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Clarke County History and Information
County History | Court Records | Vital Records | CENSUS Records | TAX Records | Military Records |
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Clarke County Facts


Click HERE to see full size D.O.T. County Map
     Clarke County was established December 23, 1833 and was created from the Choctaw Cession of 1830. It was named in honor of Judge Joshua G. Clarke, the first Chancellor of the State. Its southern line which divides it from Wayne County marks the old Choctaw boundary.

     The original act defined its limits as follows:

"Beginning on the State line of Alabama, at the point at which the line between townships four and five strikes said State line, and running thence west with said line between townships four and five, to the line between ranges thirteen and fourteen east; thence south, with said line between ranges thirteen and fourteen east to the southern boundary line of the Choctaw nation, thence east with said boundary line to the northwest corner of the Higoowanne reserve; thence to the northeast corner of the same; thence east along said boundary line to the point at which the southern boundary of township number one strikes the same; thence directly east to the State of Alabama, and thence north with said State line to the place of beginning."

     The following is a list of the first officers of the county: David B. Thompson, Sheriff; George Evans, Treasurer; Henry Hailes, Probate Judge; William Covington, Clerk of the Circuit and Probate Courts; Norman Martin, Samuel K. Lewis, George Knight, Stephen Grice, Calvin M. Ludlow, members of the Board of Police.

     The county seat is Quitman, located at the center of the county on the line of the Mobile & Ohio railway. The site was owned and laid off into lots by Gen. John Watts, afterwards Circuit Judge. It was named for Gen. John A. Quitman, second Chancellor of the State, afterwards governor and a prominent officer in the Mexican war. Two more of the important towns in the county are Stonewall and Enterprise, in the northern part of the county on the line of the Mobile & Ohio, containing 1,000 inhabitants. The Chickasawhay River flows through the center of the county, and, with its numerous tributaries, provides ample water facilities. All the waters of the county flow southward, and join the Pascagoula River in Greene County.

     Clarke County is bordered by Lauderdale County (north), Choctaw County, Alabama (east), Wayne County (south) and Jasper County (west) . Cities and Towns include Enterprise, Pachuta, Quitman, Shubuta and Stonewall .

   See Extended History for More information. The Official County Website is located at http://www.visitclarkecounty.com/. Clarke County, Mississippi History Books at Amazon.com

  • Family History Library - The largest collection of free family history, family tree and genealogy records in the world.

 

There are free downloadable and printable forms to help with your research. These include U.S. Census Extraction Forms, U.K. Census Extraction Forms, Research Calendar, Ancestral Chart, Research Extract, Correspondence Record , Family Group Sheet , Source Summary Form.

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Clarke County Court Records
PLEASE READ!! 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. Dates following a slash indicate those materials jointly held by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History and the FHL

   Clarke County Clerk of Circuit Court has Marriage Records from 1853/1865 and Court Records from 1867 and is located at P. O. Box 216, Quitman, Mississippi 39355; Phone: 776-3111, Fax: 776-1013 .
   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.

   Clarke County Chancery Court Clerk has Land Records from 1834 and Probate Records from 1837 and is located at P. O. Box 689, Quitman, Mississippi 39355; Phone: 776-2126, Fax: 776-1013
   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.

There are a few online marriage databases which include: Mississippi Marriages 1767-1935; Mississippi Marriages to 1825; Mississippi Marriages 1826-1850 and Mississippi Marriages 1826-1900. Omline Land records include Mississippi Land Records; Land Claims in Mississippi Territory, 1789-1834 and the BLM Land Records which 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


Search Online Click Here to Search Mississippi Court, Land, Wills & Financial Records! - Researchers often overlook the importance of court records, probate records, and land records as a source of family history information.

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

  • Clarke County, Mississippi Court Books at Amazon.com
  • Mississippi Immigration & Emigration Records - Immigration records help the family historian to understand the movements of their ancestry as they relocated to different parts of the world.
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Clarke County Vital Records
Search Online Click Here to Search Mississippi Birth, Marriage & Death Records! - Birth, marriage, and death records are connected with central life events. They are prime sources for genealogical information. Look also for baptism, christening, and burial records in this collection.

Some documents are just too important to wait six weeks for. With VitalChek Express Certificate Service you won’t have to. Birth, Marriage, Divorce & Death Certificates Signed. Sealed. Delivered. Often in as few as three business days!

   Clarke County Health Department has Birth and Death Records from November of 1912 .and is located at 426 West Donald, Quitman, MS 39355; Phone: 601-776-2149. 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 Clarke 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 Clarke 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:

  • 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. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE
  • 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. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE

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. You can also order Order Electronically and get the certificates much quicker by ordering HERE

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

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Clarke County Census Records
Search Online Click Here to Search Mississippi Voter Lists & Census Records! - 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

See Also Statewide Records that exist for Mississippi

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

  • Clarke County, Mississippi Census Books at Amazon.com
  • Mississippi Census, 1805-90
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Clarke County Maps & Atlases

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

  • Clarke County, Mississippi Map Books at Amazon.com
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Clarke County Military Records
Search Online Click Here to Search Mississippi Military Records! - 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 Clarke County Military Records. Email us with websites containing Clarke County Military Records by clicking the link below:

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

  • Clarke County, Mississippi Tax Books at Amazon.com
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Clarke County 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 Clarke County Genealogical Addresses. Email us with websites containing Clarke County Genealogical Addresses by clicking the link below:

  • The Historical Village of DeSoto Improvement Society, 72 Clarion Street, Shubuta MS 39360
  • Historic Clarke County, Inc., P O Box 172, Quitman, MS 39355
  • Local Mississippi Researchers, Find a local researcher or become a local researcher.
  • 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
  • Mississippi Newspapers & Periodicals Records - Newspapers and periodicals are the diaries of local communities. They are excellent sources of family history details - often recorded nowhere else. Look for obituaries, marriages, legal notices, and more found in our Historical Newspaper Archives.
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Clarke County Church & Cemeteries
Search Online Click Here to Search Mississippi Obituary Records! - This database is a compilation of obituaries published in U.S. newspapers, collected from various online sources. 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 Clarke County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Clarke 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 Clarke County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Clarke County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

Search Online Click Here to Search Mississippi Family Tree Records! - 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 Clarke County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Clarke County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

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County History

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