Mississippi,
One of the
Gulf States of the
United States, is bounded north by
Tennessee.
The
Tennessee River touches the
State in the extreme northeast corner.
On the west the
Mississippi River separates it from
Arkansas and
Louisiana above lat. 31° N., which divides the
State from
Louisiana on the south, 110 miles east from the
Mississippi River to the
Pearl.
That portion of the
State east of the
Pearl River extends south to the
Gulf of Mexico, affording a coast-line of about 80 miles.
Alabama forms the entire eastern boundary.
It is limited in latitude between 30° 13′ and 35° N., and in longitude between 88° 7′ and 91° 41′
W. Area, 46,340 square miles, in seventy-five counties; population, 1890, 1.289,600; 1900, 1,551,270.
Capital,
Jackson.
Fernando De Soto, on his expedition, enters the present
State of Mississippi near the junction of the
Tombigbee and
Black Warrior rivers; crosses the
Pearl in
Leake county, and reaches the
Indian village of
Chickasaw......December, 1540
Indians attack and burn
Chickasaw, which
De Soto had fortified and occupied as winter quarters......February, 1541
De Soto reaches the
Mississippi, which he crosses, probably within 30 miles of
Helena, in boats built for the purpose......April, 1541
Mississippi included in the proprietary charter of
Carolina......1663
Louis Joliet and
Pere Jacques Marquette descend the
Mississippi as far as lat. 33°......1673
La Salle descends the
Mississippi to its mouth......1682
Lemoine d'iberville plants a colony on the bay of
Biloxi......May, 1699
Iberville,
Bienville, and
Chevalier de Tonti ascend the
Mississippi to the present site of
Natchez......February, 1700
Fort Rosalie, at
Natchez, erected by
Bienville, governor of
Louisiana, and completed......Aug. 3, 1716
Mississippi Company chartered with exclusive privilege of the commerce of
Louisiana and New France, and obligated to introduce within twenty-five years 6,000 white persons and 3,000 negro slaves......Aug. 17, 1717
Mississippi Company grants land for settlements on the
Yazoo, at
Natchez, on the bay of
St. Louis, and on
Pascagoula Bay......1718
Three hundred settlers locate at
Natchez......1720
Three hundred emigrants, destined for the lands of
Madame de Chaumonot, arrive at
Pascagoula......Jan. 3, 1721
Seat of government of
Louisiana removed from
Biloxi to New Orleans......1723
Chopart, commander of
Fort Rosalie, demands that Great Sun, head of the
Natchez tribe of
Indians, should vacate White Apple village, about 6 miles from the fort, and surrender it to the
French: a conspiracy of Indians and the massacre of the garrison follow......Nov. 29, 1729
Destruction of the
Natchez by the
French and
Choctaws......Jan. 28–Feb. 8, 1730
Mississippi Company surrenders its
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charter; the
King proclaims all
Louisiana free to all his subjects......1732
Mississippi included in the proprietary charter of
Georgia......1732
Unsuccessful expedition of
Bienville against the Chickasaws in the northern part of
Mississippi......May, 1736
Capt. George Johnstone appointed governor of
west Florida, including portion of
Mississippi south of 31st parallel acquired by treaty of
Paris......Nov. 21, 1763
A second decree of the
King in council extends the limits of
west Florida north to the mouth of the
Yazoo, to include the settlements on the
Mississippi......June 10, 1764
Scotch Highlanders from
North Carolina and
Scotland build
Scotia, about 30 miles eastward from
Natchez......1768-70
Richard and
Samuel Swayze, of
New Jersey, the latter a Congregational minister, purchase land in
Adams county, settle and establish a church......1772-73
James Willing secures authority from Congress to descend the
Mississippi and secure the neutrality of the colonies at
Natchez,
Bayou Pierre, etc.......1778
Fort Panmure, formerly the
French fort Rosalie, garrisoned by a company of infantry under
Capt. Michael Jackson, by order of the governor of
west Florida......1778
Gen. don
Bernardo de Galvez, proposing to expel the
English from
Florida, storms Fort Bute, Sept. 7, 1779, and captures
Baton Rouge, commanded by
Lieutenant-Colonel Dickinson, who surrenders all
west Florida upon the
Mississippi, including
Fort Panmure and the district of Natchez, to the
Spanish......Sept. 21, 1779
