Jackson County History and Information

Jackson County was established at the same time as Hancock County, December 14, 1812. The county was named for President Andrew Jackson. Its largest town and county seat is Pascagoula, formerly Scranton, located on the Pascagoula Bay and river. The original act defined its boundaries as follows:

"South of the 31st degree of north latitude, and west of the dividing ridge between the Mobile and Pascagoula, and east of a line running due north from the middle of the Bay of Biloxi to the 31st degree of north latitude, shall compose a county, which shall be called Jackson."

In 1821 and 1823 the northern tier of townships south of the 31st parallel were annexed to Greene County, and in 1841 the western part of Jackson was taken to assist in forming the county of Harrison. In 1910, it contributed a part of its northern area to assist in the erection of George County.

As early as the year 1699, the French, under Iberville, built a fort on the east side of the Back Bay of Biloxi, and called it Fort Maurepas, the site of which is now in the town of Ocean Springs. A little later, in 1701, under orders from home, the colony was removed to Mobile Bay, the capital of French Louisiana, was again located at Old Biloxi in 1718, and in 1721 the colony was removed to the site of the present city of Biloxi and from there to New Orleans. Among the earliest white settlements in the State, are those of the French on the Pascagoula River, while the region about its mouth and along its banks shows traces of very ancient settlements prior to the coming of the whites. The county did its full share in shaping the early history of the State. The many French and Spanish names, which prevail throughout this region tell the story of the varied allegiance of its people.

Jackson County is bordered by George County (north), Mobile County, Alabama (east), Harrison County (west) and Stone County (northwest) . Cities and Towns include Gautier, Moss Point, Ocean Springs, Pascagoula, Big Point, Escatawpa, Gulf Hills, Helena, Hickory Hills, Hurley, Latimer, St. Martin, Vancleave and Wade. Four courthouse fires over the years destroyed many of the early records of Jackson County, the latest fire in 1875.

See Extended History for More information. The Official County Website is located at http://www.co.jackson.ms.us/.

• Search Historical Newspapers from Mississippi (1818 - 1964) - Quickly find names and keywords in over 125 million articles, obituaries, marriage notices, birth announcements and other items published in more than 500,000 issues of over 2,500 historical U.S. newspapers. New content added monthly!
• Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.
• Jackson County, Mississippi History Books at Amazon.com
• Mississippi USgenweb Archives- Index of Counties and Records
• Stories, Memories & Histories - Stories and histories compiled by others researching a person or area can be an amazing source of information about your ancestors. Not only do they generally contain dates and places of vital events like birth, marriage, and death, but they often relate stories and memories that help you really get to know the character of your ancestors.

Jackson County Court Records

See Also Mississippi Land Records, Marriage Records, Court & Probate Records

Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

PLEASE READ FIRST!!!! Please call the clerk's department to confirm hours, mailing address, fees and other specifics before visiting or requesting information because of sometimes changing contact information.

Jackson County Clerk of Circuit Court has Marriage Records from 1875 and Court Records from 1875 and is located at P. O. Box 998, Pascagoula, Mississippi 39568-0998; Phone: 769-3040, Fax: 769-3180 .

Duties of the Circuit Clerk include Receivin and fileing all law suits, indictments, motions and other related papers in all Civil and Criminal Cases filed in the Circuit or County Courts and issues all process including summons and subpoenas, Draws Jurors and qualifies Juries, Keeps a record of all Judgments and Executions, Issues marriage licenses and keeps records of marriages.

Jackson County Chancery Court Clerk has Land Records from 1875 and Probate Records from 1874 and is located at P. O. Box 998, Pascagoula, Mississippi 39567; Phone: 228-769-3499, Fax: 228-769-3414.

The Chancery Clerk occupies perhaps the most unique and diverse office in all of Mississippi government. The various duties given the Chancery Clerk by statute, or assumed voluntarily by the individual Clerk, cover a wide range of vitally important functions. Some of the duties and functions of the Chancery Clerk are recording the official minutes. As public recorder, the Clerk handles the recording and storage of several types of documents and maintains various indexes that aid people in researching these records. The primary records are deeds and mortgages relating to real property, but the Clerk also records federal tax liens, Lis Pendens ( notices of pending lawsuits ) and military discharges. The Clerk is in charge of the storage and authorized disposal of older land rolls, tax receipts and many other County records after their active use lifespan. As Clerk of the Chancery Court, the Clerk handles a multitude of tasks such as matters of estates, guardianships, conservatorships, divorces, child custody, adoption, property disputes and other matters of equity.

