Warren County History and Information

Warren County was established by act of the General Assembly, December 22, 1809, which declared that

“all that part of the Mississippi territory which lies north of the river Big Black, is hereby erected into a new county, which shall be hereafter called and known by the name of Warren.”

It was named in honor of Gen. Joseph Warren, officer in the Continental army, who fell at the battle of Bunker Hill. It formerly included within its limits a part of old Washington and the present counties of Issaquena and Sharkey. Its last relinquishment of territory was in 1876, when Sharkey County received a contribution. The northeastern boundary line between Warren and Yazoo counties was the subject of repeated legislation prior to the year 1850 and as now established, is a jagged line connecting the Big Black and Yazoo rivers. Its present area is 572 square miles.

Warren County comprised the northernmost part of the old “Natchez District” and the whole region is replete with historic interest. As early as 1718, the Mississippi Company, chartered by France, which was then in possession of the Mississippi Valley, attempted to locate settlers on the Yazoo River by making extensive land grants along that stream. When the eighteenth century closed, a few inhabitants were distributed near the Walnut Hills, and near the Big Black River, in the present county of Warren. With the opening of the Natchez Trace a considerable emigration from the States of Georgia, Tennessee, Kentucky and western Pennsylvania, composed of men of capital and enterprise, began to stream into the Natchez District and the settlements in the region of Warren County were largely augmented. In 1803, a land office was established at Washington in Adams County, which adjudicated private claims to a large portion of the lands within the limits of the white settlements near the Mississippi, claimed and occupied in large part by virtue of grants or titles derived through the authorities of England, Spain and the State of Georgia. The commission of the land office at Washington concluded its labors in 1807, after recording two thousand and ninety claims, and thus were settled many of the early titles along the Yazoo, Big Black and Mississippi rivers in Warren County. Until the year 1798, the Spaniards maintained a fort and garrison at the “Walnut Hills,” just north of the present city limits of Vicksburg, but never made any serious effort to colonize the region.

Some of the county officers during the years 1818-1827 were John Turnbull, Isaac Rapalje, Francis Griffin, John Jenkins, Thos. K. McElrath, John Templeton, Jacob Hyland, Justices of the Quorum; Henry D. Downs, John Dana, James Knowland, Thos. B. Tompkins, Foster Cook, Wm. Whitefield, Allen Sharkey, Chas. S. Spann, James Gibson, Jos. Templeton, Robert L. Matthews, James Bland, Alex. M. McCulloch, Ch. Gee, Ch. Henderson, Wm. B. Cook, Richard Featherston, Lewis McLemurry, Stephen Howard, Isaac W. Davis, Hartwell Cocke, Nelson Jackson, Henry Maynadier, Daniel Whittaker, Hartwell Vick, Samuel Cox, Paul C. Abney, Joseph Hough, Jas. M. Bitner, Jas. R. Blunt, John Bobb, Sinclair D. Gervais, Bennet M. Kines, Justices of the Peace; Andrew Glass, Henry D. Downs, Jr., Sheriffs; John Hyland, Tho. Evans, Jordan Gibson, Anthony Durden, Assessors and Collectors; Thos. Griffin, Andrew Haynes, Treasurers; John Blanchard, Foster Cook, County Surveyors; Benj. C. Lamdell, Inspector and Keeper of Weights and Measures; Samuel Blanchard, Jesse Barfield, Coroners; James Gibson, Judge of Probate; Robert Armstrong, Auctioneer of the County; Francis M. Beckwith, President of Selectmen, Vicksburg; Russell Smith, Wiley Bohanon, Associate Justices. Jacob Hyland, Wm. L. Sharkey, Francis Griffin and the families of Glass, Pace, Rawls, McElrath, Hicks, Griffin, Lewis and Haynes were very early settlers in the southern part of the county. In the central part is a neighborhood called the “Gibson Settlement,” settled at an early day by the Rev. Tobias Gibson, an early Methodist missionary to Mississippi, and his brother, Rev. Randall Gibson, prominent citizens and related to many of the best families of today. Near the site of the National Cemetery was an early settlement, where lived H.P. Morancy, Dr. John Jenkins, the Fergusons, Turnbulls, Throckmortons and Joseph E. Davis, brother of President Jefferson Davis. In a region, about seven miles northeast of Vicksburg was a settlement in the early days known as “Open Woods”, surveyed by Foster Cook, and entered by him for four of the Vicks and four of the Cook families. The Cook home was a stopping place for many of the distinguished men of the State. The famous “Davis Bend” plantations lie below Vicksburg.

The early county seat of Warren was at Warrenton (incorporated in 1820), 12 miles down the river from Vicksburg, which as late as 1861 had a population of six to eight hundred, but had only 40 people by 1920.

Though an old historic fort and village, it was not until 1824 that the present city of Vicksburg was laid out and a charter obtained in 1825, and not until 1836 that the seat of justice was changed to Vicksburg by a vote of the people. The founder, Rev. Newitt Vick, gave his name to the city that was to be, but it was not surveyed into lots until after his death. Then his son-in-law, Rev. John Lane, the administrator with the will annexed, after a legal contest, carried out Mr. Vick’s intentions. The site of Vicksburg at the junction of the Yazoo and Mississippi rivers, and the first high land on the east bank of the Mississippi river for over four hundred miles, was meant by nature for a large commercial center.

In the old days Vicksburg was a social center for the aristocracy of the State, while the many magnificent steamers, which plied the Mississippi and Yazoo rivers, brought rich tribute to its port, from the fertile Yazoo-Mississippi Delta above, and from the rich alluvial lands of Louisiana on the south. The city, one of the most historic of the South, has had a stormy and checkered career. It emerged from the horrors of the long siege and bombardment in the War between the States, only to suffer a disastrous fire in 1866; a cut off by the river in 1876, a scourge of yellow fever in 1878, and another large fire in 1883, while its citizens lost more than a million dollars in the collapse of the Mississippi banks.