Fort Panmure surrendered by the Spaniards to insurgents, under the
British flag, after a siege of a week......April 30, 1781
Don
Carlos de Grandpre, appointed civil and military commander of the district of Natchez, July 29, 1781, takes measures to punish insurgents who had not fled after the capture of
Pensacola, and imprisons seven, charged with promoting a general rebellion against government in the district of Natchez......1781
Definitive treaty of peace establishes the southern boundary of the
United States at the 31st parallel N. lat., from the
Mississippi to the
St. Mary's River; but in ceding
Florida to
Spain no boundary on the north is mentioned, hence
Spain claims north to the mouth of the
Yazoo River; signed......Sept. 3, 1782
County of Bourbon established by
Georgia of all lands east of the
Mississippi between lat. 31° and the mouth of the
Yazoo, to which Indian titles had been extinguished......Feb. 7, 1785
Act erecting
Bourbon county repealed......Feb. 1, 1788
Four companies chartered by the Georgia legislature with control of more than 3,000,000 acres of land in
Mississippi at the rate of 2 1/2 cents per acre, to be paid into the
State treasury......Jan. 7, 1795
Treaty at
Madrid with
Spain fixes the southern boundary of the
United States at lat. 31° N.; the western boundary the middle of the
Mississippi River, with free navigation......Oct. 27, 1795
Georgia legislature rescinds grants to the
Mississippi companies......Feb. 13, 1796
Spanish
commissioner Don Manuel Gayoso de Lemos meets the
United States commissioner Andrew Ellicott at
Natchez to carry out the provisions of the treaty regarding the boundary-line between the
United States and
Spain......Feb. 24, 1797
Colonel Ellicott succeeds in securing the election of a permanent committee of public safety......July, 1797
On Jan. 10, 1798,
Colonel Ellicott receives notice from the
governor-general of New Orleans that orders had been received from the
King to surrender the territory, but it was not until the
Spanish had lost hope from intrigues in the
West that on March 23
Fort Nogales on
Walnut Hill was evacuated, and
Fort Panmure about midnight......March 29-30, 1798
Act of Congress approved creating
Mississippi Territory, including the present
State of Alabama......April 7, 1798
Georgia constitution of this year defines definitely the boundaries claimed by the
State, which include the
Mississippi Territory, established by act of Congress......1798
Winthrop Sargent appointed first territorial governor of
Mississippi, and arrives at
Natchez......Aug. 6, 1798
General Wilkinson reaches
Natchez and fixes headquarters at
Loftus Heights, afterwards
Fort Adams......Aug. 26, 1798
Act of Congress supplemental regarding the government of the
Mississippi Territory, and providing that settlement shall
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be made with
Georgia for claims on or before March 10, 1803......1800
Seat of government removed from
Natchez to
Washington, 6 miles east, by act of Assembly and council......Feb. 1, 1802
Articles of agreement and cession under the compromise act, secures to the
United States all territory south of
Tennessee, north of the
Spanish line of demarkation, and eastward from the
Mississippi to the
Chattahoochee......April 24, 1802
Outrages and murders by the bandit
Mason and his gang along the great
Natchez trace; the governor offers a reward for his head, which is brought to
Washington by Little Harpe, who fled from
Kentucky in 1799 and joined
Mason in his depredations.
Harpe and another of the band murder
Mason for the reward, but are recognized, arrested, condemned, and executed at
Greenville......1802
Weekly newspaper, the
Natchez Gazette, published by
Col. Andrew Marschalk at
Natchez......1802
Natchez incorporated as a city......March 10, 1803
Jefferson College established at
Washington by act of legislature......1803
Natchez hospital for sick and distressed boatmen employed in the navigation of the
Mississippi River and others, incorporated......1804
Whole of the territory ceded to the
United States by
Georgia, north of the
Mississippi Territory and south of
Tennessee, is annexed to
Mississippi Territory by act of Congress......March 27, 1804
Aaron Burr, arrested at
Natchez, gives bonds to appear before the territorial court, Feb. 3.