Below is a list of online resources for Jackson County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Jackson ounty Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Jackson County, Mississippi Court Books at Amazon.com
• Mississippi Marriages 1767-1935
• Mississippi Marriages to 1825
• Mississippi Marriages 1826-1850
• Mississippi Marriages 1826-1900.
• Mississippi Land Records
• Land Claims in Mississippi Territory, 1789-1834
• BLM Land Records covers the State of Mississippi. May pioneers and settelers bought land from the government instead of individuals. Online court records include
• Mississippi Court Records, 1799-1835
• Court, Land, Wills & Financial - Court records are an often overlooked, yet very valuable tool for finding information to assist you in your research. Land records, such as deeds, allow you to tie an ancestor to a specific place at a point in time. Other court records like those dealing with finances and estates often list related family members or give interesting details like the total value of property owned by your ancestors to add interest to your family history.
• Immigration & Emigration - As our ancestors moved from one country to another, details about their lives were recorded on passenger lists and government documents. Immigration and emigration records can help you learn where your ancestors originally came from, where they went, when they left, who they traveled with, and more.

Jackson County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Mississippi

Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information.

Jackson County Health Department has Birth and Death Records from November of 1912 and is located at 6912 North Washington Ave, Ocean Springs, MS 39564; Phone: 228-872-4861. You may go to any county health department in the State of Mississippi to obtain a certificates can be issued while you wait.

Contact Chancery Clerk for County Divorce Records (See Jackson County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in the county where divorce was granted, and Contact Clerk of Circuit Court Judge For County Marriage Records (See Jackson County Court Records for Address and Phone number) in county where license was issued

Mississippi Department of Health is located in the Underwood Building, 571 Stadium Drive, just off North State Street near Woodrow Wilson Avenue in Jackson, Mississippi. The phone number is 601.576.7981. They have the following records:

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• Birth Certificates: The Mississippi Department of Health began filing birth certificates in November of 1912 for persons born in Mississippi. For earlier records, contact the Mississippi Department of Archives and History at (601) 576-6876.The certified copy of the birth certificate is available for $12.00 for the first copy and $3.00 for each additional copy ordered at the same time. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates.
• Death Certificates: The Mississippi Department of Health began filing death certificates in November of 1912 for persons who died in Mississippi. For earlier records, contact the Mississippi Department of Archives and History at (601) 576-6876. The fee for a certified copy of a death certificate is $10.00. Each additional copy ordered at the same time is $2.00. You can download an application online for Death Certificates. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE.Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
• Marriage Certificates: The Mississippi Department of Health began filing Marriage records from January 1, 1926 to June 30, 1938, and for January 1, 1942 to present. for marriages that occurred in Mississippi. (Information for marriages prior to 1926 must be obtained from the Clerk of Circuit Court office in the county where the marriage license was issued.).The fee for a search of the records and a certified copy is $10.00. Additional copies ordered at the same time are $2.00 each. You can download an application online for Marriage Certificates.
• Order Online: You can also order Order Electronically Online to obtain a certified copy of a birth, marriage, death or divorce record with a credit or debit card and get the certificates within 2-5 days by ordering from VitalChek Express Certificate Service.

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Checks or Money Orders should be made payable to "Vital Records." Please do not send cash. Fees are non refundable. Additional fees are required for expedited service. Mail all Applications to: Mississippi Vital Records, P.O. Box 1700, Jackson, MS 39215-1700. You can download an application online for Birth Certificates, Marriage Certificates or Death Certificates.

Below is a list of online resources for Jackson County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Jackson County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• VitalChek Express Certificate Service - Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. VitalChek is the fast and convenient way to order certified government-issued vital records online. They make it easy for you to purchase the documents to which you are legally entitled. Beware of other online services that do not have relationships directly with the agencies that store your vital records. VitalChek's order process usually takes less than 10 minutes --And you can select express courier service for even faster delivery when time is running out.
• Click Here to Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE - Search over 82 million death records and get genealogical information crucial to your family research. New content added weekly! Most comprehensive SSDI site online!
• Research Death records In The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of historical newspaper articles about deaths. Search for local articles about an old family friend that died many years ago or a celebrity that committed suicide. Historical newspapers contain a wealth of information about the deceased.
• Jackson County, Mississippi Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
• Jackson Co. Marriages 1875-1900: A-B, C, D-E, F-G , JH-I, J-K-L, M-N-O, P-Q-R, S-T, U-V-W-Y

Jackson County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records & Statewide Records that exist for Mississippi

Few, if any, records reveal as many details about individuals and families as do government census records. Substitute records can be used when the official census is unavailable

Federal Population Schedules that exist for Mississippi are 1820, 1830 (Partial), 1840, 1850, 1860 (Partial), 1870, 1880, 1890 (fragment, see below), 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930. In 1817 Mississippi became the twentieth state to enter the union; therefore, the first federal population census available is that of 1820.

