First Administration of Old Tishomingo County 1836

(Information taken from History of Tishomingo County, published by Corinth Herald Newspaper in 1903. Original manuscript for this publication is housed at the ACGS library. Typed and submitted by Vicki Burress Roach.)

The State legislature, on February 9, 1836, passed an act dividing the lands ceded to the government by the Chickasaws, lying in the State of Mississippi, into ten counties-Tishomingo, Tippah, Marshall, Desoto, Tunica, Panola, Fayette, Pontotoc, Itawamba and Chickasaw. The boundary of Tishomingo was declared as follows:

"Beginning at the point where the line between townships six and seven intersects the eastern boundary of the State, and running with the said boundary line to the Tennessee River; thence down the said river to the point where the northern boundary line of the State intersects the same; thence with the said northern boundary line to the line between ranges five and six east of the basis meridian; thence south with the said range line to the line between townships six and seven; thence east with the said township line to the beginning,: containing an area of 923,040 acres. An act to organize Tishomingo county, approved February 14, 1836, provides as follows:

"Be it enacted by the legislature of the State of Mississippi, that the following persons be and they are hereby appointed commissioners to organize the county of Tishomingo, to-wit: Peter G. RIVES, James DAVIS, James McMATTHEWS and A.M. COWAN and full power is hereby given to said commissioners, at any time after the passage of this act, to organize said county in the most speedy manner, and according to such rules and regulations as may be prescribed by said commissioners.

"And by it further enacted, that the board of county police of said county be and is hereby invested with full power to designate the place where the seat of justice for said county shall be located which seat of justice shall be located at the geographical center, or most convenient point within five miles thereof; and said board of police may acquire by donation or purchase any quantity of land for the use of said county, not exceeding 80 acres."

Tishomingo county was named for the leading chief of the Chickasaws-Tish-o-mingo-and was one of the largest counties ever formed in the State, being often referred to as the "State of Tishomingo", and included the present counties of ALCORN, PRENTISS and TISHOMINGO.

In accordance with the provisions of the above act, Messrs. RIVES, McMATTHEWS, COWAN and DAVIS ordered an election to be held in the new county on the 6th and 7th of May, 1836, for the purpose of electing five freehold citizens to serve as a board of police for the county of Tishomingo. An election was held on the dates mentioned at the residences of Samuel C. JONES, Alexander WADSWORTH, Benjamin N. HAMPTON and John REEVES, and resulted in the election of William GRAHAM, John SWAIN, John N. ALSTADT, John DUNCAN and David BRUTON, and the returns were certified to by H.B. MITCHELL. After the vote had been canvassed by the commissioners and the result publicly announced, the five successful candidates being present, at once subscribed to the following oath of office:

"You and each of you do solemnly swear that you will support the constitution of the State of Mississippi so long as you continue citizens thereof, and faithfully discharge the duties of police officers, and do equal justice to all parts of the county without fear or affectation, to the best of your knowledge, so help you God."

The board of police of Tishomingo county immediately organized by the election of William GRAHAM as president and John REEVES as clerk pro tem., and issued an order for an election to be held on the 27th and 28th of May, 1836, for the purpose of electing the following county officers: Judge of probate court, clerk of probate court, clerk of circuit court, sheriff, coroner, surveyor, ranger, treasurer, and assessor and tax collector. The residences of the following citizens were designated as voting places: John WOODARD, H.B. MITCHELL, Hiram AUTREY, Nathan JOBE, Alexander WADSWORTH, Samuel C. JONES, William P. POWELL, Joshua LINDSEY and Christopher SKILLMAN.

On the 30th of May the board of police met and canvassed the returns and announced the following parties as having been duly elected to serve the new county until the next general election: Probate Judge-H.B. MITCHELL
Sheriff-William B. OWENS
Treasurer-Amis CURTIS
Clerk of Probate court and of the board of police-John REEVES
Circuit Clerk-Mathias B. CLICK
Coroner-John FITCH
Ranger-James W. WHITE
Surveyor-Jeremiah PHILLIPS
Assessor and Tax Collector-Joseph PHILLIPS
 

On the 7th of June, 1836, Hezekiah B. MITCHELL and John REEVES subscribed to the oath of office as Judge and Clerk of the Probate Court and announced the court as ready for business. On the same day the board of police met and approved the official bonds of the following county officers, payable to the president of the board of police; William B. OWENS, sheriff-elect, in the penal sum of $4,000, with the following citizens as sureties: Christopher SKILLMAN, David HYNEMAN and Richard SMITH.

John FITCH, coroner-elect, in the penal sum of $2,000, with the following citizens as sureties: Benjamin J. KIZER, Leonard B. WADE, William W. CROOK, John THOMAS, Miles THOMAS, Leroy FARMER and Aaron JOHNSON. Jeremiah PHILLIPS, surveyor-elect, in the penal sum of $500, with the following citizens as sureties: Benjamin HANCOCK and Samuel B. REED. John REEVES, clerk-elect of the board of police, in the penal sum of $2,000, with the following citizens as sureties; Thomas MAYS, Peter JOHNSON, Reuben H. BOONE and Francis KIZER.

