USA > Mississippi > Hinds County > History of Hinds County, Mississippi, 1821-1922 > Part 5
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Numerous fine residences with ample lawns and every convenience are found throughout the city, but the people have been careless in conforming to a uniform or even an attractive architectural design and the appearance becomes irregular and patchy in places. Commodious and hand- some houses of worship for those of the Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Catholic, Christian and Jewish faith are found on the principal streets, some denominations having several churches in the city. Besides these there are numerous churches of several denominations for the ne- gro population.
The financial wants of the city and county are well provided for in eleven banking institutions. Among the daily newspapers, the Clarion-Ledger and the Daily News are Democratic dailies, the latter having the widest circu- lation of any paper in the State and the former making good its claim that it "prints all the news fit to print and prints it while it is fresh." Vardaman's Weekly and the Baptist Record are issued weekly. It remains for the Hinds County Gazette, published at Raymond, to enjoy the dis- tinction of being the oldest newspaper continuously pub- lished in the county. It has recently been purchased by Mr. Edgar S. Wilson, who is making it a statewide paper.
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In the foregoing pages a brief history of the Capital City has been given. It has been said that it contains fewer illustrious men than formerly but in and out of its more pre- tentious homes and its vine-clad cottages still go lovely men and women with high purposes and pure hearts, and the beauty of its life is that some of the loveliest spirits a- dorn its simplest homes.
Clinton, another landmark which has been often re- ferred to in these pages, is an old college town of much his- torical interest about ten miles west of Jackson, a paved street after many years threatening to make the two places one. In 1831, Mississippi College, which is largely respon- sible for the atmosphere of culture and refinement pervad- ing the town, had its beginning. Next to Jefferson College, near Natchez in Adams county, this is the oldest male col- lege in the State. It has had some depressing periods in its history, but has emerged victorious in every crisis, and today is widely recognized as an ideal institution of higher learning for young men, ranking with many of the best in the South. Among its alumni are some of the most dis- tinguished men in the educational circles of the country. Another college with which Clinton is closely associated is Hillman College. Among the surviving colleges for wo- men in the State, Hillman is one of the pioneers, and among the thousands of students enrolled there since 1857 are many of the most distinguished women of the State. Here is also located the Mt. Hermon Female Seminary for the education of negro girls. Governor Foote on a public occasion in a celebrated toast characterized Clinton as "the seat of learning" in the State. The present growth and progress of the town is given in the census of 1920.
Edwards is an old, incorporated town of Hinds County on the Alabama and Vicksburg Railway, 26 miles by rail west of Jackson, 18 miles east of Vicksburg, and one mile from the Big Black river. The lands lying around it are fruit and vegetable soils, and its people are thrifty and progressive. It is an interesting place, set as it is in the historic campania lying between Jackson and Vicksburg,
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every foot of which has been tread by the defenders of the South against an invading foe.
Terry, an incorporated post-town in the southeastern part of Hinds County, on the Illinois Central Railroad, is 16 miles south and west of Jackson. The town was named for William Terry, affectionately referred to as "Uncle Bill Terry," a former resident of the vicinity. Truck farming and market gardening are extensively carried on in the surrounding country and this station is one of the most important fruit and vegetable shipping points in the State. Peaches, pears, figs, plums, strawberries and all kinds of vegetables and fruits are scientifically cultivated for market. Flowers are grown in profusion about the homes, and its people are refined and well bred. The bank of Terry was established in 1897 with a capital of $20,000. The census of 1920 will show the present condition of the town.
Raymond, one of the county seats, is an old place of much historical importance and interest. It is a station on the Natchez branch of the Yazoo and Mississippi Valley Railroad and was the scene of the first battle in Grant's and Sherman's march from Port Gibson.
Utica, in the southwestern part of the county, is an incorporated post-town. It is situated on the Y. & M. V. Railroad, 32 miles southwest of Jackson. It is hilly, well-drained and surrounded by a rich farming sec- tion. All kinds of fruit and vegetables, especially water- melons, grow in abundance in the soil. The town is acces- sible to a large amount of fine hardwood timber. It ships annually about 10,000 bales of cotton. It has two banks with a combined capital of $90,000; two hotels; a public school; an industrial college for the education of negroes ; three churches, Methodist, Baptist and Christian; and a Democratic weekly newspaper, the Herald, established in 1897. Among its manufacturing enterprises are a brick plant, three steam cotton gins, and a saw mill. Many organizations that embrace intellectual as well as material progress are found in this thriving little city.
