From Facebook post on 9/19/2026 by Pascagoula River Trails History, Else Martin ·September 12 at 1:39 PM
1812 – 1st COURTHOUSE at “County Seat, home of Thos. Bilbo” (Wilkerson’s Ferry area)
1822 – 2nd COURTHOUSE, Brewer’s Bluff, home of Sheriff, John Brewer (W side of river)
1825 – 3rd COURTHOUSE in the home of Moses Ward on Cedar Creek (moved to TX)
1837 – 4th COURTHOUSE home of Patrick Ward, postmaster, when burned by Copeland
1837-1860 – 5th COURTHOUSE, Samuel Davis home, Postmaster, County Clerk, Judge
1862 – 5th COURTHOUSE MAY have been burned by arson during the early period of the Civil War. According to miscellaneous records and lack of many records missing from 1837 to 1861. Years later a box of old 1850-1860 records were found in a barn loft containing the legal records of only Abner Steede. All others missing. Those old records found are in the Singing River Genealogy Library, Under title, “Americus”.
Jackson County Courthouse Burns – Book, Kemper Rebellion – Singing River Library. Need to verify author. The author of this book states that the Jackson County Courthouse burned at Americus in 1862. Some of the courthouse documents indicate that this may be true. Several Mississippi county courthouses burned in 1861, apparently by arson. I need to prove this if it is true. EM
1861-1871 – 6th COURTHOUSE & Post Office at Jackson Courthouse on Cedar creek, renamed “Americus Post Office.”
1871-1873– 7th COURTHOUSE. Jackson County Courthouse established at Scranton after the new law established that if a railroad passed through the county, the courthouse would be moved to the railroad.
Aug 28, 1873 – 7th COURTHOUSE burned in Scranton -Arson.
1873-1875, Courthouse rebuilt
1875, March, 8th COURTHOUSE BURNED. Clerk C. H. Alley had purchased a small iron safe with his own money and saved all deeds, except Krebs, $304 of sheriff’s money, $1,000 in county paper of sheriff & clerk & W. M. Griffin Co; 200 deeds and all the county officer’s bonds.
1878 – 9th COURTHOUSE COMPLETED at Scranton.
FIRST MEETING OF JACKSON COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS after the NEW COURTHOUSE was completed. The 3rd built at Scranton.
1879, January 17, Democrat-Star – Board of Supervisors, Jackson County.
Be it remembered that at a regular term of the supervisors of Jackson County, begun and held at the office of the chancery court of said county, in the Town of Scranton, on the first Monday of January, A. D. 1879. Members present; Johnson Ware, W. W. Broom and Hubert F. Krebs, John E. Clark, sheriff of said county and Albert G. Delmas, clerk of said board; Charles F. Howell and F. M. Johnson being absent. Francis M. Johnson, being absent it is ordered by the board that Hubert F. Krebs be and is hereby appointed president pro tem during such absence of the president.
It is ordered by the board that the report of H. L. Howze, county superintendent of education of this county, be received, adopted and filed, and that a warrant issue to the said, H. L. Howze as such superintendent for the sum of eighteen dollars and seventy-five cents, being for one quarter salary, ending Dec 31, 1878 upon presentation of the State superintendent’s receipt for report. F. M. Johnson, president and Chas. F. Howell, members, appeared during the day.
Upon application of Mr. R. P. Blalack is it ordered by the board that R. P. and J. S. Blalack be and are hereby authorized to transfer their license for retailing vinous and spiritous liquors in less quantities and one gallon from the Sea-Breeze Exchange to the Postoffice Exchange at Scranton.
It is ordered by the board that the following amounts be allowed, payable out of the book and stationery fund of this county to-wit:
A. G. Delmas, clerk, for stationery furnished as per bill on file, $22.00.
A. G. Delmas, clerk, for cash advanced to pay for township maps and tract book, $429.33.
It is ordered by the board that the following amounts be allowed, payable out of the general county fund, to-wit:
Albert G. Delmas, clerk, for making two copies of personal assessment roll for year 1878, $30.
A. G. Delmas, clerk, for ex-officio services in the chancery court, 6 mos., to Dec 31, 1878, $25.
John B. Delmas for rent of clerk’s office 12 months, ending De 31, 1878 at $7, $84.
