History of Mississippi
Scott County
Submitted by:  Dawn Wells

Was established December 23d, 1833, and so named in honor of governor Abram M. Scott.  The commissioners appointed to organize the county were John J. Smith, Gilbert, Gore, James S. Jolly, Samuel Hawthorn, Morgan McAfee, F. Carr, Joe Bogan, John R Dunn, D. W. Hopkins, Sr., John P Smith, Robert Laird James Boykin and James Furlow.

The following persons were appointed by sad commissioners members of the board of police:  John Dunn James Russell, Wade H. Holland, Stephen Berry and Jeremiah B. White.  The board met on the 7th day of April, 1834, and organized by electing John Dunn, president, and Stephen Berry, clerk pro tem.

The first election held in the county was on the 18th and 19th of April, 1834.  John Smith was elected sheriff, and Nicholas Finley, clerk.  The first probate judge was Wm. Ricks.  The first county site was Berryville, three mile south of Forest.

Volney E. Howard, a gentleman of varied accomplishments, by profession a lawyer, a native of Maine, was he second member of the Legislature from Scott county.  After the adjournment of that body, he remained at Jackson, and in connection with his brother, Bainbridge Howard, purchased the Mississippian and edited that journal for some time.  Owing to political differences he became involved in a duel with Joseph Boschell, a bright man and journalist, in which the latter was seriously wounded.  For similar cause he fought a duel with ex-Governor Runnels and was himself seriously wounded.  Mr. Howard filled the position of law reporter with credit to himself and honor to the State.  He left Mississippi long years ago and located in Texas, from which State he was elected to Congress.  Subsequently he removed to California, where he became prominent and distinguished as a lawyer, and where he died last year.

The following were among the early settlers of the county, to-wit:  Major R. W. Roberts, who is remembered as a prominent and worthy citizen, and elected to Congress before the formation of Congressional Districts; John J. Smith, Landon Butler, Duncan Smith, George D. Keahey, S. J. Denson Stephen Berry, Jonathan Summers, Alfred Eastland, Abner Lack, Mesback Patrick, Joseph Hunt, William Ricks, J. B. White, J. M. Finley, Cullen C. Coward, Thomas Segreath, Gabe Fields, Thomas Say, Isaac Carr; the late A. B. Smith, familiarly known as "Dick Smith," son of John J. Smith was the first white child bon in Scott county;  he was regarded by his professional brethren as  an excellent criminal and land lawyer; was the father-in-law of Col. Thomas B. Graham, who is now, and has been for fourteen years, chancellor of the eighth chancery district.

The county site was established in 1836 at Hillsboro, which was well located, and grew to be  prosperous, thrifty little town.  The courthouse remained there for thirty years, when it was removed to Forest on the Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad, which is a trading point for a considerable area of country.

In addition to the towns mentioned in the county, there are Morton, Lake and Harpersville; the two first are immediately on the Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad, and do a very satisfactory mercantile business.  Harpersville is especially noted for its educational facilities; it does now, and has for years, maintained a most excellent school, which is liberally patronized by the people of the surrounding country.

The principal streams in the county are Strong and Leaf rivers; Tusealameta, Tala Bogue, Nutuckala, Shockala and Coffee Bogue Creeks.

The Vicksburg and Meridian Railroad runs through the county about twenty-five miles.

The bottom and prairie lands produce well, and the hill lands by fertilization give remunerative crops.  The people are contented and prosperous.

Scott county has 42,238 acres of cleared land; the average value per acre as rendered to the assessor, is $5.38.  The total alue of cleared lands, including incorporated towns, is $305,164.

The population of this county as shown by the census report of 1890; Whites 6,917; colored, 4,700; total, 11,617.