1832-1899 (TIMELINE FOR CORINTH-Alcorn County)
Taken from Daily Corinthian Centennial Edition published in
1954
Typed and submitted by: Vicki Burress Roach
1832-Treaty of Pontotoc; Indians gave up land, moved to
Indian Territory.
1834-Reuben Boone and family first white settlers
in Chickasaw Cession. Travelled Natchez Trace from middle Tennessee.
(Editor’s note: There were white families here prior to 1834. The Alcorn Co.
Genealogy Society found a shop ledger by Richard Burress who came
here from LaGrange, Alabama in 1830 and established a stable and inn. The
ledger is a record of his expenses and the charges of peoples’ accounts.)
1835-Eastport earliest town, steamboat landing and
trading post on Tennessee River.
1836-Formation Old Tishomingo County, Jacinto, County
Seat. First sheriff, W.B. Owens; first probate judge, H.B.
Mitchell.
1837-First bridge across Tuscumbia River; first marriage
license; first sale of slaves.
1838-Sawmill at Seven Mile Creek. First manufacturing
plant, The Bay Springs-Union Factory.
1839-Stage Coach line by way of Jacinto from Nashville
to Memphis. Telegraph line along route.
1840-Six ministers of the gospel in Tishomingo County
(Methodist, Baptist and Presbyterian). Two newspapers published in Jacinto,
first one edited by Dr. M.A. Simmons.
1851-Euclid Academy founded near Jacinto by E.W.
Carmack.
1852-Railroad surveys; Memphis and Charleston; Mobile &
Ohio.
1853-Roadbeds crossed on land of William and Hannah
Lasley.
1854-Settlement east of crossing called "Cross City."
Big "Rush" to new town. Esquire M.B. Henry and family first settlers.
1855-Name changed to Corinth. James E. Stuart,
mayor; Houston Mitchell and Hampton Mask, founders; G. W.
Gibson editor first newspaper "The Cross City" (changed to "Corinthian
Pillar"). Rev. E.C. Gillenwaters preached first sermon in Corinth
under a brush arbor. (Site of Primary School).
1856-Col. C.W. McCord secured charter, dated
March 12, 1856.
1857-Cumberland Presbyterian Church, town’s first brick
building, erected (used as arsenal during war and school building after
1871). Corona Female College (on College Hill) founded by Rev. L.B.
Gaston.
1858-"Rubel and Sekeles Co.," (now Abe Rubel &
Company) started in log store building. By 1858, Baptist, Methodist,
Presbyterian and Christian churches organized.
1859-Completion of Memphis and Charleston Railroad;
Corinth made seat of justice for new Circuit and Chancery Court district;
first County Fair at Rienzi.
1861-Completion Mobile and Ohio Railroad; first crossing
two trunk line railroads in South. Strategic place during war, Confederate
armies began movement to Corinth in April. "Corinth Rifles" organized by
Judge W. H. Kilpatrick, Captain, G.W. Small, ensign.
1862-Corinth, prelude and postlude to Shiloh; Battle of
Shiloh; Gen. Johnston killed; Corinth occupied by Union Army; Battle
of Corinth; fourteen generals (Confederate and Union) had headquarters in
Corinth, including Albert Sidney Johnston and Ulysses S. Grant.
(A few of the headquarters homes still stand).
1864-Union troops evacuated Corinth; burned Corona
College (used as a hospital).
1865-War between the States ended; reconstruction period
began. James Waits opened a watch shop (now Waits Jewelry Store).
1866-National Cemetery established by U.S. Government;
twenty acres in Southeast Corinth.
1867-Population of Corinth seven hundred. Col. A.H.
Taylor organized first bank in North Mississippi-"Tishomingo Savings
Institution."
1869-Borroum Drug Store founded by Dr. A.J. Borroum,
Confederate Army surgeon. (Oldest drug store in state).
1870-Old Tishomingo County divided into Alcorn, Prentiss
and Tishomingo Counties; Corinth county seat of Alcorn. James Almet Green,
circuit judge. Dr. James Marcus Taylor reorganized first medical
society-"The Tishomingo District Medical Society."
1874-Jesse James and gang robbed bank-Tishomingo
Savings Institution.
1875-End of "carpet bag" rule; population 1,000; J.P.