The court refusing release from his recognizance, Feb. 5, next morning it was ascertained that he had made his escape......Feb. 6, 1807
Judge Harry Toulmin's digest of the laws of
Mississippi adopted by the legislature......Feb. 10, 1807
Congress to extend the right of suffrage in the
Territory permitting the people to elect delegates to Congress......Jan. 9, 1808
Bank of Mississippi chartered......Dec. 23, 1809
Mobile district, lying south of lat. 31° and between the
Pearl and
Perdido rivers, is added to
Mississippi by act......May 14, 1812
Expedition under
Gen. F. L. Claiborne attacks the holy city of the
Creek Indians, called Escanachaha, on the east side of the
Alabama River, which they burn......Dec. 23, 1813
Enabling act for
Mississippi passed by Congress, establishing the eastern boundary, and the
Territory of Alabama created......March 1, 1817
Convention for framing a constitution meets at
Washington, July 7, 1817, and completes its labors......Aug. 15, 1817
First General Assembly meets at
Washington......Oct. 6, 1817
Mississippi admitted into the
Union......Dec. 10, 1817
Bank of Mississippi in
Natchez authorized by law to establish branches, and the
State becomes a stockholder......Feb. 4, 1818
By treaty with
Major-General Jackson, of
Tennessee, and
Maj.-Gen. Thomas Hinds, of
Mississippi, commissioners of the
United States, the Choctaws relinquish nearly 5,500,000 acres of land, which formed the county of
Hinds; known as the “new purchase” treaty......Oct. 18, 1820
Legislature appoints a committee to locate the seat of government by act of Feb. 12, 1821, and by a supplemental act styles the new capital
Jackson......Nov. 28, 1821
Board of internal improvement, consisting of the governor and three commissioners, organized......1829
Planters' Bank chartered......Feb. 10, 1830
Treaty of
Dancing Rabbit Creek, by which the Choctaws cede the rest of their lands in
Mississippi to the
United States......Sept. 28, 1830
Treaty at
Pontotoc Creek; the Chickasaws cede their lands in
Mississippi and agree to remove from the
State......Oct. 20, 1832
Convention for framing a new constitution meets at
Jackson, Sept. 10, 1832, and completes its labors, Oct. 26.
Constitution ratified at the next general election......1832
Appropriation made for the erection of a State-house and executive mansion at the capital......Feb. 26, 1833
Act approved incorporating the Mississippi Union Bank and providing for $15,500,000 in State stock as capital as soon as a corresponding amount in private subscriptions should come in......Jan. 21, 1837
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Supplementary act authorizes an immediate issue of $5,000,000 of State stock, which was sold at a heavy discount through the bank of the
United States......Feb. 15, 1838
Legislature sanctions the sale of stock for the bank......1839
Governor McNutt by message advises repudiating the Union Bank bonds sold to the
United States Bank of
Pennsylvania......1841
Legislature by resolution denies that the
State is under any obligation, legal or moral, to redeem the Union Bank bonds......1842
State
Treasurer Richard S. Graves arrested for embezzlement of State funds to the amount of $44,838.46. He escapes from the house of the sheriff and flees to
Canada......1843
Robert J. Walker appointed
Secretary of United States Treasury......March 6, 1845
Law passed establishing common schools......March 4, 1846
Mississippi regiment, under command of
Col. Jefferson Davis, serves in the
Mexican War......1846
University of Mississippi at
Oxford, chartered in 1844, is opened......1848
Governor Quitman, arrested by the United States marshal for violation of the neutrality law of 1818 in abetting the expedition against
Cuba, resigns as governor.
He is acquitted, renominated, but declines......1851
Jefferson Davis, of
Mississippi, appointed
United States Secretary of War by
President Pierce......March 5, 1853
Amendment to the constitution ratified, appointing the first Monday in October as day for general election, and making the term of office of the governor two years......Feb. 2, 1856
Jacob Thompson Secretary of the Interior......March 6, 1857
Southern convention delegates from eight States assemble at
Vicksburg and consider reopening the slave-trade......May 11, 1859
Whitworth female college at
Brookhaven opened and chartered......1859
By joint resolution the legislature directs the governor to appoint commissioners to the several slave-holding States, asking their co-operation in secession.
