The leader., 1898-12-14
LINCOLN COUNTY.
When and How II Was First
Formed.
A Pen sketch of Its Naturai
Advantages, Soil. Fro
ducts, People, Etc.

ders, especially to members OF the
vounger generation, who are not famil- |
lar with the history of Lincoln county:
Lincoln county was created by act of
the Legislature approved April Z, 1871,
and though there have been several
acts passed since affecting its boundar-
les. its area has not materially been
altered. 1t was formed of parts of the
counties of Lawrence, Copiah, Pike, |
Amite and Franklin, as they existed
previous to that time, the first named
contributing about one-half of the ter
ritory to the new county, Its name
was given it in honor of Honest Abe.
Boundaries and Area.
The southern boundary of the coun-
ty is parallel with and just "a miles
north of the 31st degree of latitude, the
line separating Mississippi from East
Louisiana. Its northern boundary,
save the notch" cut into the county so
as to retain the town of Wesson in Co
piah, as shown on the map of the State,
is parallel with the southern boundary,
and just "a miles north of it. The
main ridge separating the waters that
flow into the Mississippi from those
that seek Pearl river extends nearly
centrally through the county. The
breadth from east to west is q miles,
save that six miles square is added to
the northwest, thus making the north
ern boundary and a strip six miles
south of it extend east and west ~
miles. The county is bounded by
those from which it was formed and
also by the county of Jefferson. Its
area is 593 square miles, and it is COM
paratively small county, being about
one-third smaller than either Pike or
Copiah, between which it lies. The
Illinois Central railroad passes CEN
trally through the county from north
to south.
The Population
in 1870 was 10,1S4, of which 6,022 were
whites, and 1852 colored. In 1880 the
whites numbered 7,701; the colored
5.S42: total, 1851. 1t will thus be seen
that the increase in the decade as a
whole was 1893, over 80 per cent
There has been large increase of pop
ulation since the last census, and ac-
cording to most reliable estimates the
population is now about 17,OOO.* Dur
ing the last few years quite number
of negroes have left the county at
various times the for YaZoo delta, their
places being gradually filled by whites,
so that Lincoln may justly be classed
as white mans county. The regis
tered vote of 1886, the largest ever
reached, was 5000, of which 2,O75 were
white and l ,125 black.
Assessed Value of Property.
The assessed value of property in
1886 was Realty, SSS3,095: personally,
S57O,52S: total, S1,453,OOO. The net
increase in values in the last five years
is S343,095.+ The indebtedness of the
county is small, not exceeding $1,000,
and this will be cancelled within the
next two years.
geographically Considered
Lincoln county is peculiar. While no
very large streams are in the county,
yet quite number rise here. A point
few miles northwest of BroOkhaven
seems to be the highest in the county,
and a general watershed. In this
neighborhood the Bayou Pierre rises
and runs almost due north for many
miles, and thence turning to the west
finds an entrance into the Mississippi
| in the neighborhood of Port Gibson.
Near the same point McCalls Creek
rises, and not far west the Homo Chit
to. which, coming together, and flowing
in a southwestern course, empty into
the Mississippi a short distance above
the Louisiana line. The Amite river
rises just south of the headwaters of
McCalls Creek and runs nearly south
into Lake Maurepas. The Tangipahoa
rises a short distance west of Antics
headwaters, flows south and empties
| itself into Pontchartrain lake. The
Bogue Chitto rises near the watershed
and flows east of south, emptying part
ly into Lake Potchartrain and partly
into Pearl river near its mouth. TOpi-
saw rises southeast of the Bogue Chitto,
and running nearly south empties into
the latter stream at Holmesville, in
Pike county. Fair river rises just
north of Topisaw's headwaters, and
runs northeast, falling into Pearl river
several miles above Monticello, in
Lawrence county. The Bahala rises
north of Brookhaven and flows north
east, reaching Pearl river near the
Copiah line. Brookhaven is 500 feet
about the level of the sea. The high
est point in the county is believed to
be about $50 feet. and the county is
higher than any that bounds it or is
within 200 miles of it.
The Soil.
AS result of this topography and
the numerous tributaries of the princi-
pal streams named, there is a large
proportion of the land in the county
which belongs to the class denominated
"branch land" 1t is fertile and the
seasons are as certain to be fruitful as
on any land anywhere: this branch
land possesses many if not all the ad-
vantages of bottom lands without dan
ger from overflow. The ridge land is
peculiarly susceptible of fertilization.
The surface of the county generally is
and the soil is we'll drained. |
No part of the county of significant ex-
tent but what is well adapted to cult
vation and no country is better water
ed and the waterS are pura and shark |