Collier, mayor; Dr. J.A. Warriner and Dr. L.W. Worsham
practicing dentistry. "Corinth Female Academy" founded by Miss Mary
Connelly of New York; later Mrs. Lena Elgin Rice’s School (now
used as library building). Church Directory of 1875 listed seven churches,
six hotels, twenty stores, seven doctors, eleven lawyers, five small
factories.
1878-Yellow fever epidemic-Corinth escaped because of
strict quarantine. Bell Coal Co. begun by J.J. Bell.
1879-W.T. Adams Machine Co. founded by W. T.
Adams. First big industry and first large payroll. Mr. Adams
operated first light plant. John Taylor established Corinth’s first
water works system a few years later.
1880-First brick courthouse erected; Masonic Lodge No.
116 in charge of colorful cornerstone laying ceremonies. Building committee;
J.D. Bills, Chairman, Robert Henderson, Wm. N. Inge,
D.J. Hyneman, K.M. Harrison, S.H. Simmons, A.J.
Stricklin.
1884-Sam Jones Revival started at Methodist
Church, moved to Courthouse.
1885-Byrnes Hardware Store established by Michael
Byrnes (crew member of the Merrimac).
1889-Alcorn Woolen Mills founded by Paul T. Jones
and sons of Bolivar. Pioneer garment manufacturing industry in Corinth.
1894-Public School Building erected. John Park,
first principal. Others; W.D. Conn, W.J. Lamb, W.P. Dobbins.
1895-The Daily Corinthian founded by J.C. Martin
(first daily newspaper); Payne’s Jewelry Store opened by C.M. Payne.
The Pansy Club (men and women, met at night) first social club, organized in
"Gay Nineties", The Emerald Club, Corinth’s first women’s club organized for
study by Mrs. J.M. Boone. Twelve charter members.
1897-Franchise granted for first telephone system. First
job printing shop established by G.D. Winston.
1898-Spanish American War-Corinth volunteers served.
Founding of McAmis Hardware by J.A. McAmis.
1899-Year of big freeze, February 12th, 14
below zero. Corinth Chapter U.D.C. No. 333 organized. Mrs. Mary Boone
Curlee, first president; sponsored Confederate Park project on Fort
Robinette. Pocahontas Lumber Co., founded by Major G.W. Garrett,
moved to Corinth; owned and operated by Hugh E. Ray and Lloyd F.
Garrett.
1900-1954
1900-At beginning of Twentieth Century, Corinth’s
population 3,661. Mayor T.E. Henry. Ben E. Everett and H.N.
Young established one of Corinth’s first insurance agencies.
1901-April 30, gala day, William McKinley,
President of the United States, and Mrs. McKinley, visited Corinth.
Shelby Hammond Curlee founded the Corinth Woolen Mills. McAmis Drug
Store established in June, by Hugh M. McAmis.
1903-Mooreville Park and Zoo (now Hillandale Golf Course
and Garrett Lodge) opened by Henry Moore, African game hunter and
ivory trader. Owned a private museum (exhibits later sent to Smithsonian
Institution). Citizens Saving Bank organized by J.O. Liddon and B.F.
Liddon.
1915-Construction of Post office; W.F. Elgin
Postmaster.
1917-World War I-Corinth Red Cross Chapter organized by
Mrs. H.M. McAmis, regent LaSalle Chapter, Daughters American
Revolution. Unveiling of Confederate Monument, erected by United Daughters
Confederacy, at Shiloh. Mrs. Robert Henderson, (Mississippi Division
Chm.), Mrs. Augusta Evans Inge (Poet Laureate) on program.
1918-Thirty Corinth boys in Col. L, 154th
Inf. 739th Div., shipped overseas August 6th, Willis
Mathis, Capt. News of Armistice, November 11th brought great
rejoicing in streets of Corinth
1919-Capt. W.C. Adams and Capt. W.T. Adams,
Jr. organized Perry A. Johns American Legion Post. (Named for first
county soldier killed in battle).
1923-Year of cyclone. McRae Hospital founded by Dr. W.W.
McRae.
1924-Big fire disaster December 28th. Opera
House block burned; property loss valued $1,500,000.00. Corinth Welfare
Association organized, W.D. Henry, secretary and director.