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Bolton is an incorporated post-town in Hinds County. It is a pleasant, small town with many community inter- ests and past historical associations.
Halifax, Orangeville, Brownsville, Byram, Tinnin, Po- cahontas, Green, Cynthia, Anne, Tougaloo, Dixon, Norell, Champion Hill, Institute, Smith's, Newman, Learned, Duke, Cayuga, Bearcreek, Chapelhill, Adams Station, Thompson- ville, Inabnet, Oakley, Dry Grove, Box Factory, Moncure, Rosemary, Davis Spur, Myers, Midway, Palestine, Siwell, Elton, Bradie, Van Winkle, Thompson and McRaven are small places in the county of interest, and business enterprise and many of these have a per cent of as good society as is found in the State Capital.
The census of 1920 gives the county of Hinds the fol- lowing flattering statistics :
POPULATION HINDS COUNTY Composition And Characteristics
Color or Race, Nativity, and Sex.
Total population
57,110
Male
27,492
Female
29,618
Native White
21,073
Male
10,260
Female
10,813
Native parentage
20,314
Foreign parentage
392
Foreign white
306
Male
186
Female
120
Negro
35,728
Male
17,044
Female
18,684
Indians, Chinese and all others
3
Per cent, Native white
36.9
Per cent, Foreign born
0.5
Per cent, Negro
62.6
367
Mixed parentage
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Age, School Attendance, and Citizenship
Total under 7 years of age 8,293
Total, 7 to 13 years, inclusive
9,691
No. Attending School 8,566
Per cent attending school 88.4
Total, 14 to 15 years
2,658
No. attending school
2,151
Per cent attending school
80.9
Total 16 to 17 years
2,450
No. attending school
1,340
Per cent attending school
54.7
Total 18 to 20 yrs., inclusive
3,453
No. attending school
635
Per cent attending school
18.9
Males 21 years of age and over
14,616
Native white-Native parentage
5,745
Native white-Foreign or mixed parentage
237
Foreign-born, white
237
Naturalized
175
First papers
83
Alien
8
Unknown
56
Negro
8,457
Indian, Chinese and all others
2
Females, 21 years of age and over
15,949
Native white-native parentage
6,112
Native white, Foreign or mixed parentage
289
Foreign-born white
110
Naturalized
50
First papers
0
Alien
32
Unknown
28
Negro
9,438
Indian and Chinese
0
Males, 18 to 44 years, inclusive
10,491
Females, 18 to 44 years, inclusive
12,851
HINDS COUNTY
Land area in square miles
853
57,110
Total population, 1920
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Per square mile
66.6
Total population, 1910
63,726
Total population, 1900
52,577
Per cent of increase
1910 to 1920
-10.4
1900 to 1910
21.2
1890 to 1900
33.9
Population of All Incorporated Towns and Cities in Hinds County, 1920
Bolton
494
Edwards 727
Learned
136
Utica
445
Clinton
669
Jackson
22,817
Terry
392
Raymond
500
ILLITERACY
Total, 10 years of age and over
44,834
No. illiterate
7,011
Per cent, illiterate
15.6
Per cent illiterate in 1910
22.8
Native white
17,134
No. illiterate
282
Per cent illiterate
11.0
Foreign-born, white
299
No. illiterate
33
Negro
27,399
No. illiterate
6,696
Per cent illiterate
24.4
Total, 16 to 20 years, inclusive
5,903
No. illiterate
587
Per cent illiterate
9.9
Illiterate males, over 21 yrs. of age
2,849
Per cent of all males 21 yrs. of age and over
19.5
Native white
113
Foreign-born, white
18
Negro
2,718
Illiterate females, over 21 yrs. of age
3,151
Per cent of all females 21 yrs. of age and over
19.8
Native white
113
Foreign-born, white
15
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Negro 3,023
DWELLINGS AND FAMILIES
Dwellings, No.
