By: Vicki Burress Roach
This article was prepared in an effort to list all the
post offices which are believed to have been within the confines of what
is now Alcorn County. This county was created April 15, 1870, most of
which was in old Tishomingo County with 90 square miles taken from the
northeast corner of old Tippah County. Some postoffices were opened before
1870 in either Tishomingo or Tippah county. Also, the name of the first
postmaster is given, and, if possible, the post office's location.
It should be remembered that in the early days the post
office was more of an activity than a specific building. Abe Lincoln and
his hat were not unusual post offices, according to one historical source.
The kind of building was unimportant. All that was necessary was a place
for letters and stamps and a postmaster. It is believed that early Alcorn
County post offices were almost always in the postmasters' homes or places
of business.
In some places where mail came only every two weeks, some
of the patrons who were kin, or friends of the postmaster would begin to
arrive at his home in advance of the day the mail was due. The waiting
time was spent in various social activities.
The mail was carried in several ways. Some mail came by
boat to Eastport on the Tennessee River and was distributed throughout old
Tishomingo County by pony rider. When stage routes and railroads came to
the county some mail came by the stage and iron horse. Improvements in
modes of transportation caused an evolution in the final delivery of mail.
The names of post offices were derived from various
sources. Some were named for persons, early families and some places.
Rural free delivery was established by the Federal Government in 1896 but
one local authority believes service in Alcorn County started in 1905.
With the advent of rural free delivery, the old-style post office was no
longer necessary and went through a rather gradual phase out.
A postal map of Alcorn County dated 1911 listed these
offices: Corinth, Wenasoga, Glen, Rienzi, Kossuth, Cuba and Tapp. This
same map indicates that offices were being closed out. In this category,
Overton, Burrow, Gift, and Jacinto were listed. Today only a handful of
post offices remain in informal quarters in the manner of the earliest
offices.
A list of Alcorn post offices beings below:
Anemone -Presumably for the flower;
established November 28, 1900, Mary L. GRIFFIN, postmistress.
Located near Union Baptist Church. Section 17, Township 3, Range 6 east.
Antioch-Bibilical name freely used to name
Mississippi's rural churches. Exact location unknown other than it was
moved from Tippah to Alcorn in 1870.
Boneyard-Named for the village where it was
located; established 1847, John GRAHAM, postmaster. Located about 2
½ miles northwest of Kossuth.
Burrow-named for an early family.
Established 1882 with postmaster Joseph E. BURROW. In west central
Alcorn near Tippah County line. Section 30, Township 2, Range 5 east.
Carolina-Because so many early settlers came
from the Carolinas, this name was popular as a place name in Mississippi.
Established 1852, location unknown.
Corinth-Named for the town which is said to
be named for the Biblical city in Greece. Established November 16, 1855
with Eli S. MITCHELL as postmaster. Section 1, Township 2, Range 7
east.
Cuba-Source of name unknown, possibly for
Danville, Virginia. Opened January 24, 1845 with Thomas BREWSTER as
postmaster. This place was first called Troy when settled in 1836, the
oldest town in Tishomingo County.
Eagle-Origin of name unknown, established
September 10, 1883. Miss Udora DOWD, postmistress. An old newspaper
reported this postoffice was at Glendale, eight miles east of Corinth.
Township 2, Range 8 east.
Farmer-name source unknown. Established June
11, 1894 with Thomas HOLT as postmaster. Located in HOLT store on
the old stage road west of Rienzi. Section 1, Township 4, Range 6 east.
Farmington-Name of the town where located
and established May 3, 1837. Post office opened August 14, 1837.
Postmaster was Peter F. BOONE. This is the oldest postoffice in
present Alcorn County.
Gift-named for James E. GIFT, a
friend of the postmaster, William T. STEEN, postmaster. Established
June 2, 1884 in the STEEN store on the Smithbridge Road 10 miles
west of Corinth. Section 33, Township 1, Range 6 east.
Glen-Established November 6, 1903; John A.
STRICKLAND, postmaster (formerly Eagle Post Office). Located at Glen
(formerly Glendale) on the Southern Railroad eight miles east of Corinth.
Section 36, Township 2, Range 8 east.
Hightown-Located in the Hatchie Hills about
four miles southwest of Kossuth. Established February 20, 1884 with Miss
Tabitha GENTRY as postmistress. Section 16, Township 2 Range 6
east.
Hinkle-Named for an early family. Post
office established before 1898 in the home of Dr. Lawson Alexander HILL.
Located southwest of Biggersville on the old Corinth-Blackland Road.
Section 36, Township 3, Range 6.
Jacinto-County seat of old Tishomingo
County; office established June 7, 1840 with Christy D. KEY
as postmaster. Located near the Prentiss County line near Rienzi. Section
2, Township 4, Range 8 east.
Kendrick-named for the KENDRICK
family. Established October 5, 1889 with Robert M. KENDRICK as
postmaster. Located northeast of Corinth near the Tennessee State line.
Section 30, Township 1, Range 9 east.
Kellum-named for KELLUM family.
Established July 21, 1890 with William L. KELLUM as postmaster.
Located in west central Alcorn County near the Hatchie River.
Kossuth-Named for Louis KOSSUTH, the
Hungarian patriot who visited Jackson, Mississippi, in 1852. The
postoffice was established April 22, 1853. William F. WALLACE,
postmaster. Section 26, Township 2, Range 6 east.
Mingo City-An Indian name meaning chief.
Established about 1853 with Hezekiah S. BROOKS postmaster. Located
on old Danville Road south of Corinth. Section 19, Township 2, Range 8
east.
New Hope-An inspirational name used as a
church name on most, if not all, of Mississippi counties. The post office
was established September 16, 1847 with David COGDELL as
postmaster. Located in the northwest corner of the county near the borders
of Tippah county and the state of Tennessee. Section 26, Township 2, Range
6 east.
Overton-A family name. Established December
8, 1890 with Jesse D. OVERTON as postmaster. Section 30, Township
1, Range 5 east.
Parmitche-An Indian name. Also the name of a
nearby creek. Established August 7, 1871; G.W. BYNUM, postmaster.
Located west of Biggersville. Section 5, Township 3, Range 7 east.
Rienzi-Most likely named for Cola di Rienzi,
a 14th century European who attempted to establish a Roman republic.
Established July 5, 1839, Charles W. WILLIAMS, postmaster. Section
2, Township 4, Range 7 east, near the Prentiss County line.
Silver Springs-Named for the settlement on
the stage road from Jacinto to Memphis via Ripley and Holly Springs. With
the creation of Alcorn County, the post office became a part of that
county.
Tapp-For the family. Established September
7, 1899; Perry M. BROOKS, postmaster. Located about 6 miles
southwest of Gift.
Tripoli-Presumably for the city in North
Africa. Established October 24, 1849, William J. NOWLIN,
postmaster. Located in the southwestern part of the county near the
Prentiss County line, about 6 miles west of Rienzi.
Wenasoga-Indian name; established March 9,
1875, James L. CAMPBELL, postmaster. Located in the north
central section of the county near the Tennessee line.
This article was compiled by Beulah D'Olive Price of Corinth.
