Calhoun County Historical and
Genealogical Society, Inc.

P.O. Box 114
Pittsboro, MS 38951

Organized August 14, 1994

 
 
  
 
 
 
1860 Census - Courtesy of Michael Caviness  

1870 Census - Courtesy of Michael Caviness



History of Calhoun County, Mississippi

Calhoun County was formed in 1852 by the Mississippi Legislature with land from Chickasaw, Lafayette and Yalobusha Counties. Pittsboro was established the same year by the Board of Police (Board of Supervisors) to be the county seat which was briefly at Hartford. The courthouse at Pittsboro, built in 1856 burned December 22, 1922, along with all records except five books of abstracts of land records.

The first settlers came to the area that is now Calhoun County in the 1830's. Road systems were established as settlers arrived but flat boats and keel boats navigated Calhoun County's two rivers, the Loosa Schoona and the Yalobusha, in the 1800's to bring in supplies and to ship cotton from the county.

The county has always had a substantial rural population. It now has about 15,000 people. Bruce and Calhoun City are the two largest towns with populations of around 2,200 and 2,000 respectively. Vardaman's population is about 1,000. Pittsboro is a village with about 150 people. Other municipalities are Derma, Slate Springs and Big Creek.

Farming remains a major industry. Other industries include lumber, furniture and woodworks, along with textile industries. Two newspapers, a radio station and a low powered television station give the county media coverage.

Calhoun County's road system includes State Highway Numbers 8, 9, 9W, 32 and 330. The county is located in North central Mississippi about forty miles southwest of Tupelo.
 



The Society

 The Calhoun County Historical and Genealogical Society, Inc. is dedicated to collecting and preserving historical and genealogical information of Calhoun County, Mississippi and the surrounding areas. Membership is $15.00 per person a year, January to January. Anyone paying dues at any time during the year receives the quarterly newsletters for that year.  Join now - Membership Form

 The Society publishes The Newsletter in January, April, July, and October. This publication provides members with local historical and genealogical information. Members are also entitled to publish free queries and publicity about personal historical and genealogical materials.

 The Society meets the second Sunday afternoons at 2:00 in January, March, July, September and November at the Calhoun County Courthouse in Pittsboro. Attendance is optional.

 The Society is staffed by volunteers and is a non-profit corporation.  In December, 1997 the home of former Mississippi Governor Dennis H. Murphree at Pittsboro was donated to The Society to be made into a historical & genealogical research center and museum.  This 1940's home is being repaired and many hours have been spent with volunteer labor.  We are currently open by appointment as we continue to organize the donated research materials. If you have family ties to Calhoun County, MS and would like to make a monetary donation to help us maintain this center please mail your donation to the address at the top of this page. More information about the Dennis Murphree House can be found on related web pages.

The Society has agreed to help with the MSGenWeb  research project and has adopted the Calhoun County page. As we collect information in and about Calhoun County we will be able to share it with many who would not get to make a personal visit.  Anyone with items for publication on the MSGenWeb webpages, contact Rose Diamond.
 


Officers:
Larry Hellums President
Tommy Brown 1st Vice President
Tommy Hallum 2nd Vice President
Karen Norman Recording Secretary
Bobby Inmon Corresponding Secretary
Karen Norman Treasurer
 
 
 
Directors at large:
Billy Baldwin  Fred Beckett  Lora Cook
Paul Moore Jr.   S. Gale Denley Hugh Bill McGuire
Charlie Wayne Clark  Rita Stewart Julia Harrison
 

For more information about this homepage, contact  Rose Diamond.
Any correspondence from this site needs to have CCH&GS website mentioned in the message.
Updated Jan. 16, 2006
Copyright 1998-2005, The Calhoun County Historical & Genealogical Society, Inc.

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