Mathias B. CLICK, clerk-elect of the circuit court, in the penal sum of $10,000, with the following citizens as sureties: William LESLEY, Mathew GAGE and John E. WINN.

Amis CURTIS and Joseph PHILLIPS, elected to the offices of treasurer and assessor and tax collector respectively, failing to file their bond within the time prescribed by law, the officers were declared vacant by the board of police, and a special election resulted in the election of William RUSHING and Stephen O. GIBBS.

William RUSHING, treasurer-elect, filed his official bond, payable to the president of the board of police in the penal sum of $15,000, with the following citizens as sureties: Miles THOMAS, Leonard B. ESTES, Sebern JONES, Gregory JOHNSON, Moses JOHNSON, Neil MORRISON, James B. MERCHANT, John REEVES, Benjamin HANCOCK, Peter SEARCY, John BINION, William W. CROOK, Labern KELLY, Reuben JOHNSON, John FITCH, Lewis JONES, Gilbert ROBBINS, John D. RODEN, Ezekiel RODEN, Thomas ROBBINS, Daniel VANLANDINGHAM, Elias RINEHART, John A. JOHNSON, John ROBBINS, Foster O'NEIL, Terrill B. PHILLIPS, James W. WHITE, Francis KIZER, Benjamin J. KIZER, William NULL, William SMITH, Mark RUSHING, Silas CHEEK and William HANCOCK.

Stephen O. GIBBS, assessor and tax collector-elect, presented his official bond in the penal sum of $4,000, with the following citizens as sureties: Reuben H. BOONE, Sebern JONES, Thomas MAYS, Moses JOHNSON, James B. WHITE, James B. MERCHANT, Gregory JOHNSON, Miles THOMAS and Lyddal B. ESTES. During the June session of the board of police the county was divided into five districts.

At the same meeting the board of police ordered an election to be held on the 24th and 25th of June, for the purpose of electing two justices of the peace and one constable for each police district, the polling places being designated as follows: First district, at the house of John REEVES; second district, at the house of Lyddal B. ESTES; third district, at the house of Joshua LINDSEY; no polling place was selected for the fourth district, and the fifth district, at the house of Hiram AUTREY. The result of the election was as follows:

First District-Terrill B. PHILLIPS and Elias RINEHART, justices of the peace; Valsan G. LATHAM, constable.

Second District-Moses JOHNSON and James B. MERCHANT, justices of the peace; no constable elected.

Third District-Joshua LINDSEY and John KENNERY, justices of the peace; William McCAIGE, constable.

Fourth District-John C. CARTER, justice of the peace, and Samuel C. WELCH, constable.

Fifth District-Shelby USSERY and Benjamin J. BALLARD, justices of the peace; Nicholas McMILLION, constable.

The board of police next turned it's attention to the location of a county site, the meetings of the board and sessions of the probate court having up to this time been held at the residences of citizens. After establishing the central point of the county the board was offered as a free gift sixty acres of land within the legal limits by Armistead BARTON which was at once accepted. This piece of land was surveyed on the 20th of August, 1836, by Benjamin SANDERS, Samuel B. REED and Sherod WHITE being the chairmen.

At the August meeting of the board of police the "court square" was located, the entire tract of land ordered surveyed into lots, and the same advertised for sale on the 11th of October, the sale to continue from day to day until all lots were sold or the sale stopped by order of the board; and it was decided that a credit of one and two years be given to all purchasers. The name of the new town and seat of justice of Tishomingo county was to be Cincinnati.

The board next turned their attention to roads. The committee appointed to perform the work was James MACKEY, Caleb LINDSEY, Abner GARDNER, Hiram BAKER, Simeon B. KNIGHT, David WALKER and Francis KIZER.

James MACKEY was appointed overseer and ordered to open a road from near his residence to the county line and assigned the following hands: James HODGES, Hiram BAKER, Abner GARNER, John ROBERTSON, James BAKER, Hezekiah SIMS, Caleb LINDSEY, John NEVELS, Hubart ROBERTSON and Henry WINTERS. Mr. MACKEY must have felt highly honored in being the first road overseer to be appointed in the new county, and it is a self-evident fact that he performed his work satisfactorily and well.

