Mississippi County Missouri Wilsons History and Directory filename http://files.usgwarchives.net/mo/mississippi/history/wilson-history.txt Transcribed from below is from WILSON'S HISTORY AND DIRECTORY for Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois giving descriptions of Counties, Towns and Villages with valuable HISTORICAL AND STATISTICAL INFORMATION Compiled and published by L.A.WILSON CAPE GIRARDEAU, MO. 1875-76 MISSISSIPPI COUNTY. page 79 MISSISSIPPI COUNTY Is bounded on the north by the Mississippi River and Scott County, on the east and south by the Mississippi, and on the west by New Madrid. The first settlement in this county was made in 1800. Its principal and earliest settlers came from Kentucky. The county was organized in 1845. The soil of Mississippi is rich and fertile, especially in the '' bottom lands." It is well timbered. Cottonwood, black walnut of the finest quality, sugar maple, hickory, poplar and cypress are found in great abundance throughout the county. The black walnut, especially, grown here finds a ready market in New York, Boston, Philadelphia, New Orleans, and even in Liverpool. There are three saw-mills constantly and exclusively engaged in preparing this valuable wood for the market. The agricultural productions are corn, yielding from forty to one hundred bushels per acre; wheat, barley, oats and rye. Tobacco grows well; but the soil is over rank and luxuriant for the production of the finer qualities of the ''weed." No tobacco is manufactured in the county. The cultivation of cotton is now attracting much attention. The quality is fair; the yield is about one thousand pounds to the acre in the seed. The manufacturing interests of this portion of the country have not received the attention they are susceptible of receiving. There are at Charleston a few factories that turn out, on a limited scale, wagons, buggies and agricultural implements. Beside these there are none worthy of notice. All machinery. is propelled by steam. The St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railroad and the Cairo, Arkansas and Texas Railroad both run through the county, and are doing much toward developing this section of the State. The population of this county in 1870 amounted to 4,982. Its taxable wealth was valued at $1,108,652. Charleston is the county seat. It is situated at the junction of the St. Louis and Iron Mountain and the Arkansas and Texas Railroads. It is an active and thriving town, or rather city, having a Mayor corporation. It has three churches, three hotels, about fifteen stores, one grist-mill, a good private academy, a public school, and two newspapers, published weekly-the Courier, published by F. M. Dyer; and the Gazette, published by George M. Moore. CITIES, TOWNS AND VILLAGES. Name Population. Location. Belmont.........200........195 miles from St. L., & 17 e. co. seat, ter. I. M. R. R. Bertrand.........75...........6 " northwest Charleston, I. M. B. R. Bird's Point* ...40......... 12 " n.e. Charleston,terminusC.,A. &T.R. B. (Greenfield) Charleston..1,200 County Seat, 178 miles southeast of St. Louis, at the crossing of the I.M.R.R. and D.,A. & T.R.R. Henson Station*............8 miles southeast Charleston, on I. M. R. B. Hough's Station*...........6 east Charleston, on C., A. & T. B. R. James' Bayou..............50 30 south'' on Mississippi River. Norfolk*..................50 16 east Wolf Island...............25 25 s'theast * no Post-Office. PREFACE. Great care has been taken to avoid errors in preparing the historical information for this work. It has, however, been a difficult task, as much of the information which is before the public, in regard to the early settlement of Missouri and Illinois. is founded on Indian tradition. We are frequently led to accept that which seems to be truth, which in reality is without foundation. Numerous documents, histories and papers have been carefully compared and examined, and nothing has been inserted in this work but that which seemed to be from good authority. The information it contains will there-fore widely differ from that given by many other writers. In preparing the general history and description of the various counties of Southeast Missouri and Southern Illinois, I have endeavored to insert facts, in as short and complete a style as possible, so that any information sought can be obtained in a moment's time. Having traveled almost con-stantly for the past six years in this section of country, it has enabled me to acquire much information of value, besides having one or more contribu-tors in each county, I feel quite sure that my work will be accepted as authority, and meet with the approbation of the public. After much unavoidable delay, in order to have the work complete, I go to press with my first edition, with the flattering list of 5,000 subscribers and advertisers, which leads me to hope that the work will be a success; and with such hopes I offer thanks to those who have so kindly encouraged the enterprise. This work is designed not only to rescue from oblivion the heroic deeds of the early settlers of this portion of the country, who by their tireless industry, toil, patience and fortitude, reclaimed the most fertile portion of Missouri and Illinois from a condition of savage wilderness, and intro- duced the arts, pursuits and blessings of civilized life, but also to dis- seminate Information of an interesting character and of great practical value. Our mineral and agricultural resources need only be known to be appreciated. The inducements offered to immigrants intending to settle in this portion of the country, are unequalled by those presented anywhere in the Union. The Mississippi Valley is confessedly the richest in the world. The mineral and agricultural wealth of Missouri is as inexhaustible as it is incalculable. The rich coal fields and fertile prairies of Illinois are unsurpassed. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Entered according to act of congress, in the year 1875 by L.A. WILSON In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington --------------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: pages submitted to this site by Nancy Hill transcribed Feb 1, 2000 by: Mary A. Hudson mahud@rollanet.org