Variations of this census appear in three printed forms, none of which include slave or miscellaneous information. Enumerations for Pike County are missing in 1830, but the Gillis index used extant tax records to supplement their index. Transcriptions are subject to error; use these reprints simply as a guide to the original records.

A significant addition to the 1840 census supplies the names and ages of pensioners. Schedules are missing for Hancock, Sunflower, and Washington counties in 1860.

By 1870, with slavery abolished, all blacks, natives, and Chinese were included, along with information regarding citizenship. With the destruction of the 1890 population schedules, only the schedules enumerating Union veterans are available for Mississippi. There are free downloadable and printable Census forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms and U.K. Census Extraction Forms

Below is a list of online resources for Jackson County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Jackson County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Jackson County, Mississippi Census Books at Amazon.com
• Mississippi Census, 1805-90
• Census & Voter Lists - A census is an official list of the people in a particular area at a given time, while voter lists show those who were registered to vote in a certain area. The valuable information found on census records helps you to understand your family in their time and place. Voter Lists serve as a confirmation of residence in between the years that the census was taken.

Jackson County Maps & Atlases

See Also Research In State Map Collections

Genealogy Atlas has images of old American atlases during the years 1795, 1814, 1822, 1823, 1836, 1838, 1845, 1856, 1866, 1879 and 1897 for Alabama and other states.

You can view rotating animated maps for Mississippi showing all the county boundaries for each census year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries. You can view a list of maps for other states at Census Maps

ou can view rotating animated maps for Mississippi showing all the county boundary changes for each year overlayed with past and present maps so you can see the changes in county boundaries . You can view a list of maps for other states and State Department of Transportation Maps at County Maps. The Alabama Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches, cemeteries, roads, ect... free for viewing or download here

Below is a list of online resources for Jackson County Maps. Email us with websites containing Jackson County Maps by clicking the link below:

• The Mississippi Digital Map Library
• Jackson County, Mississippi Map Books at Amazon.com
• Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers - Maps are an invaluable part of family history research, especially if you live far from where your ancestor lived. Because political boundaries often changed, historic maps are critical in helping you discover the precise location of your ancestor's hometown, what land they owned, who their neighbors were, and more.

Jackson County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Mississippi

Military and civil service records provide unique facts and insights into the lives of men and women who have served their country at home and abroad.

The uses and value of military records in genealogical research for ancestors who were veterans are obvious, but military records can also be important to re-searchers whose direct ancestors were not soldiers in any war. The fathers, grandfathers, brothers, and other close relatives of an ancestor may have served in a war, and their service or pension records could contain information that will assist in further identifying the family of primary interest. Due to the amount of genealogical information contained in some military pension files, they should never be overlooked during the research process. Those records not containing specific genealogical information are of historic value and should be included in any overall research design.

Below is a list of online resources for Jackson County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Jackson County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Jackson County, Mississippi Military Books at Amazon.com
• Revolutionary War Rolls, 1775-1783 (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Compiled Service Records of Soldiers Who Served in the American Army During the Revolutionary War (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents in NARA publication M881. Compiled service records of soldiers who served in the American Army during the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Files, from NARA publication M804.
• Southern Claims Commission from the State of Mississippi (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Documents In the 1870s, southerners claimed compensation from the U.S. government for items used by the Union Army, ranging from corn and horses, to trees and church buildings.
• Organization Index to Pension Files of Veterans Who Served Between 1861 and 1900 from the State of Mississippi (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Pension applications for service in the U.S. Army between 1861 and 1917, grouped according to the units in which the veterans served.
• Compiled Service Records of Confederate Soldiers Who Served in Organizations from the State of Mississippi (The National Archives): View, Print Copy & Save Original Compiled service records of Confederate soldiers from Mississippi units, labeled with each soldier's name, rank, and unit, with links to revealing documents about each soldier
• Case Files of Applications from Former Confederates for Presidential Pardons ("Amnesty Papers"), 1865-67 from the State of Mississippi (The National Archives): NARA M1003. View, Print Copy & Save Original Applications for pardon submitted to President Andrew Johnson, 1865-67, by former Confederates excluded from earlier amnesty proclamations.
• Military - The men and women called to serve their country in military duty are a source of pride to their families and to their nation. Now, with databases containing more than 16 million names and thousands of government records available to search, researching your veteran ancestors has become easier than ever before.