1925-Two new bank buildings-Corinth Bank and Trust
Company (now home of Security Bank), The First National Bank (now home of
National Bank of Commerce).
1927-Sale of municipal water and light system for
$750,000.00 Twenty five miles of street paving completed, J.A. Lowe,
Mayor.
1929-Emphasis on dairying and crop diversification. A.K.
Weaver of Coca-Cola Bottling Works added ice cream and butter
manufacturing departments. Dewitt Mercier improved fine breed of cattle at
Edgeworth Farms. The Kraft-Phoenix Cheese Plant opened March 1st.
(Cheese plant and Hosiery mill early prototype of BAWI plants.)
1930-31-Depression years, three Corinth bank failures.
1932-Col. Roscoe Turner native Corinthian and
ranking airplane speed pilot world, won Harmon trophy, (a three time winner
of the Thompson trophy). The Security Bank organized and opened for business
by Dr. R.C. Liddon, W.L. McPeters, J.F. Gish, and W.W.
King. Corinth Bank and Trust Co. reorganized and opened for business
under presidency of L.E. Watson. Name later changed to Merchants and
Farmers Bank. Absorbed by the Security Bank in 1943.
1934-ACE (Alcorn County Electric Power Association)
organized in Alcorn County, January. First TVA Cooperative Electric Power
Association. Pickwick Dam completed in 1938. Visit of Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, President of the United States, and Mrs. Roosevelt.
Marker placed by D.A.R. at grave of Indian Chief Tuscumbia, on old L.B.
Mitchell farm near Biggersville.
1936-Celebration of "Old Tishomingo County Centennial"
at Jacinto, October 8th.
1938-Alcorn County Health Unit established. Alcorn
County Public Library created, moved to own building (now Northeast Regional
Library, Jameson C. Jones, founding president).
1941-Radio listeners shocked by Pearl Harbor attack
December 7th. War with Japan declared. "Seminole" train wreck,
November 24th.
1944-In World War II, Corinth’s National Guard, Co. H.,
155th Inf. Dixie Division served with distinction. Corinth
officers who commanded the unit during World War II were Capt. Nelson
Timlake, Capt. Robert D. Gray, and Lt. William L. Sharp.
The unit served for nearly two years in the South Pacific. Left February
1944, returned December 1945. Corinth Machinery Company presented Army-Navy
E Award for civilian production achievement. Corinth sawmills used in every
theater of war. Former Corinthian, John Osborne, of editorial staff
of Life and Time magazines was a war correspondent. Death of Hon. E.S.
Candler (former mayor and member of Congress from 1st
District for twenty years.)
1945-World War ends. WCMA, Corinth’s radio station, on
the air.
1946-"Granny Hyneman" (Eugenia Polk Hyneman)
celebrated her 100th birthday, February 15th. National
Bank of Commerce organized and opened for business, O.O. Robbins,
president, D.M. Palmer, Jr., Board Chairman.
1947-Boy Scout World Jamboree at Paris attended by Dr.
R.B. Warriner, Sr., and three Corinth Scouts. (Dr. Warriner
still active in Scouting after nearly 40 years of service.)
1948-Claude J. Pounds, agent, retires after
distributing the Commercial Appeal for 50 years.
1949-Novel by Frances Gaither, former Corinthian,
April selection for Book of Month Club.
1950-Completion of First Baptist Church; the 162 foot
steeple towers over Corinth, seen from all roads leading into city. Five
outstanding Corinth scholars received grants to study abroad, including a
Rhodes scholars and an atomic fission scientist, viz: Helen Conn,
Charles Gaisser, Hal Phillips, James E. Price and Dr.
David L. Hill. Korean conflict began.
1951-Dr. W.A. Johns honored for 50 years of
medical practice in Corinth. Dr. J.R. Hill also honored in 1953 for
50 years medical service in Alcorn County and Corinth. Masonic Temple and
American Legion Memorial Building completed. Company H, 155th
Inf. Regiment called to active duty. It was January 31st of this
year that severe ice storm paralyzed town for several days.
1953-Million dollar bond issue for new school buildings.
Water works purchased by City of Corinth on December 22nd.
1954-"Combs Courts," Negro housing project completed.
Population of city 10,500, Col. Leslie Horn, mayor. Corinth
Centennial May 16-22.