Copiah County MSGenWeb

Copiah County's name is from a Choctaw Indian word meaning calling panther. The county was organized in 1823 as Mississippi's 18th county. In the year of county organization, Walter Leake served as governor and James Monroe as President of the United States. In 2004 Calling Panther Lake, commemorating this name, was opened up just northwest of Crystal Springs near the Jack and New Zion community.

Soon after the Choctaw Indians relinquished their claims to this land in 1819 and the legislature formed Copiah County in 1823, Elisha Lott, a Methodist minister who had worked among the Indians, brought his family from Hancock County to a location near the present site of Crystal Springs. When the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad built in the area in 1858, a new town was created about a mile and a half west of the old settlement. The new settlement took the name Crystal Springs and the old settlement became Old Crystal Springs.

Copiah County, Mississippi Records...

Copiah County MSGHN has records here on our website. Marriage Records, Cemetery listings, tombstone photos, and more. Check out the Menu at the top for links to all of the available data here.

Birth Records - The Mississippi Department of Health maintains records of births after November 1, 1912. This was the year Mississippi began keeping official birth records. You can order official copies of birth certificates on their website. For births before November 1, 1912 you will need to determine birth information from census records, bible records, baptismal records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

Death Records - The Mississippi Department of Health maintains deaths recorded after November 1, 1912 on file. This was the year Mississippi began keeping official death records. You can order official copies of death certificates on their website. Since there are no official death records before November 1, 1912 for deaths prior to that date you will need to determine death information from census records, bible records, funeral home records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

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