Jackson County Tax Records

See Also Research In Tax Records

Local county courthouses maintain original tax records, both real and personal. Microfilm copies of the earlier records are found in the Mississippi Department of Archives and History where the collection is extensive, but there are gaps. Although not many, some counties have published selected years of tax rolls.

Below is a list of online resources for Jackson County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Jackson County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Jackson County, Mississippi Tax Books at Amazon.com

Jackson County Genealogical Addresses

See Also Other Mississippi Genealogical Addresses

The Repositories in this section are Archives, Libraries, Museums, Genealogical and Historical Societies. Many County Historical and Genealogical Societies publish magazines and/or news letters on a monthly, quarterly, bi-annual or annual basis. Contacting the local societies should not be over looked. State Archives and Societies are usually much larger and better organized with much larger archived materials than their smaller county cousins but they can be more generalized and over look the smaller details that local societies tend to have. Libraries can also be a good place to look for local information. Some libraries have a genealogy section and may have some resources that are not located at archives or societies. Also, take a special look at any museums in the area. They sometimes have photos and items from years gone by as well as information of a genealogical interest. All these places are vitally important to the family genealogist and must not be passed over.

Below is a list of online resources for Jackson County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Jackson County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Jackson County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 984, Pascagoula, MS 39567
• Jackson-George Regional Library System, Pascagoula City Library, 3214 Pascagoula Street, P.O. Box 937, Pascagoula, MS 39567
• Ocean Springs Genealogical Society, Inc., P. O. Box 1765, Ocean Springs, Ms. 39564
• Mississippi Department of Archives and History, Ph. (601) 576-6850, fax (601) 576-6964
  Physical Address: 200 North Street, Jackson, MS 39201
  Mailing Address: P. O. Box 571, Jackson, MS 39205-0571
• Mississippi State Records Center, 929 High Str, Jackson, MS 39201; (601) 354-7688
• Mississippi Historical Society PO Box 571, Jackson, MS 39205-0571
• Mississippi Genealogical Society, PO Box 5301, Jackson, MS 39296-5301
• Newspapers & Periodicals - The Newspapers & Periodicals Collection lets you discover a wealth of information about your ancestors from many historical newspapers, magazines, and other periodicals. These types of sources can often supplement public records and provide information that is not recorded anywhere else. Here, you can learn more about your ancestor's possible daily activities by placing them in the context of their time.
• Directories & Member Lists - Directories and member lists are typically compilations of information about people who belonged to various associations and groups or lived within city boundaries. They can be thought of as the predecessors to the modern-day phone book and usually list names, addresses, and sometimes the occupations of your ancestors.

Jackson County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Mississippi

Obituaries can vary in the amount of information they contain, but many of them are genealogical goldmines, including information such as names, dates, places of birth and death, marriage information, and family relationships.

There are many churches and cemeteries in Jackson County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Jackson County Tombstone Transcription Project. The Mississippi Department of Transportation has county maps the show the locations of churches and cemeteries free for viewing or download here.

Below is a list of online resources for Jackson County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Jackson County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Internment.net - Mississippi Cemeteries - Browse Cemeteries by County
• LISA'S CEMETERY SITE - Cemeteries by State
• Find Obituaries in The World's Largest Newspaper Archive at NewpaperArchive.com! - Find thousands of obituaries to help you research your family history. Search for a newspaper obituary about your ancestor or a celebrity. Begin your search today and find death notices and funeral announcements printed in newspapers throughout the world.
• Jackson County, Mississippi Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Jackson County, Mississippi Church Books at Amazon.com

Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

 

The use of published genealogies, electronic files containing genealogical lineage, and other compiled sources can be of tremendous value to a researcher.