John W. Faulkner, assessor, for ½ amount of assessing in the year 1878, $66.67
John E. Clark, sheriff, vor victualing prisoners Aug 6, 1878-Jan 6, 1879, $308.40
John E. Clark, sheriff for ex-officio services on board for 6 mons, ending Dec 31, 1878, $25.
John E. Clark, sheriff for ex-officio service in chancery court 6 mos, ending Dec 31, 1878, $25.
John E. Clark, sheriff for 5 cays attendance on chancery court at Sept. term 1878, $10.
Democrat-Star for printing and publishing, $87.
Geo. W. Wilkes, for printing 100 posters as per detailed bill on file, $3.50.
A. G. Delmas, clerk, for auditing, per detailed bill on file, $17.19.
November 1878 Election
Payment to clerks, managers and deputy sheriff returning officers at the Nov 1878 Election:
At WARD’S SCHOOLHOUSE – To managers, 1 day each, A. Kirkwood, $1 – C. F. Ward, $1 – J G Cowart, returning officer 3 days, $4 – H. K. Ward, clerk, 1 day, $1 – C. Ward, Deputy Sheriff, $2.
At LEVONIA GRANGE – To managers, 1 day each, John Hughes, $1; W. C. Graham, $1; W. J. Johnson, clerk, $1 – F. M. Johnson, clerk, $1 – Selan Carter, $1; Seborn Carter, $1; Brooks Johnson, deputy sheriff, $2.
At MOSS POINT – To managers, 1 day each, Moses Goff, $1; A. P. Denny, clerk, $1; J. W. Morris, clerk $1; E. Castenera, $1; E. Castenera, returning officer 1 day, $1.50.
At OCEAN SPRINGS – To managers, 1 day each, R. A. Vancleave, $1; D. M. Dunlap, $1; L. G. Manuel, $1; E. S. Bartlett, clerk, $1; M. S. Park, clerk, $1; John Clark, sheriff, $2.
At GEORGE W. DAVIS STORE – To managers, 1 day each, Wm. Dupriest, $1; Henry Galloway, $1; Jake Overstreet, clerk, $1; Harry Woodman, clerk, $1; David Goff, mgr, $1; David Goff, returning officer 1 day, $1.50.
At HENRY FLURRY’S – To managers, 1 day each; Henry Flurry, $1; W. H. Fletcher, $1; G. H. Bilbo, clerk, $1; John Flurry, clerk, $1; J. W. Fletcher, $1; J. W. Fletcher, returning officer 2 day, $3.
At SCRANTON – R. Wiesbach, clerk, 3 days, $3; A. R. Krebs, clerk, 3 days, $3; David Saucier, deputy sheriff, $2.
To paupers, 6 mos, ending Dec 31, 1878,
Fatimy Mizell, $25; Rebecca Mizell, $25; Celia Murray, $25; Elizabeth Murray, $25; John Faggard, $25; Emanuel Bang, $25; Sampson Reeves, $25; Margaret Cronier, $25; Charlotte Murphy, $25.
It is ordered by the board that Betsey Lewis be and is hereby placed on the pauper list of this county, and that a warrant issue to her, payable out of the general county fund for the sum of $12.50, being for three months ending, Mar. 31, 1879.
It is ordered by the board that Lee Burney be and is hereby placed on the pauper list of this county, and that the said Lee Burney be allowed a warrant payable out of the general county fund for the sum of $12.50, being for three months ending, Mar. 31, 1879.
NEW COURTHOUSE
It is ordered by the board that R. D. Smith and Stephen R. Thompson, executors of the last will and testament of R. G. Davis, deceased, late contractor for building the courthouse, be allowed the following amounts payable out of the courthouse and jail fund, to-wit:
For enlarging the foundation of main wall of courthouse as agreed upon, laying 4750 additional bricks, at $14, per 1000 – $66.50.
For 1600 brick additional, laid in columns of building as per report of inspector, worth, $14 per 1000, $22.
It is ordered by the board that William Welch, inspector of the courthouse building, be allowed the sum of eighty-five dollars for 17 days services at $5 per day, payable out of the courthouse and jail fund.
Bridge Construction
Comes on to be heard the report of Johnson Ware and Saucier Seymour, commissioners, who received the bridge contract across Casta… (?) Creek, near the Seymour schoolhouse, which is received, and it is ordered that
Geo. Byrd be and is hereby allowed the sum of two hundred and eighty-four ($284) for building said bridge payable out of the bridge fund.
ROAD from MOSS POINT to SCRANTON laid outa