Benton County
Mississippi Genealogy & History Network

Welcome to Benton County MSGHN

Welcome to the Benton County Mississippi Genealogy & History Network website providing free information to genealogical and historical researchers.

To share your Benton County, Mississippi genealogy or history information, send an email to msghn@outlook.com - we will be pleased to include it here. If you have information to share for other Mississippi Counties, visit the Mississippi Genealogy & History Network state website and choose the appropriate county.

About Benton County, Mississippi...

Benton County is located in the northern portion of Mississippi on the Mississippi/Tennessee border. The County was organized on July 15, 1870 from portions of Marshall and Tippah counties. It was named for Confederate General Samuel Benton from nearby Holly Springs. General Benton was killed near Atlanta, GA on 28 July 1864 during the battle of Ezra Springs. Since the county was formed during reconstruction, the local residents hid the fact that they were naming their new county after a Confederate General by claiming that they were actually honoring U.S. Senator Thomas Hart Benton.

In it's first census in 1880 there were 11,023 residents listed. In the last federal census in 2010 the population was 8,729. The county has 409 square miles of area, 2 square miles of which are water (0.46%).

The county seat is Ashland, named for the home of Henry Clay. Other Benton County communities include Hickory Flat, Snow Lake Shores, Canaan, Hopewell, Lamar, Michigan City, and Winborn. Neighboring counties are Hardeman County, Tennessee (northeast), Tippah County (east), Union County (south), Marshall County (west) and Fayette County, Tennessee (northwest).

Benton County, Mississippi Records

Benton County MSGHN has many records here on our website. Marriage Records, Cemetery listings, tombstone photos, census records, and more. Look at the Benton County Data links for a list of available data.

Birth Records - The Mississippi Department of Health maintains records of births after November 1, 1912 on file. This was the year Mississippi began keeping official birth records. You can obtain official copies of birth certificates by mail by using this birth record application on their website. If you just have to order by internet or phone, or use a credit card, you can use VitalCheck, a third party records company recognized by the Mississippi Dept. of Health. Since there are no official birth records before November 1, 1912 for births prior to that date you will need to determine birth information from census records, bible records, baptismal records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

Death Records - The Mississippi Department of Health maintains births recorded after November 1, 1912 on file. This was the year Mississippi began keeping official death records. You can obtain official copies of death certificates by mail by using this death record application on their website. If you just have to order by internet or phone, or use a credit card, you can use VitalCheck, a third party records company recognized by the Mississippi Dept. of Health. Since there are no official death records before November 1, 1912 for deaths prior to that date you will need to determine death information from census records, bible records, funeral home records, cemetery tombstones, etc.

Marriage Records - We have thousands of Benton County marriage records here on our website. These dates will assist you greatly in obtaining a copy of the original marriage license. The Mississippi Department of Health can provide you with this for marriages that took place between January 1, 1926 to June 30, 1938, and for January 1, 1942 to present by mail by using this marriage record application on their website. If you just have to order by internet or phone, or use a credit card, you can use VitalCheck, a third party records company recognized by the Mississippi Dept. of Health.

All existing Benton County marriage records for any date not listed above (and for the dates listed above for that matter) may be obtained from the Benton County Circuit Clerk's office.

Divorce Records - Prior to 1859, divorce proceedings were introduced as private bills in the Mississippi State Legislature. References to these can be found in the books Index of Mississippi Session Acts 1817 - 1865 and Index to the Laws of the Mississippi Territory. These books can be found at the Mississippi Department of Archives and History as well as many other genealogy repositories and libraries across the state. After 1859, Benton County divorce proceedings were filed in the Benton County Chancery Clerk's office.