The next road overseer to be appointed was Conrad RINEHART, who was ordered to open and build a road from RODEN'S Creek to Cincinnati, the county seat, and assigned the following hands: John D. RODEN, James HARRIS, Edward KEMP, William PRITCHETT, Leroy FARMER, John A. JOHNSON, Samuel B. REED, Sherod WHITE, John JOBE, William STEPHENS and John PAYNE. Every able-bodied male in the county between the ages of sixteen and fifty were subject to road duty, twelve days in each year. It is also a fact, thoroughly established by the records of the county, that every person subject to road duty performed the full numbers of days' work required. The last work of the August session of the board of police was an order to the effect "that William B. OWENS, sheriff of said county, be fined $5 per day for two days, for not attending on said board," but fortunately it can be said that the board gallantly remitted the fine at the October meeting. However, the descendants of Mr. OWENS can honestly claim that their illustrious ancestor was the first man against whom a fine was assessed in the county of Tishomingo.

During the October session a contract was awarded Caleb LINDSEY to erect a courthouse for the sum of $199, with the understanding that there were to be no "extras". The building was a crude log affair. The board next contracted H.H. MORRIS to build a bridge across the Tuscumbia River for the sum of $70.

After it had become generally known that the board of police had named the new county seat Cincinnati, considerable complaint was made. Every man in the county expected to live to see the day when the capital city of Tishomingo county would be one of the largest cities in the United States, and rightfully objected to a northern name being used. After considerable persuasion the board changed the name to Jacinto.

The sheriff appointed James HAMLIN deputy sheriff at the October meeting. The next work of the board of police was to appoint Stephen O. GIBBS as auctioneer and proceed to sell him the lots in the town of Jacinto to the highest bidder, which sale resulted in the following named people acquiring property at the county seat: John REEVES, Lot No. 22, $261.00
William B. PAYNE, Lot No. 23, $256.00
Chisley D. KEY, Lot No. 24, $311.00
Alex. McCUEN, Lot No. 25, $326.00
B.J. KIZER, Lot No. 26, $325.00
Benjamin SANDERS, Lot No. 27, $352.00
Zackariah ROSE, Lot No. 57, $217.00
Alex. McCUEN, Lot No. 58, $ 85.00
Chisley D. KEY, Lot No. 60, $150.00
John REEVES, Lot No. 21, $145.00
Thomas PAYNE, Lot No. 56, $102.00
J.N. ALSTADT, Lot No. 54, $100.00
J.N. ALSTADT, Lot No. 53, $ 70.00
Wm. ANDERSON, Lot No. 55, $106.00
James REED, Lot No. 20, $220.00
A.C. CRAIGE, Lot No. 19, $222.00
T.H. LINDSEY, Lot No. 18, $232.00
T.H. LINDSEY, Lot No. 52, $124.00
D.M. PATTERSON, Lot No. 51, $ 90.00
G.W. MORRISON, Lot No. 115, $ 50.00
G.W. MORRISON, Lot No. 116, $ 50.00
R.S. ROGERS, Lot No. 16, $232.00
T.B. PHILLIPS, Lot No. 17, $197.00
J.N. ALSTADT, Lot No. 49, $175.00
Valsane LATHAM, Lot No. 50, $ 81.00
H.B. MITCHELL, Lot No. 1, $370.00
Wm. ANDERSON, Lot No. 2, $300.00
Daniel YOUNG, Lot No. 3, $201.00 or $291.00
Lewis JONES, Lot No. 4, $227.00
Caleb LINDSEY, Lot No. 5, $206.00
Aaron CHEAT, Lot No. 6, $255.00
Aaron CHEAT, Lot No. 36, $100.00
John WINN, Lot No. 35, $ 83.00
Daniel YOUNG, Lot No. 34, $ 51.00
Wm. ANDERSON, Lot No. 33, $ 24.00
Wm. ANDERSON, Lot No. 81, $ 26.00
Wm. ANDERSON, Lot No. 82, $ 48.00
Mathew GAGE, Lot No. 84, $ 70.00
Wm. ANDERSON, Lot No. 83, $ 80.00
J. PHILLIPS, Lot No. 8, $270.00
John LATHAM, Lot No. 9, $201.00
Wm. RUSHING, Lot No. 10, $202.00
? MORRISON, Lot No. 11, $202.00
S.M. CARSON, Lot No. 12, $257.00
Benj. MILLER, Lot No. 13, $327.00
Benj. MILLER, Lot No. 44, $100.00
S.O. GIBBS, Lot No. 41, $102.00
B.Y. CARSON, Lot No. 28, $201.00
John PAYNE, Lot No. 29, $201.00
John PAYNE, Lot No. 30, $115.00
B.J. KIZER, Lot No. 31, $341.00
Benj. SANDERS, Lot No. 59, $186.00
J.N. ALSTADT, Lot No. 15, $102.00
 

Fifty-three lots having been sold for the sum of $10,000 in round numbers, the sale was postponed until January, 1837, and the purchasers at once begun the work of building a new town in a new county in a country lately inhabited in the main by Indians.

On the 7th of November, 1836 John FITCH made application to the board of police for license to run an inn or tavern, which was granted upon the payment of $15 and the filing of an acceptable bond…

John and William PAYNE, with John REEVES as surety, were granted license to open an inn and tavern in the town of Jacinto, as were also Benjamin J. KIZER and James HARRIS, with Terrill B. PHILLIPS as surety.