Legislature adjourned......Nov. 30, 1860
State convention meets at
Jackson, Jan. 7, 1861, passes an ordinance of secession, Jan. 9, 84 to 15......Jan. 15, 1861
Confederates occupy the unfinished fort on
Ship Island, under construction since 1855......Jan. 20, 1861
State convention ratifies the constitution of the
Confederate States......March 26, 1861
Town of
Biloxi captured by Federal naval force under
Capt. Melancthon Smith......Dec. 31, 1861
Confederate government removes the
State archives from
Jackson to
Columbus for safety......June 16, 1862
Chief military operations in
Mississippi during 1862 were as follows:
General Beauregard evacuates
Corinth, and
Halleck takes possession, May 29;
United States gunboat
Essex bombards
Natchez and the city surrenders, Sept. 10;
Rosecrans defeats Confederates under
Price in a
battle at Iuka, Sept. 19-20; unsuccessful attack on
Corinth by the
Confederates under
General Van Dorn, Oct. 3-4;
Grenada occupied by
General Hovey's expedition, 20,000 strong, Dec. 2;
Van Dorn defeats the
Federal cavalry in battle of
Coffeeville, Dec. 5;
Holly Springs surrendered to the
Confederates, Dec. 20; unsuccessful attack of Federals on
Vicksburg......Dec. 27-29, 1862
Important military operations during 1863:
Colonel Grierson with Federal troops makes a raid through the
State from
Tennessee to
Louisiana, April 17–May 5; naval battle of
Grand Gulf, April 29;
McClernand defeats the
Confederates at
Port Gibson, May 1;
Raymond occupied by Federals under
General McPherson, May 12;
McPherson occupies
Jackson, May 14;
Grant defeats
Pemberton at Champion Hills, May 16, and at
Big Black River, May 17;
Vicksburg invested by forces under
General Grant, May 18;
Vicksburg surrendered, July 4;
Jackson evacuated by
General Johnston, who had occupied it after the advance of the
Federals on
Vicksburg, and the city is occupied by
General Sherman......July 16, 1863
Sherman's Meridan expedition leaves
Vicksburg......Feb. 3, 1864
Forrest, Confederate, defeats
Sturgis at
Guntown......June 10, 1864
Upon the surrender of
General Taylor to
General Canby,
Governor Clarke by
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proclamation recalls the
State officers, with the archives, to
Jackson, and convenes the legislature.
He recommends a convention to repeal the ordinance of secession and remodel constitution......May 6, 1865
Judge William L. Sharkey appointed provisional governor by
President Johnson, the federal government not recognizing
Governor Clarke and the legislature......June 13, 1865
Amendments to the constitution of 1832 and ordinances adopted by a convention called by the
provisional governor, which met at
Jackson, Aug. 14, and completed its labors......Aug. 26, 1865
Law conferring civil rights upon freedmen......1865
Governor Clarke arrested and imprisoned at
Fort Pulaski......1865
By reconstruction act
Mississippi is placed in the 4th Military District under
Major-General Ord......March 2, 1867
By order of
General Ord,
W. H. McCardle, editor of the Vicksburg
Times, is confined in a military prison on charge of obstructing the reconstruction acts......Nov. 13, 1867
Legislature unanimously rejects the Fourteenth Amendment......January, 1868
Convention of landowners from
Mississippi,
Alabama,
Tennessee, and
Louisiana, at
Jackson, to organize a “
Freehold land and Colonization Company” to encourage emigration in each of these States......March 31, 1868
Gen. Irwin McDowell takes command of 4th Military District......June 4, 1868
Governor Humphreys reluctantly forced to vacate the executive mansion for
Maj.-Gen. Adelbert Ames, appointed provisional governor by
General McDowell......June 15, 1868
Constitution framed by a convention under the reconstruction act, which sits at
Jackson, Jan. 7 to May 15, 1868, is rejected by the people by 56,231 for and 63,860 against......June 28, 1868
National Union Republican party of
Mississippi in convention at
Jackson, nominate
Louis Dent for governor, the majority of the Democrats concur......Sept. 8, 1869
At State election the constitution of May 15, 1868, is ratified by 105,223 for and 954 against; the vote against disfranchising Confederate soldiers almost unanimous......Nov. 30–Dec. 1, 1869
Congress readmits
Mississippi into the
Union......Feb. 17, 1870
School law organizing a State board of education and providing for a superintendent of public education......1870
Planters, Manufacturers, and Mechanics' Association of the State of Mississippi incorporated......1871
Any rate of interest agreed upon in writing made legal; 6 per cent. the legal rate in the absence of any agreement......1873
At a mass-meeting of taxpayers of
Warren county at
Vicksburg, Dec. 2, 1874, a committee is sent to
Sheriff Peter Crosby and clerk of the chancery court
G. W. Davenport, to demand their resignations, “satisfied that said officials of this county were stealing and plundering our substance.”
