Bolivar County GenWeb

Bolivar County was formed in 1836 from the Choctaw Cession.

Bolivar was named for General Simon Bolivar, a South American patriot.

The county was created February 9, 1836.

 

The current area is 879 square miles. The county is bounded on the north by Coahoma County, on the south by Washington County,

on the east by Sunflower County, and on the west by the Mississippi River. 

More detailed information.

 

Bolivar County is now divided into two judicial districts, each having its own county seat.  

Rosedale is the county seat of the west district and Cleveland is the county seat of the east district.

 

The first settlers of Bolivar County were planters who found the forty to sixty foot deep Delta soil to be rich and fertile. The land

had to first be laboriously cleared of the evergreen, cane and bamboo, but once cleared, the settlers

found rivers, bayous, and lakes filled with edible fish, such as perch, jack, trout, bass, and big river catfish weighing as

much as 200 pounds. Game, such as wild ducks, turkeys, deer, and quail were found in large numbers.

 The levee system was first implemented during the 1850's to the 1860's.

 

The first settlement in Bolivar County was Georgetown, located in the southern part of the county.  Georgetown was a river landing, and

was located on a plantation called Timber Lake Place, and belonging to John L. Martin of Kentucky.

 

 

 

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What's New!

Site Last Updated March 6, 2023

 

 

Contact:  Debbie M. Leftwich, County Coordinator

 

 

 

 

 

MS GenWeb Genealogy Group Facebook Page

Mississippi Genealogy Researchers

Bolivar County Message Board - Rootsweb

 

Adjacent Counties in Mississippi and Arkansas

Coahoma      Washington               Sunflower

Desha                        Arkansas            Phillips

 

                 

 

State Coordinator - Jeff Kemp

Assistant State Coordinator - Denise Wells

 

Property of Bolivar County GenWeb.  All rights reserved.  2016