At the November meeting of the board Samuel MORROW was appointed overseer to open and work a public road from the southwest corner of the county to Twenty-Mile Creek; William LESLEY appointed overseer from Jacinto to the residence of Samuel FLAKE, and Mr. FLAKE from there to Twenty-Mile Creek, and the following hands were assigned to the new road: Thomas LINDSEY, Alfred LINDSEY, Benjamin J. HAMPTON, Aaron KENNEDY, Amos HAMPTON, William LINDSEY, John LATHAM, William LATHAM, William SMITH, Foster O'NEAL, John A. JOHNSON, Jesse WILLIAMS and James LATHAM.

On the 20th of November Thomas LINDSEY was granted license to keep an inn or tavern "at or near the place where he now lives" his bond being signed by Caleb LINDSEY and James HODGES.

On the 9th of December Benjamin J. KIZER was awarded the contract to build a county estray pen in the town of Jacinto for the sum of $14. On the same day John DUNCAN was appointed to go to Jackson and draw all the money that was coming to the county, known as the 3 per cent fund. The board of police ordered "that the said DUNCAN be allowed one dollar per day while thus engaged, and that William W. CROOK be allowed the same fee, or any other person that may go with the said DUNCAN, and draw on the county treasurer for all the money in his hands not otherwise appropriated". On December 10th M.B. COBLE was appointed overseer to open and keep in repair a road from Jacinto to the ferry on the Tennessee river, and was assigned the following hands: A.J. JAMES, William WINN, John BELCHER, James BROWN John THOMPSON, R.H. COMBS, John YOUNG, William JOHNSTON, John D. SMITH, Henry WISDOM, Newton THOMPSON, John KEMBEL, William KERTIER, William NULL, John C. BAILEY, William B. ESPY, Derosy CARROLL, Robert MATHIS, James BLASSENGAME, H. BLASSENGAME, Wade BLASSENGAME, Abel GERT, Samuel JORDAN, Samuel WALDROP, William THOMPSON, James COWAN, Eli COWAN, R. COWAN, John BELL, William COWAN, James BRIGHT, William HUTCHINSON, Presly MOSES, J.T. ASBELL, L.N. FALKNER, Hiram FALKNER, George FALKNER and William FALKNER.

The duties of the office of sheriff of Tishomingo county not being to the liking of Mr. OWENS, he presented to the board of police on the 24th of December his resignation, as follows: "State of Mississippi,
"Tishomingo County:
 

"I, William B. OWENS, sheriff of said county, do hereby hand over my resignation of that office, and am no longer sheriff. "Given under my hand and seal this 24th day of December, 1836." "William B. OWENS,"

Mr. OWENS was the first officer to resign from the public service in the county. A few followed in his footsteps in after years, but not many. Quite a number of the pioneer families brought slaves with them to the county, and the records show that several hundred were in the county at the close of the first year of local government.

The records of the county show the names of the following families as having taken part in the first year's work of establishing the county:

 
ABELL
ALSTADT
ANDERSON
ARMES
ARMOR
AUTREY
BAKER
BARKER
BARTON
BELL
BLEURTIS
BOONE
BRAW
BRICKENSTALL
BRIGHT
BUNION
BUTLER
CAPEN
CARROLL
CARTER
CHAMNESS
CHEEK
CHOATE
CLARKE
CLEMENT
CLICK
COATES
COLBERT
COMBES
COOK
COPELAND
COWAN
CRAIGE
CURTIS
DANIEL
DAVIS
DEAN
DICKERSON
DOLLISON
DONAHOE
DUNCAN
ELAM
ESPY
ESSARY
ESTES
FALKNER
FARMER
FARRIS
FITCH
FORTNER
FROST
GAGE
GARNER
GEORGE
GERT
GIBBS
GIRARD
GOSS
GRAHAM
GRINER
HAIR
HAMLIN
HAMPTON
HANCOCK
HARRISON
HILL
HODGES
HUTCHESON
JAMES
JOBE
JOHNSON
JOHNSTON
JONES
JORDAN
KELLY
KEMBLE
KEMP
KENNEDY
KERTIER
KEY
KING
KIZER
KNIGHT
LATHAM
LESLEY
LIDDON
LINDSEY
MACKEY
MARCUMB
MARTIN
MAYS
McCAIGE
McDONELL
McMATTHEWS
MILLER
MITCHELL
MORGAN
MORRISON
MORROW
MOSER
NAIL
NEAL
NEVELS
NULL
NUNLEY
O'NEAL
OWENS
PACE
PATTERSON
PATTON
PAYNE
PERCY
PERSONS
PHILLIPS
POOL
POWELL
PRITCHETT
QUEEN
REED
REEVES
RENFRO
RICE
RIVES
ROBBINS
ROBERTSON
RODEN
ROGERS
ROSE
RUSHING
SANDERS
SEARCY
SEWELL
SHOOP
SIMS
SINIGH
SLOAN
SMITH
SMITH
SPAIN
STAFFORD
STEPHENS
STOKES
SWAIN
TAYLOR
THOMAS
THOMPSON
TURNER
USSERY
WADE
WALDROP
WALKER
WALLACE
WARD
WATKINS
WELCH
WHITE
WILBURN
WILKERSON
WINN
WINTERS
WISDOM
WIZZIE
YOUNG

