Webster County
Mississippi Genealogy & History Network

Welcome to Webster County MSGHN

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

To share your Webster 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 Webster County, Mississippi...

Webster County is located in the north-central portion of Mississippi. Webster County was formed on April 6, 1874 and for was originally called Sumner County. Six years later it was renamed in honor of American statesman Daniel Webster.

The city of Eupora, the county's largest city, was settled in 1889 on a spur track of the Georgia Pacific Railroad. Not too far away is the site where in 1770 a battle raged when the Choctaws and Chickisaws exterminated the fierce Chocchuma Indian tribe.

The Webster County Courthouse, located in Walthall, was constructed in 1915 for $60,000. Brick and terra cotta in the late empire design, a rare architectural form in MIssissippi. A fire started from an electrical cord and burned the courthouse in the early morning hours of January 17, 2013. Reports say the remains are structurally sound so there is hope that it can be rebuilt using the remaining walls.

The county has a total area of 423.34 square miles of which 422.49 square miles is land and 0.85 square miles (0.20%) is water. The population recorded in the 1880 Federal Census was 9,534. The population peaked in 1910 with 14,853 souls counted. The 2010 census recorded 10,253 residents in the county.

Neighboring counties are Calhoun County (north), Chickasaw County (northeast), Clay County (east), Oktibbeha County (southeast), Choctaw County (south), Montgomery County (west), and Grenada County (northwest). The town of Walthall is the county seat. Other communities in the county include Eupora, Maben (mostly in Oktibbeha County), Mathiston (partly in Choctaw County), Mantee, Bellefontaine, Hohenlinden, Tomnolen, Alva, Cumberland, Dancy, Pellez, Spring Valley, Old Greensboro, Ticky Bend, and Sapa.

Webster County, Mississippi Records

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