Wilkinson County Mississippi Genealogy & History Network

Welcome to Wilkinson County MSGHN

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

To share your Wilkinson 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 Wilkinson County, Mississippi...

Wilkinson County is located in the southwestern portion of Mississippi on the Louisiana border. Wilkinson County was created in the new Mississippi Territory on January 30, 1802, being the fifth county organized in Mississippi. The territorial governer at the time of Wilkinson County's formation was Gov. William Charles Cole Claiborne. The county was named in honor of U.S. Military leader Gen. James Wilkinson (photo). Wilkinson County was created by an Act of the Mississippi General Assembly:

“The county of Adams shall be divided as follows, to-wit: Beginning on the river Mississippi at the mouth of the Homochitto River, thence running up the Homochitto River to Richards ferry, thence by a line running due east to the western boundary of Washington County; and all that tract of country south of the above described boundary, to the line of demarcation, shall compose a county, which shall be called Wilkinson.”

All of the present-day Wilkinson County was once a part of the old Natchez District, then became partof the now-extinct county of Bourbon. When Adams County was formed it included the area of now Wilkerson County until 1802. This area had some of the earliest white settlements in Mississippi. in the last half of the 1700's, several large settlements had been made in Wilkinson County, favoring areas along the Homochitto River, Buffalo Bayou and the Mississippi River. Most of these early settlers were Anglo-Americans, but some were French as well as Spanish, since those countries had priviously occupied the area.

Migration to the area began in earnest following the end of the Revolutionary war. General Wilkinson came to Natchez in 1798 and later built a military post called Fort Adams on the Mississippi River in what is now Wilkinson County. Fort Adams served as the United States' port of entry on the Mississippi River before the U.S. acquisition of New Orleans. Few counties in the state can boast to having a more distinguished early residents than Wilkinson County. Early residents. This list includes George Poindexter, Daniel Williams, Abram M. Scott, John Joor, Gerard C. Brandon, Joseph Johnson, all members of the Mississippi Constitutional Convention of 1817.

Additionally, Judge Edward McGehee, Peter Smith, father of Coteworth Pinckney Smith, Chief Justice of the High Court of Errors and Appeals, John Dunkley, Thos. Kirkham, John L. Lewis, Archibald McGehee, London Davis, Hugh Davis, Douglas Cooper, Gen. Wm. L. Brandon, and Wm. and James A. Ventress were all early Wilkinson County residents.

Early centers of county governments were Fort Adams and Pinckenyville. Later, Woodville, incorporated in 1811, was named the permanant County Seat. Woodville was located at the terminus of the Bayou Sara and Woodville branch of the Y. & M. V. railroad. This historic railroad was the first railroad in Mississippi, and one of the first to be built in the United States. It was incorporated by Woodville people in 1831, under the name of The West Feliciana Railroad Company.

The county has a total area of 687.66 square miles, of which 676.70 square miles is land and 10.95 square mile (1.59%) is water. The population recorded in the 1810 Federal Census was 5,068. The 2010 census recorded 9,878 residents in the county.

Neigboring counties and parishes are Adams County (north), Franklin County (northeast), Amite County (east), East Feliciana Parish, Louisiana (southeast), West Feliciana Parish, Louisiana (south), and Concordia Parish, Louisiana (west). Communities in the county include Centreville (partly in Amite County), Crosby (partly in Amite County), Woodville, Doloroso, Fort Adams, Pinckneyville, Rosetta, and Wilkinson.

Wilkinson County, Mississippi Records

Wilkinson County MSGHN has many records here on our website. Marriage Records, Cemetery listings, tombstone photos, and more. Look at the Warren 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  ...READ MORE