The board of police met at the county seat on the 2nd day of January, 1837, and "John DUNCAN produced in open session the amount of the three per cent fund coming to said county, which amount was $5,246." The board then proceeded to loan out this fund, in part, at ten per cent, advance to the following citizens of the county:

Miles THOMAS, $200, with Andrew BROWN, Stephen O. GIBBS, Aaron JOHNSON, John THOMAS and William NAIL as sureties.

James W. WHITE, $125; with Samuel B. REED and Jeremiah PHILLIPS as sureties.

Terrill B. PHILLIPS, $160; with Thomas PATE, Jeremiah PHILLIPS, Samuel B. REED and James W. WHITE as sureties.

John WINN, $140; with H.B. MITCHELL, R.H. BOONE, John SWAIN and John REEVES as sureties.

Jeremiah PHILLIPS, $150; with Abner GEORGE and James W. WHITE as sureties. Benjamin J. KIZER, $175; with John REEVES, William RUSHING and Elias RINEHART as sureties.

James B. MERCHANT, $250; with Sebern JONES, Miles THOMAS, Moses JOHNSTON and Aaron JOHNSTON as sureties.

John REEVES, $140; with Francis KIZER, Chesley D. KEY and R.H. BOONE as sureties.

Wilson WINN, $100; with James HARRIS, Absolem LOONEY, T.G. COPELAND and Andrew BRAW as sureties.

Francis KIZER, $100; with R.H. BOONE and H.B. MITCHELL as sureties. John DUNCAN, $900; with H.B. MITCHELL as surety.

J.N. ALSTADT, $230; with Francis KIZER as surety.

Reuben H. BOONE, $700; with Daniel VANLANDINGHAM, Simeon B. KNIGHT, David WALKER and Elias RINEHART as sureties.

Mathias B. CLICK, $140; with H.B. MITCHELL, Mathew GAGE and Samuel DANCER as sureties.

James HAMLIN, $100; with William WALKER as surety.

Samuel GRAHAM, $140; with Moses JOHNSTON, Aaron JOHNSTON and David WALKER as sureties.

Stephen O. GIBBS, $140; with S.S. HOGUE, Samuel GRAHAM, J.B. MERCHANT, Miles THOMAS, Thomas PATE and John THOMAS as sureties.

William RUSHING, $100; with B.J. KIZER, Nichols McMILLION, Neil MORRISON and Samuel DANCER as sureties.

William GRAHAM, $230; with John SWAIN, John WINN, T.G. COPELAND and Nichols McMILLION as sureties.

Stephen S. HOGUE, $100; with Wilson WINN and T.D. PAYNE as sureties.

Andrew BROWN, $100; with Richard WINN, J.B. MERCHANT, Absolem LOONEY, John WINN and James HARRIS as sureties.

Samuel DANCER, $200; with Thomas PATE, George WILLIAMS, William RUSHING, Thomas D. PAYNE, Mathew GAGE and J.A. JOHNSTON as sureties.

David BRUTON, $230; with T.D. PAYNE and David VANLANDINGHAM as sureties.

William WALKER, $100; with R.H. BOONE and James HAMLIN as sureties.

John SWAIN, $300; with H.B. MITCHELL, George W. HARRISON and John REEVES as sureties.

Sheriff OWENS, having resigned, the coroner, John FITCH, became sheriff by virtue of his office, but not desiring to assume the duties of the position, Stephen O. GIBBS was appointed deputy coroner.

An election was held February 15th and Moses JOHNSON was selected. He had resigned as justice of the peace of the second district. After taking the oath of office, Mr. JOHNSON filed a $4,000 bond, with the following named citizens as sureties: William GRAHAM, James B. MERCHANT, George WILLIAMS, Sebern JONES, Peter JOHNSON, Moses ARMOR, John DUNCAN, David BRUTON, John N. ALSTADT, Elias RINEHART and Wilson WINN.

At this meeting the board of police ordered that it did "not think the court house built agreeable to contract, and, therefore, will not receive it."