When view family trees online or not, be sure to only take the info at face value and always follow up with your own sources or verify the ones they provide. Below is a list of online resources for Jackson County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Jackson County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Search for Local Mississippi Researchers or Earn Money by becoming a Local Mississippi Researcher!
• Jackson County, Mississippi Family Books at Amazon.com
• Search 60 Years Of Everton Data: For the first time ever you can get access to more than 150,000 pedigree files and family group sheets from Evertons. Learn More
• Search the Family Tree DNA Project- Use DNA testing to break through your genealogical barriers!
• Sites on USGenweb: [ Jackson County ] [ Mississippi ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• The Mississippi Family Group Sheet Project
• Family Trees - Ancestry has thousands of family trees shared by other members. They can help you identify how ancestors are related and give you clues about birth, marriage, and death information. Family trees are an excellent resource for filling in gaps in your research or even to simply know where to begin.
• Pictures - One of the more exciting discoveries in doing family history research is finding a photograph of your ancestors or their residence. Finding historic postcard photos and drawings of towns and important events throughout history can also give you a visual look into your ancestors lives.
• Reference Materials & Finding Aids - Reference materials, including dictionaries, encyclopedias, and other how-to books, can be tremendously helpful in finding and interpreting historical documents. Many of these books can help you learn where to look for more information and how to use what you've already found to uncover more clues.

Extended History

 

Jackson County was named for Andrew Jackson, who at the time was a major-general of the Tennessee militia and was at the head of a volunteer army marching on the Natchez Trace en route to the defense of New Orleans; he probably was within Mississippi Territory when the act creating Jackson County was passed and approved. Though not yet well-known nationally in 1812, Jackson already was highly regarded by the people of Mississippi Territory, who thought of him as one of their own. In 1790 he had bought land on Bayou Pierre in the Natchez District; it was here, in 1791, that he first exchanged wedding vows with Rachel Donelson Robards; and just before the outbreak of the War of 1812 he had applied for a judgeship in Mississippi Territory. Andrew Jackson (1767-1845), a native of South Carolina, was an early settler in the western district of North Carolina and became Tennessee's first Congressman in 1796, a United States Senator from Tennessee in 1797, and a judge of the superior court of Tennessee in 1798. He commanded troops in Mississippi Territory during the Creek Wars of 1813-1814, attaining much fame at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend; was the hero of the Battle of New Orleans; was the hero of the Seminole Wars and the provisional Governor of Florida in 1821; and was the seventh President of the United States (1829-1837). Jackson County, Mississippi, was the second county to be named for Andrew Jackson, following Jackson County, Tennessee (1801).

Jackson County was founded in 1812. Two consistent threads run through the history of this beautiful Coastal county --- progressive leadership and the ability to change with the times. Its greatest resources have been and continue to be its people and its strategically located waterways.

The county's transition from Spanish to American rule was made in 1810 when it was absorbed into the Mississippi Territory and brought under the Constitution of the United States. In December, 1812, Mobile County was divided into three counties: Mobile on the east, Jackson in the middle, and Hancock on the west. The northern row of townships was taken from Jackson and added to Greene County in 1822 and George County was created from the remaining boundaries in 1910.

Jackson County's destiny was to prosper. In 1840, Captain John Grant's leadership resulted in the birth of the Port of Pascagoula. Earlier in 1838, his efforts resulted in opening the Mississippi Sound to Mobile Bay with a channel called Grant's Pass.

The county's timber and sawmill industry prospered in those early days bringing about the first economic boom lasting from 1880 to 1910. Pecans were a big industry at the turn of the century. Shipbuilding was recorded as early as 1838 with Ebenezer Clark's constructing flat-bottomed schooners for coastal trade. It and other early shipyards were precursors of the state's

 largest employer, Ingalls. In more modern times, Jackson County continued to attract new industries. The Jackson County Board of Supervisors established the Bayou Casotte Industrial Park in 1954. Major industries, like Chevron USA, moved here in the early 1960s.

When the Jackson County Port Authority was organized in 1958, it was structured around a bootstrap concept aimed at attracting industry to the county. Local monies were used to finance port development as well as dredging of the Pascagoula River and Bayou Casotte channels.

Jackson County has been successful in securing federal and state aid to deepen and maintain channels essential for further industrial and economic development. The Port of Pascagoula has been the catalyst for industrial and economic development and has kept up-to-date with modern equipment and facilities.

The county has kept a steady pace of growth in modern times and is described as the "most industrialized county in the state." The county owns a state-of-the-art hospital system, has excellent schools, a top-rated community college and a university branch within its borders. The citizens of Jackson County are making the future happen every day.