WASHINGTON THE 15TH DAY OF
 AUGUST IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD 1817 AND IN THE FORTY SECOND YEAR OF
 THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE UNITED STATE OF AMERICA.

DAVID HOLMES, PRESIDENT OF THE CONVENTION AND DELEGATE FROM THE COUNTY OF ADAMS.

COUNTY OF ADAMS
                    JOSIAH SIMPSON
                    JAS. C. WILKINS
                    JOSEPH SESSIONS
                    JOHN TAYLOR
                    JOHN STEELE
                    EDWARD TURNER
                    CHRISTOPHER RANKIN

COUNTY OF JEFFERSON
                    COWLES MEAD
                    H. J. BALCH
                    J. E. DAVIS

COUNTY OF CLAIBORNE
                    WALTER LEAKE
                    THOS. BARNES
                    DANIEL BURNET
                    J. E. CLARKE

COUNTY OF WARREN
                    H. D. DOWNS
                    A. GLASS
                    FRANKLIN COUNTY
                    JAS. KNOX

COUNTY OF WILKINSON
                    GEO. POINDEXTER
                    DANIEL WILLIAMS
                    ABRAM M. SCOTT
                    JOHN JOOR
                    G. C. BRANDON
                    JOSEPH JOHNSON

COUNTY OF AMITE
                                        WILLIAM LATTIMORE
                                        HENRY HANNA
                                        THOMAS TORRANCE
                                        JOHN BURTON
                                        THOS. BATCHELOR
                                        ANGUS WILKINSON

COUNTY OF PIKE
                                        WILLIAM J. MINTN
                                        DAVID DICKSON
                                        JAMES Y. MCNABB

COUNTY OF LAWRENCE
                                        HARMON RUNNELS
                                        GEORGE W. KING

COUNTY OF MARION
                                        DOUGAL MCLAUGHLIN
                                        JOHN FORD

COUNTY OF HANCOCK
                                        NOEL JOURDAN
                                        AMOS BURNET

COUNTY OF WAYNE
                                        JAMES PATTON
                                        CLINCH GRAY

COUNTY OF GREEN
                                        LAUGHLIN MCKAY
                                        JOHN MCRAE

COUNTY OF JACKSON
                                        JOHN MCLEOD
                                        THOMAS BILBO

                   LOUIS WINSTON - SECRETARY OF THE CONVENTION

THE NAMES OF CATO WEST, DELEGATE FROM JEFFERSON COUNTY, AND JOHN SHAW, DELEGATE   FROM FRANKLIN COUNTY DO NOT APPEAR ON THE ABOVE ROLL OF DELEGATES. JOHN SHAW DIED   DURING THE SESSION OF THE CONVENTION. CATO WEST REFUSED TO SIGN THE CONSTITUION BECAUSE HE OPPOSED THE DIVISION OF MISSISSIPPI AND ALABAMA TERRITORY

END