On the 19th of January the board of police exposed for sale all the unsold lots in the town of Jacinto, and the following sales were made:

S.M. CARSON, 		lot No. 43, 	$57.
S.M. CARSON, 		lot No. 42, 	$57.
Reuben RORIE,		lot No. 40, 	$67.
S.H. SMITTA, 		lot No. 39, 	$52.
Mathew GAGE, 		lot No. 85, 	$61.
Mathew GAGE, 		lot No. 86, 	$25.
Mathew GAGE, 		lot No. 88, 	$30.
Geetien GOSS, 		lot No. 47, 	$111.
John THOMAS, 		lot No. 48, 	$136.
W.B. PAYNE, 		lot No. 57, 	$100.
C.D. KEY, 			lot No. 65, 	$25.
C.D. KEY, 			lot No. 67, 	$43.
N.H. McMILLION, 		lot No. 111, 	$80.
N.H. McMILLION, 		lot No. 112, 	$25.
John WINN, 		lot No. 109, 	$61.
V.G. LATHAM, 		lot No. 120, 	$63.
W.B. FROST, 		lot No. 105, 	$59.
W.B. FROST, 		lot No. 107, 	$32.
W.B. FROST, 		lot No. 108, 	$41.
W.B. FROST,		lot No. 106, 	$64.
John THOMAS, 		lot No. 46, 	$40.
James BOYD, 		lot No. 45, 	$60.
T.G. WILKERSON, 		lot No. 14, 	$300.
G.W. HARRISON, 		lot No. 113, 	$50.
G.W. HARRISON, 		lot No. 114, 	$30.
John REEVES, 		lot No. 117, 	$32.
John REEVES, 		lot No. 118, 	$33.
John REEVES, 		lot No. 119, 	$33.
John DUNCAN, 		lot No. 120, 	$25.
William SMITH, 		lot No. 132, 	$70.
W.R. ROBBINS, 		lot No. 79, 	$24.
W.B. PAYNE, 		lot No. 77, 	$20.
James LATHAM,		lot No. 71, 	$57.
Wm. SMITH, 		lot No. 69, 	$70.
James HARRIS, 		lot No. 70, 	$25.
John DUNCAN, 		lot No. 72, 	$60.
John LATHAM, 		lot No. 64, 	$36.
C.D. KEY, 			lot No. 66, 	$44.
J.C. GRINER, 		lot No. 7, 	$245.
B.J. KIZER, 		lot No. 37, 	$60.
B.F. LIDDON, 		lot No. 93, 	$44.
B.F. LIDDON, 		lot No. 94, 	$26.
S.O. GIBBS, 		lot No. 89, 	$36.
S.O. GIBBS, 		lot No. 91, 	$32.
S.O. GIBBS, 		lot No. 92, 	$30.
S.O. GIBBS,		lot No. 90, 	$39.
John THOMAS, 		lot No. 98, 	$15.
S.M. CARSON,		lot No. 100, 	$5.
S.M. CARSON, 		lot No. 102, 	$6.
S.M. CARSON, 		lot No. 104, 	$84.
John LATHAM, 		lot No. 103, 	$81.
Gregory JOHNSTON, 	           lot No. 121, 	$41.
Gregory JOHNSTON, 	           lot No. 123, 	$20.
Gregory JOHNSTON, 	           lot No. 122, 	$20.
Gregory JOHNSTON,     	lot No. 124, 	$17.
Francis KIZER, 		lot No. 61, 	$23.
John REEVES, 		lot No. 62, 	$26.
Francis KIZER, 		lot No. 63, 	$56.
M.G. LATHAM, 		lot No. 64, 	$29.
James BOYD, 		lot No. 74, 	$53.
B.J. KIZER, 		lot No. 75, 	$25.
Total amount of sales, $3,107.

A road having been laid out between Jacinto and LASTER'S ferry on the Tennessee River, John O'NEAL was appointed overseer from the county seat to the residence of James M. CRINER, and Benjamin J. BULLARD overseer from that point to the river.

On the 20th of February William HAIR, applied for a writ for locating a grist mill. This was granted on March 8th and signed by: Jonathan S. KNIGHT, Milo BARKER, Valsane G. LATHAM, Benjamin F. LIDDON, James HAMLIN, Neil MORRISON, Samuel M. CARSON, Thomas MAYS, James B. STAFFORD, Elias RINEHART, Sebern JONES and H.H. KEMP.

On March 6th J.W. WILBURN paid the $15 fee and filed a bond and was granted a license to conduct a tavern in the town of Jacinto for one year, and the following day John C. CARTER obtained a tavern license for the town of Jacinto in the same manner.

At the April term of the board of police Neil MORRISON was appointed overseer of a road "commencing at Col. DEAN'S," and the following hands assigned: William RUSHING, Mark RUSHING, Milo BARKER, John ROBBINS, Thomas ROBBINS, Preston WARD, William LAWSON, Daniel LAWSON, Christopher SKILLMAN, John JOBE, Benjamin F. LIDDON, G. TAYLOR, William R. ROBBINS, Green ROBBINS, Thomas G. COPELAND, Allen SLOAN, James ELAM, H.O. DANIEL, John CHOAT, Thomas CHOAT, Leroy FARMER, Joseph PHILLIPS, Hugh M. BIGHAM, Stephen S. HOGUE, Griffith DEAN, David HYNEMAN, Grove SHARP, William WALKER, Richard SMITH, John PHILLIPS and James CARCUMB.