12,121
Families No. 12,897
AGRICULTURAL CENSUS-HINDS COUNTY
All Farms
No. farms, 1920
5,951
All farmers classified by sex, 1920
Male
5,381
Female
570
Color and nativity of all farmers, 1920
Native white
1,172
Foreign-born white
8
Negro and other non-white
4,771
All Farms Classified by size, 1920 :
Under 3 acres
2
3 to 9 acres
155
10 to 19 acres
853
20 to 49 acres
3,354
50 to 99 acres
789
100 to 174 acres
412
175 to 259 acres
173
260 to 499 acres
130
500 to 999 acres
49
1000 acres and over
34
Land and Farm Area
Acres
Approximate land area, 1920
549,120
Land in farms, 1920
391,016
Improved land in farms, 1920
269,816
Woodland in farms, 1920
73,565
Other unimproved land in farms
47,635
Per cent of land area in farms
71.2
Per cent of farm land improved
69.0
Average acreage per farm
65.7
Average improved acreage per farm
45.3
Value of Farm Property
All farm property $17,903,283
Land in farms 9,820,324
Farm buildings
3,341,256
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Implements and Machinery
1,001,417
Live stock on farms
3,740,286
Average values
All property
3,008
Land and buildings, per farm
2,212
Land alone, per acre
$25.11
Farms Operated By Owners
No. of farms 1,350
Per cent of all farms
22.7
Land in farms, acres
200,568
Improved land in farms, acres
120,413
Value of land in buildings
$6,055,957
Degree of Ownership
Farmers owning entire farm
1,171
Farmers hiring additional land 179
Color and nativity of owners
Native white owners
675
Foreign-born white owners
6
Negro and other non-white owners
669
Farms Operated By Managers
No. of farms .: 44
Land in farms, acres
29,599
Improved land in farms
20,133
Value of land and buildings
$1,400,495
Farms Operated by Tenants
No. of farms
4,557
Per cent of all farms
76.6
Land in farms, acres
160,849
Improved land in farms
129,270
Value of land and buildings
$5,705,128
Form of Tenancy
Share tenants
889
Croppers
2,289
Share-cash tenants
21
Cash tenants
511
Standing renters
891
Unspecified
6
Color and nativity of tenants
Native white tenants
459
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Foreign-born white tenants 1
Negro and other non-white tenants 4,097
MANUFACTURES HINDS COUNTY
Number of Establishments
82
Wage Earners-Average number.
1,779
Wages
$ 1,418,530
Rent and Taxes
227,657
Cost of Materials
9,827,591
Value of Products
13,789,266
Value added by manufacture
3,961,675
Primary horse power
7,620
JACKSON
November 28, 1821, April 28, 1822-1922.
The Legislature which had convened in Colum- bia ratified the selection of the site of Jackson for the Capital November 28,- 1821. The town was laid off in April, 1822, and the State government removed to the new capital in the autumn of 1822, the legislature meeting for the first time on December 23. Gov. Walter Leake in his message on December 24th congratulated the members on the new two story brick capitol building which had been erected for its use in 1822. This stood on the northeast corner of Capitol and President Streets, now occupied by the Harding Building. The site should be marked with a bronze tablet with the figures of Gens. Jackson and Hinds and Pushmataha in bas-relief.
The following poem is in commemoration of the city's centenary :
Fair City of our hope we come to sing your praise ! And every glad tongue frames for you sweet, tuneful lays.
You wake a chord within our hearts that sings and sings. Like the swift whir of eager bird on homing wings.
To-day you count the treasure of a hundred years- Rich hoardings for your children's use unmixed with tears.
Your love abundant blesses all who dwell beside Your hearthstones warm and pure, where peace and hope abide.
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Your pleasant prospect lures men's feet ; with all who come You share rich opportunity and heart and home.
Your heavy toil and sweat and grime and every strife
But serve to make your comely limbs throb with new life.
It was not always thus with you- a wilding race Left on your page a story we would not efface;
And fame of Pushmataha will forever be A sign to teach men faithfulness and loyalty.
The names of Jackson and of Hinds, linked on your scroll, Are names that Mississippi holds dear to her soul.
Your youth is clad in mail that speaks of chivalry, For feat and high adventure thrill its history ;
Wherever Liberty's fair feet have trod lone heights Your valiant legions ever have been her accolytes.
When bugles sounded in the west in Freedom's name With Davis, Quitman, your strong sons won lasting fame.
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And in your joyous, early prime there was a day When, scourged by ruthless war your walls in ashes lay.
And every sacred hall and isle and path and street For many a bitter day were trod by alien feet;
But with a hope that dark despair disowns, disdains, Your fearless sons and daughters have rebuilt your fanes.
Today in strength and might you come, as in your youth, Girded to win God's battle for the right and truth;
While safe and all unfearing on your faithful breast Your children-poor and rich alike, securely rest.
ERON O. ROWLAND.
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS
0 014 497 429 3
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 0 014 497 429 3
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