Franklin County
Mississippi Genealogy & History Network

Welcome to Franklin County MSGHN

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

To share your Franklin 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 Franklin County, Mississippi...

Franklin County was the fourth county formed in Mississippi, so is one of the oldest of the counties in Mississippi. It was established December 21, 1809, eleven years after the Mississippi Territory was formed. The territorial Governor at the time was David Holmes, who was appointed by President Thomas Jefferson.

The County was named after Benjamin Franklin, noted diplomat, statesman, and inventor. The original act of the General Assembly states that the part of Adams county included within the following boundaries shall be known as of Franklin County and reads as follows:

"Beginning at the point where the basis-meridian line intersects the river Homochitto, and pursuing the said meridian line until it intersects the line dividing the counties of Adams and Jefferson, thence pursuing the last mentioned line to the western boundary of Washington County, thence pursuing the last mentioned line until it intersects the northern boundary of Amite County, thence along the said last mentioned boundary line to the point where it intersects the said river Homochitto, and thence Pursuing the meanders of said river to the beginning."

The centrally located county seat is the town of Meadville was originally named Franklin and was located two miles west of its current location. In 1809 a citizens committee made up of Richard Coleman, Stephen Middleton, John Spivars, Dougal McLaughlin, and Samuel Ratcliff, was formed to acquire land for a county seat.

The county seat was moved to the new town of Meadville in 1920. The town was, named for Cowles Mead, who served as the second secretary of the Mississippi Territory. Meadville was incorporated as a Mississippi town in 1860. Mississippi Congressman Dan C. McGeehee was a native of Meadville.

The county has a total area of 566.74 square miles, of which 564.60 square miles is land and 2.14 square miles (0.38%) is water. The population recorded in the 1810 Federal Census was 2,016. The 2010 census recorded 8,118 residents in the county.

Neighboring counties are Jefferson County (north), Lincoln County (east), Amite County (south), Wilkinson County (southwest), and Adams County (west). Communities in the county include Bude, Meadville, Roxie, Eddiceton, Hamburg, Knoxville, Lucien, McCall Creek, and Quentin.

Franklin County, Mississippi Records

Franklin County MSGHN has many records here on our website. Marriage Records, Cemetery listings, tombstone photos, census records, and more. Look at the Franklin 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 Franklin 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 Franklin County marriage records for any date not listed above (and for the dates listed above for that matter) may be obtained from the Franklin 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, Franklin County divorce proceedings were filed in the Franklin County Chancery Clerk's office.