Crosby resigned and
Davenport absconded......December, 1874
Political strife between State officers and citizen taxpayers leads to a conflict of races.
Armed negroes approach
Vicksburg from various directions, are met by citizens, and dispersed with considerable loss of life......Dec. 7, 1874
Legislature, convened in extra session by
Governor Ames, Dec. 8, 1874, calls upon the
President “by military power to suppress domestic violence, to restore peace and order in this State, and to guarantee to all citizens the equal and impartial enjoyment of their constitutional and legal rights” ......Dec. 17, 1874
President Grant, by proclamation, orders the people of
Warren county to refrain from forcible resistance to the laws, and to submit peaceably to the authorities......Dec. 21, 1874
People ratify the following amendment to article XII., section 5 of the constitution of 1868: “Nor shall the
State assume, redeem, secure, or pay any indebtedness or pretended indebtedness claimed to be due by the
State of Mississippi to any person, association, or corporation whatsoever, claiming the same as owners, holders, or assignees of any bond or bonds now generally known as Union Bank bonds or Planters' Bank bonds” ......1875
Conflict between office-holders and people still continuing, several riots occur.
notably at
Yazoo City, Sent.
1, and
Clinton, Sept. 4.
Governor Ames again appeals
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to the
President for protection, which is refused, and at the
State election the Republican party is generally defeated......November, 1875
Lieut.-Gov. Alexander K. Davis impeached and found guilty, March 13;
T. W. Cardoza, superintendent of public education, resigns, March 21;
Governor Ames, having been impeached Feb. 25, resigns his office......March 28, 1876
Amendment to the constitution abolishing the office of lieutenant-governor......1876
State board of health created by act of legislature......1877
Acts passed by legislature: To establish and maintain in the
State a system of public free schools; that Alcorn University be hereafter known as the
Alcorn Agricultural and Mechanical College of the
State of Mississippi; to establish the Agricultural and Mechanical College of the
State of Mississippi; making the legislative sessions biennial......1878
Mississippi Valley Cotton Planters' Association organized at
Vicksburg......1879
Mississippi Valley Labor Convention meets at
Vicksburg to consider the negroexodus question......May 5, 1879
Revised code of
Mississippi laws made by
Hon. J. A. P. Campbell, adopted by the legislature......1880
Law passed prohibiting the selling or giving away of intoxicating liquors within 5 miles of the University of Mississippi......1882
Inter-State levee convention assembles at
Vicksburg......Oct. 1, 1883
General local option law passed......1886
Extensive negro emigration from the hill country of
Mississippi to the river bottoms along the
Mississippi in the
Yazoo section commences in
Hinds and
Rankin counties......November, 1886
Laying the corner-stone of the monument to the
Confederate dead on the
capitol grounds at
Jackson......May 25, 1888
Legislature introduces the Australian ballot system of voting in all except congressional elections......1890
State
Treasurer Hemingway convicted of embezzling $315,612.19 by the Supreme Court......Dec. 1, 1890
Constitutional convention which meets at
Jackson, Aug. 12, 1890, adjourns Nov. 1, having promulgated a new constitution to take effect......Jan. 1, 1891
Monument to Confederate dead unveiled at
Jackson......June 3, 1891
A fire started by an insane inmate,
J. D. Brown, consumes the main building of the
State insane asylum at
Jackson; the inmates, nearly 600, are saved except
Brown......Feb. 16, 1892
Lucius Q. C. Lamar died at
Washington, D. C.......Jan. 23, 1893
Sixty-four thousand two hundred dollars authorized for relief of Confederate soldiers and widows for the year ......1893
Agricultural College textile school created......1900
Historical commission authorized......1900
One hundred and fifty thousand dollars per year for two years, as pensions to Confederate soldiers, appropriated......1900
Constitutional amendments providing for legislative apportionment, and poll-tax adopted......November, 1900
New State-house to cost $850,000 authorized......December, 1900
Missouri 
