The Columbus dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 19??-1922, 1921-07-17
ARTICLE iii.
Franklin Acamedy and the Sixteenth
Section.

states GOVemmenJ PROVIDED InaJ
the new states, the sixteenth section
in every township, should be given t.
those states for school purposes. Tn,
sixteenth sections in this state were
reserved under an act of Congress
entitled: "An Act regulating the
granting of land, and providing fol-
the sale Of lands, Of the United States
south of the state of Tennessee
passed March 3, 1903.
Columbus is on one of these six
teenth sections. The County Of Mon
roe, in which Columbus was located
first, was organized in 1921. The
same Legislature provided for the
survey of the sixteenth section, sale
of lands, and the establishment of
Franklin Academy. This act of the
Legislature was in conformity with
the act Of Congress of 1916, entitled:
can Act to provide for the leasing of
certain lands, reserved for the sup
port of schools in Mississippi Ter
ritory."
This bill of 1921, as we have said
provided for the survey and sale of
lands of the sixteenth section upon
which Columbus is located. BY the
terms of this bill, William Cooke,
Gideon Lincecum, Robert D. Hadden,
Richard Barry, Thomas Townsend,
Slas McBee, John Deck, William
Leech and David Kincaid were APP
pointed commissioners to lay out the
Southwest quarter of said fractional
section, or as much as they might
think suitable. 1t was to be the duty
of the County Court of Monroe Coun-
ty to appoint three agents for the
purpose of leasing said town lots, and
to take security. 1t provided for the
of Franklin Academy,
and also that the commissioners for
the survey, should also be the Trus-
tees for the school, and should be
legally qualified to do all acts for the
benefit of the institution, These Trus-
tees might increase their number to
twelve but no more.
After 1880, an additional survey
was made at the southwest corner of
the sixteenth section, and called,
Moore's Survey. Next came Barry's
Survey of 1886, joining the town on
the Southeast. Another survey was
made in 1886, called Hopkins and
Survey, and comprised the
part of the present plan mot included
in the other surveys. Lipscomb says
the present Q9OD city Of Columbus
includes within its limits, all these
four surveys, and he locates the six
teenth section lands as follows; BE
gin at a point near the west end OF
Fourth Avenue South, formerly La
Fayette Street, running thence one
mile due East (passing Immediately
in front of the old Barry residence
facing what was then the south end
of Market Street to point near the
southeast corner of the grounds of the
Industrial Institute and College,
thence north, on line passing along
the east boundry of the old grave
ward at the east end of Main Street,
TO point on the corporation line
one mile from the southeast corner,
thence west on the corporation line,
running through DR.. Hardy's resi-
dence, to a point one mile west OF
said northeast corner, thence one mile
south to the point of beginning, on
the Tombigbee River
The original deeds or lease-hold
titles were signed by the Trustees OF
Franklin Academy, and the money
from these leases were collected by
them, amounting at one time as
high as $4,000, but reduced later to
something between $4,000 and $4,000.
The term of lease was SO years, and
the original deeds contained the
words Renewable Forever" The
validity of the deeds containing this
extension has been ratified by legis-
lative acts, both by Congress and by
the State. Act of 1927, repealed part
of act of 1921, vesting the power in
the County Court Of Monroe, to lease
lots in the town Of Columbus, and
vested this right in the Trustees Of
Franklin Academy, and their success
sor s Act of 1880, ratified the past
acts Of the Trustees of Franklin
Academy, continued their authority
to collect and control, the sixteenth
section school money, and to insert
Renewable Forever" in their future
deeds. This is, according to General
Sykes. the only section in Lowndes
County where the leases provide for
renewals, at the expiration Of the Ori-
ginal term. All others are leased for
a specified term Of years, on the ter
mnation Of which. the lease-hold viii
unquestionably revert to the State IN
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