Itawamba County Facts

Click HERE to see full size D.O.T. County Map      Itawamba County was erected February 9, 1836, during the administration of Gov. Charles Lynch. Some Mississippi historians assert that it was named for the daughter of an Indian chief, while others insist that it is a Chickasaw name of Levi Colbert. In 1832, the treaty of Pontotoc had been concluded with the Chickasaw nation of Indians, whereby they finally ceded to the United States all their remaining lands in the northern part of the State. Out of this large and fertile territory, a dozen counties had been created by the close of the year 1836, one of them being Itawamba. Its original limits were defined as follows: "Beginning at the point where the line between townships 6 and 7 intersects the eastern boundary of the State, and running with the said boundary line to a point one mile north of its intersection with the line between townships 11 and 112; thence due west to the line between ranges 5 and 6 east; thence north with the said range line, to the line between townships 6 and 7, and thence east with the said township line, to the beginning." October 26, 1866, it contributed a large part of its western territory, to assist in forming the county of Lee and a few years later the dividing line between Itawamba and the counties of Prentiss and Tishomingo was defined by a line running east from the southwest corner of section 14, between sections 14 and 23, township 7, to the eastern boundary line of the State. In common with all of this Chickasaw region, Itawamba County had been rapidly settled by a strong tide of emigration, not only from the older counties of the State, but from the states of Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia as well. The Indians, reluctant at first to abandon their homes, by the close of the year 1839, had nearly all retired to their new allotments west of the Mississippi River. The villages of Van Buren, Wheeling, West Fulton and Ironwood Bluff were among the earliest places in the county to be settled. All four have now disappeared. Van Buren was located on a high bluff on the Tombigbee River. Winfield Walker, a nephew of Gen. Winfield Scott, opened a store there in 1838, and the following year W.C. Thomas & Brother also began business there. Other business men of the place were Mr. Dines, from New York; John W. Lindsey, J.C. Ritchie, H.W. Bates, Elijah B. Harber, Weaks, E. Moore, and R.F. Shannon. The building of the Mobile & Ohio railroad caused the place to decay and the old site is now in cultivation. Wheeling was located on the Tombigbee, three miles below Van Buren, soon after the Chickasaw land sales. Jowers & Holcomb, and R.P. Snow did business here for a short time. After two or three years its life was absorbed by Van Buren, three miles up the river. Old West Fulton, says Mr. Eli Phillips, of Fulton, Mississippi, was on the west side of the Tombigbee River, two and one-fourth miles from Fulton Ironwood Bluff was about ten miles south of West Fulton, on the same side of the river. Itawamba County is bordered by Tishomingo County (northeast), Franklin County, Alabama (east), Marion County, Alabama (southeast), Monroe County (south), Lee County (west) and Prentiss County (northwest) . Cities and Towns include Fulton, Mantachie, Tremont .    See Extended History for More information. The Official County Website is located at ?. Itawamba 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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Itawamba County Court Records

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

   Itawamba County Clerk of Circuit Court has Marriage Records from 1837 and Court Records from 1854 and is located at 201 West Main Street, Fulton, Mississippi 38843; Phone: 862-3511, Fax: 862-4006 .
   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.

   Itawamba County Chancery Court Clerk has Land Records from 1836 and Probate Records from 1854 and is located at P. O. Box 776, Fulton, Mississippi 38843; Phone: 862-3421, Fax: 862-4006.
   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

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

• Itawamba 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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Itawamba County Vital Records

See Also Vital Records in Mississippi

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!

   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 Itawamba County Vital Records. Email us with websites containing Itawamba County Vital Records by clicking the link below:

• Search the Social Security Death Index for FREE
• Itawamba County, Mississippi Birth, Marriage & Death Books at Amazon.com
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Itawamba County Census Records

See Also Research In Census Records

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

• Itawamba County, Mississippi Census Books at Amazon.com
• Mississippi Census, 1805-90
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Itawamba 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 Itawamba County Maps. Email us with websites containing Itawamba County Maps by clicking the link below:

• Itawamba County, Mississippi Map Books at Amazon.com
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Itawamba County Military Records

See Also Military Records in Mississippi

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

• Itawamba 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 M246 include muster rolls, payrolls, strength returns, and other miscellaneous personnel, pay, and supply records of American Army units, 1775-83.
• Revolutionary War Pension and Bounty-Land Warrant Application Filesi (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.
• View, Print Copy & Save Original 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
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Itawamba 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 Itawamba County Tax Records. Email us with websites containing Itawamba County Tax Records by clicking the link below:

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

• Itawamba Historical Society, P.O. Box 7, Mantachie, MS 38855; (662) 282-7664
• Northeast Mississippi Historical & Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 434, Tupelo, MS 38801
• Historic Bonds House Museum, Corner of Church Street and Museum Drive, Mantachie, Mississippi
• The George Poteet History Center, Corner of Church Street and Museum Drive, Mantachie, Mississippi
• 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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Itawamba County Church & Cemeteries

See Also Church & Cemetery Records in Mississippi

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 Itawamba County. Some transcriptions are online. A great site is the Itawamba 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 Itawamba County Cemetery & Church Records. Email us with websites containing Itawamba County Cemetery & Church Records by clicking the link below:

• Itawamba County, Mississippi Cemetery Books at Amazon.com
• Itawamba County, Mississippi Church Books at Amazon.com
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Family Trees & Genealogy Tidbits

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 Itawamba County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information . Email us with websites containing Itawamba County Family Trees, web forums and other family type information by clicking the link below:

• Itawamba 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: [ Itawamba County ] [ Mississippi ] [ Main Page ]
• [GenForum Message Boards] [Rootsweb Message Boards]
• Genealogy Encyclopedia: General Abbreviations, Early Illnesses, Nickname Meanings, Worldwide Epidemics, Early Occupations, Common Terms, Censuses Explained, Free Genealogical Forms
• Nichols and Related Families of Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and Virgina.
• Meet your ancestors. Learn their stories. Start your FREE family tree.
• Mississippi Family & Local History Records - The Family & Local Histories Collection lets you read journals, memoirs, and other first-hand historical narratives right on your computer. Gathered from some of the world's finest libraries, these materials may provide hard-to-find town, county, and state information; tax records and wills; military, church, and court records; as well as photographs, stories, and maps.
• Genealogical Document Search and Retrieval Service
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County History

   Itawamba County was named for Itawamba, the Chickasaw name of Levi Colbert, a Chickasaw leader who was one of the negotiators of the Chickasaw Cession of 1832 and a member of a mixed-blood family which was prominent both in the Mississippi-Alabama area and later in Indian Territory. According to legend, the name Itawamba was given to Levi Colbert in his youth, to commemorate his success in leading a group of other youths who defended a Chickasaw village against an invading tribe while the elder warriors were away on a hunt. At the council called to celebrate this victory, Colbert was seated on a wooden seat, rather than on the ground as was the usual custom, and he was given the name Itawamba, which is said to mean "Wooden Bench" (the word `itte' meaning "wood").

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