Allen H. KEMP was appointed overseer of said road, commencing on the south side of Tuscumbia River and extending as far as the first creek south of Elias RINEHART'S, with the following hands: James HAMLIN, Ambors GIRARD, Benjamin BRUTON, Jesse JONES, Joseph PERSONS, Taylor JOBE, William NAIL, Miles THOMAS, Benjamin HANCOCK, William HANCOCK, Silas CHEEK, John HARMON, Jeremiah PHILLIPS, James W. WHITE, Henry GEORGE, Abner GEORGE, Elias RINEHART, Isaac ESSARY and P. GARNER.

Simeon B. KNIGHT was appointed overseer on said road, commencing at said creek and extending to a point where the road intersects the old Reynoldsburg road south of BAKER'S, with the following hands: David VANLANDINGHAM, David BRUTON, Jacob HINKLE, Reuben H. BOONE, William W. CROOK, William STEPHENS, Jesse WILLIAMS, William ROWSEY, William KING, Peter BOONE, Squire BOONE, John A. JOHNSON, Lewis DAVIS, Avel DAVIS, Foster O'NEAL, Charles ABELL, John RICHARDSON, and Mardaca BOONE.

Benjamin COOK was appointed overseer of the road commencing at Joshua LINDSEY'S and continuing to a point about three quarters of a mile south of BAKER'S, with the following hands: Robert HANCOCK, all of George COLBERT'S hands, Thomas R. LINDSEY, Alford LINDSEY, William LINDSEY Caleb LINDSEY and James HODGES.

At the June term of the board of police John GRAHAM was granted license to keep an inn and tavern at his place of residence, his bond being signed by Stephen O. GIBBS and John PAYNE.

Samuel M. CARSON was appointed deputy sheriff by Sheriff JOHNSON, and appeared for duty at the June session of the board.

On Monday the fourth of July, the lowest bidder would be chosen to build a county jail in the town of Jacinto. The contract was awarded S.M. CARSON for the sum of $3,957, who filed a bond in the sum of $7,914, with W.B. FROST, D.W. HYNEMAN and Francis KIZER as sureties. John REEVES, C.D. KEY and Mathew GAGE were appointed to superintend the building of the jail on the part of the county.

George CHAMNESS was appointed overseer of a road commencing at the county line near Samuel SPAIN'S place, and extending to Mitchell creek with the following hands: Solomon CARTER, Joseph CARTER, David CARTER, George WADE, Richard WINN, James HARRIS, Elisha ARMES, William COATES, John USSERY, William P. POWELL, John SWAIN, Jr., Wilson WINN, George WILLIAMS, Moses WINTERS, Washington GRAHAM and Absolem LOONEY.

Aaron JOHNSTON was appointed overseer to continue said road from Mitchell Creek to where the road intersects the Ripley road, and to have the following hands: Thomas MAYS, James B. STAFFORD, Anderson JOHNSTON, Lewis JONES, Jesse JONES, Jonathan S. KNIGHT, John JOBE, Jr., James KNIGHT, John THOMAS, Monroe ROGERS, William GREEN, Leonard B. WADE, Sebern JONES, and William WALDROP.

In July William B. PAYNE was granted license to keep an inn and tavern in the town of Carrollville; H.B. MITCHELL obtained license to keep a tavern at his residence, and Thomas L. WILKERSON secured license to keep an inn and tavern in the town of Jacinto.

On July 3rd Moses JOHNSON handed in his resignation as sheriff, and Stephen O. GIBBS, deputy coroner, again made the necessary bond and assumed the duties of the office.

On the 11th of July William GATES was licensed to keep an inn and tavern. November, 1837, Samuel DANCER was contracted with to build a bridge across Yellow Creek, on the Jacinto and Ripley road.

John DUNCAN, John SWAIN, David BRUTON and Wm. GRAHAM were given county notes in full payment for their services as members of the board at $3 a day, and John N. ALDTADT was allowed the amount due him for like services as a credit on his notes for lots purchased in the town of Jacinto. CIRCUIT COURT
 

First and Second Term for the County of Tishomingo Benjamin BULLARD, justice of the peace Two lawyers, William GOHLSON and Solomon B. ISAACS, presented their credentials and were admitted to practice in the court.