Warren County is bordered by Issaquena County (north), Yazoo County (northeast), Hinds County (east), Claiborne County (south), Tensas Parish, Louisiana (southwest) and Madison Parish, Louisiana (west) . Cities and Towns include Vicksburg, Redwood.

See Extended History for More information. The Official County Website is located at http://www.co.warren.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.
• Warren 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.

Warren 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.

Warren County Clerk of Circuit Court has Marriage Records from 1849/1860 and Court Records from 1810 and is located at P. O. Box 351, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39181; Phone: 636-3961, Fax: 630-4100 .

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.

Warren County Chancery Court Clerk has Land Records from 1810 and Probate Records from 1810 and is located at P. O. Box 351, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180; Phone: 636-4415, Fax: 634-4815.

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 Warren County Court Records. Email us with websites containing Warren ounty Court Records by clicking the link below:

• Warren 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.

Warren 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.

Warren County Health Department has Birth and Death Records from November of 1912 and is located at 807 Monroe Street, Vicksburg, Mississippi 39180; Phone: 601-636-4356 . 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 Warren 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 Warren 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 Warren County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Warren 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.
• Warren County, Mississippi Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
• Birth, Marriage & Death - Vital records (births, deaths, marriages, and divorces) mark the milestones of our lives and are the foundation of family history research. Vital records, usually kept by a civic authority, can give you a more complete picture of your ancestor, help you distinguish between two people with the same name, and help you find links to a new generation.

Warren 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 Warren County Census Records. Email us with websites containing Warren County Census Records by clicking the link below:

• Warren 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.

Warren 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 Warren County Maps. Email us with websites containing Warren County Maps by clicking the link below:

• The Mississippi Digital Map Library
• Warren 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.

Warren 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 Warren County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Warren County Military Records by clicking the link below:

• Warren 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.

Warren 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 Warren County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Warren County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

• Warren County, Mississippi Tax Books at Amazon.com

Warren 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 Warren County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Warren County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

• Vicksburg Genealogical Society, Inc., P.O. Box 1161, Vicksburg, MS 39181-1161
• Warren County - Vicksburg Public Library, 700 Veto Street, Vicksburg, MS 39180; (601/636-6411)
• Old Court House Museum, 1008 Cherry Street, Vicksburg, MS 39180; 601/636-0741

• 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.

Warren 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 Warren County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Warren 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 Warren County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Warren 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.
• Warren County, Mississippi Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Warren 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 Warren County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Warren 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!
• Warren 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: [ Warren 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

 

Geographically located with the Mississippi River forming its western border and basically situated between two other rivers, the Yazoo and the Big Black, Warren County is a mixture of fertile Delta lands, hardwood forested hills, and lakes and wetlands ideal for wildlife. The county is 43rd in size of Mississippi's 82 counties.

Warren County was organized in 1809 and had been a part of Jefferson and Claiborne counties in the Old Natchez District. It was named for Dr. Joseph Warren, a Boston dentist who became the first casualty of the American Revolution when he was killed at the Battle of Bunker Hill.

The first known inhabitants of Warren County were several tribes of Indians including the Yazoo, Tensas, and Grigra, all kin to the Choctaws. They were mound builders who lived in small villages on high ground. They planted, harvested, and hunted and were usually a peaceful people.

Spanish explorers were probably the first Europeans to visit Warren County in the mid-1500s, followed by several French expeditions in the late 1600s. In 1698 Father Davion, a Roman Catholic priest, established a mission on the Yazoo near the present site of Redwood, naming it St. Pierre; it was the first European settlement in Mississippi.

Warren County passed into English ownership following the French and Indian War in the 1760s, and grants of land were made to a few settlers in the lower part of the area. During the American Revolution Warren County was part of the British colony of West Florida and remained loyal to King George 111. In 1780, the Spanish took possession of the colony, and in 1790 built Fort Nogales on the banks of the Mississippi north of the present city of Vicksburg. The land became the property of the United States by treaty in 1798, and except for the four years when it was part of the Confederacy, has remained under the Stars and Stripes.

Warren County has been the home of numerous famous Americans including Jefferson Davis, president of the Con- federate States; Ben Montgomery, the first African-American elected to public office in Mississippi; William McKendree win, the originator of the Pony Express and the first full- term senator from California; Key Pittman, a U.S. senator from Oregon; Sarah Breedlove Walker, who became the first black woman millionaire in the United States; and two chief justices of the Mississippi Supreme Court, William L. Sharkey and Horatio Fleming Simrall.

Some "firsts" for the county include Mamie Thomas, who in 1914 became the first woman rural mail deliverer; Mahala Roach, who in 1851 erected the first known Christmas tree in Mississippi; Joseph Biedenharn, who in 1894 made marketing history by bottling and selling Coca-Cola (which had been a fountain drink), and Phil Gilbert, who changed marketing history by pairing shoes and selling them in boxes in 1884.

Historically, the county is best-known as the site of one of the turning points of the War Between the States, the Siege of Vicksburg in 1863. In 1916 Warren County also became the first in the United States to establish a system of rural consolidated vocational schools.

The first court session in the county was held in alog cabin near Yokena in 1809, followed shortly by the construction of a brick courthouse at Warrenton, the first county seat. In 1825 the seat of government was moved to Vicksburg. At one time the towns of Warrenton, Walters, and Fostoria (also called Speeds) were incorporated municipalities. Warrenton is extinct, and the others are now part of Vicksburg. Towns were also planned at Cardiff and Cedars but never materialized, leaving Vicksburg as the only incorporated municipality in Warren County.