The following named jurors, summoned for this term of court, presented themselves as their names were called by the sheriff: Ezekial RODEN, Aaron JOHNSTON, John JOBE, J.R. RODEN, Allen KEMP, William LASSEN, Thomas CHOAT, D. VANLANDINGHAM, Labern KELLY, Peter SEARCY, William SMITH, Samuel B. REED, Abner GEORGE, Burgess IJAMS, Thomas MILLER, Richard SMITH, David HYNEMAN, Canton PILES, William COOK, Neil MORRISON, Armistead BAKER, John ESSARY, C. JONES, Stokely CHOAT, William ROWSEY, John SWAIN, Wilson WINN, George WILLIAMS, Madison CRINER, Christopher SKILLMAN, William WALKER and Benjamin HANCOCK.

A grand jury was then drawn, as follows: Allen KEMP, foreman; Aaron JOHNSTON, Ezekiel RODEN, John JOBE, J.R. RODEN, William LESSEN, Thomas CHOAT, D. VANLANDINGHAM, Labern KELLY, Peter SEARCY, William SMITH, Samuel B. REED, and Abner GEORGE.

James B. MERCHANT, constable, was appointed to attend the grand jury. The first civil cases on the docket were two, wherein Willis B. MILLER was plaintiff and William P. POWELL defendant. Both cases were compromised at the cost of the defendant.

Solomon B. ISAACS was appointed district attorney pro tem. for the September term of court. After being in session two days the grand jury returned nine true bills, as follows: Hardy KELLY, adultery;
William ROWSEY and Michael KIZER, fighting;
B. HANCOCK, assault and battery;
Lydell B. ESTES, assault and battery;
James PATTON, adultery;
Jesse BAKER, adultery;
Overton PILES, adultery;
B. FLANAGAN and John FANISH, fighting;
John REDDEN, assault and battery.
The grand jury was then discharged.
 

Sheriff OWENS presented a bill to the court for "empanelling grand jury, advertising and holding elections, and serving public orders during the year 1836," for the sum of $50, which was allowed.

Solomon B. ISAACS, district attorney pro tem., was allowed the sum of $50. There being no further business, the court adjourned until the first Monday in March, 1837.

The second term of circuit court for the county of Tishomingo was begun in the courthouse at the county seat on Monday, 6th of March, 1837; present, Hon. F.W. HULING, judge; Mathias B. CLICK, clerk; William B. OWENS, sheriff.

The following jurors answered to their names: William ANDERSON, Jefferson J. KNIGHT, Samuel MARRAH, William CARPENTER, William P. POWELL, James RICHARDS, Isaac ESSARY, Samuel JOHNSON, James HODGES, Lewis M. FORTNER, William COATS, Solomon JOHNSON, A.B. BAKER, William LESLEY, William RICE, Daniel CARPENTER, Riley COWAN, William COWAN, Joseph PHILLIPS, Davidson FANISH, Thos. LINDSEY, John THOMPSON, Francis KIZER, Lewis JONES, H.M. BINGHAM, Andrew BROWN, Jesse BARNES, William COOK, Reuben H. BOONE, Neil MORRISON, Benjamin J. KIZER and A.B. CURTIS.

The following named persons were drawn and sworn as grand jurors: Wm. P. POWELL, foreman; Francis KIZER, Davidson FANISH, William COWAN, Thomas LINDSEY, Andrew BROWN, Benjamin J. KIZER, William ANDERSON, William COOK, Isaac ESSARY, Samuel MARRAH, Neil MORRISON, Samuel JOHNSON, James HODGES and William COATS.

The following disposition was made of the indictments returned by the first grand jury;

Lyddal B. ESTES, assault; continued and the defendant required to give bond in the sum of $125.

Overton PILES, adultery; continued and the defendant admitted to bail in the sum of $125.

Hardy KELLY, adultery; dismissed at the cost of the state.

ROWSEY and KIZER, fighting; continued and bond placed at $125 each.

Benjamin HANCOCK, assault; continued and bond fixed at $125.

FLANAGAN and FANISH, fighting; continued as to the former and bail fixed at $125. FANISH entered a plea of guilty and was fined $5 and costs, being the first fine assessed and collected by the circuit court of Tishomingo County.

James PATTON, adultery; dismissed at the expense of the state.

John REDDEN, assault; dismissed.

Jesse BAKER, adultery; continued.

MARRIAGE LICENSES-1837

No marriages were solemnized in Tishomingo county during the year 1836. The first marriage license issued in the county was dated April 2, 1837 for a marriage between John P. AZBELL and Jane PHILLIPS. J.P. AZBELL (seal)
N. McMILLION (seal)
Attest: B. BULLARD, D.C.
 

The following marriage licenses were issued during the year 1837: John P. AZBELL and Jane PHILLIPS, April 2nd.
Wm. HANCOCK and Delilia RODEN, April 14th.
Asabel ATHERTON and Bearzillia CATTEL, October 10th.
Wm. FITZPATRICK and Sarah WILSON, December 15th.
Thomas DOUGLASS and Mariam McINTIRE, December 19th.
FIRST SALE OF SLAVES.