Coahoma County, Mississippi Genealogy
Guide to Coahoma County, Mississippi ancestry, genealogy and family history, birth records, marriage records, death records, census records, family history, and military records.
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Contents
- 1 County Information
- 2 Resources
- 2.1 Bible Records
- 2.2 Biographies
- 2.3 Business, Commerce, and Occupations
- 2.4 Cemeteries
- 2.5 Census Records
- 2.6 Church Records
- 2.7 Court Records
- 2.8 Directories
- 2.9 Emigration and Immigration
- 2.10 Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups
- 2.11 Funeral Homes
- 2.12 Genealogies
- 2.13 Guardianship
- 2.14 Land and Property Records
- 2.15 Local Histories
- 2.16 Maps and Gazetteers
- 2.17 Migration
- 2.18 Military Records
- 2.19 Naturalization and Citizenship
- 2.20 Newspapers
- 2.21 Obituaries
- 2.22 Other Records
- 2.23 Periodicals
- 2.24 Probate Records
- 2.25 School Records
- 2.26 Social Security Records
- 2.27 Tax Records
- 2.28 Vital Records
- 3 Research Facilities
- 4 Societies
- 5 Websites
- 6 Research Guides
- 7 References
County Information[edit | edit source]
Description[edit | edit source]
The County was named for "Coahoma" which is a Choctaw word meaning "red panther." The county is located in the northwest area of the state.[2]
County Courthouse[edit | edit source]
Coahoma County Courthouse
115 1st Street
P.O. Box 98
Clarksdale, MS 38614
Phone: 662-624-3000
Coahoma County Website
Clerk Circuit Court has marriage and court records from 1848 and voter records from 1949.
Clerk Chancery Court has divorce, probate and land records.[3]
Coahoma County, Mississippi Record Dates[edit | edit source]
Information for this chart was taken from various sources, often containing conflicting dates. This information should be taken as a guide and should be verified by contacting the county and/or the state government agency.
Birth* | Marriage | Death* | Court | Land | Probate | Census |
1 Nov 1912 | 1848 | 1 Nov 1912 | 1848 | 1839 | 1856 | 1810 |
Record Loss[edit | edit source]
There is no known history of courthouse disasters in this county. |
Boundary Changes[edit | edit source]
For animated maps illustrating Mississippi county boundary changes, "Rotating Formation Mississippi County Boundary Maps" (1785-1918) may be viewed for free at the MapofUS.org website. |
Populated Places[edit | edit source]
For a complete list of populated places, including small neighborhoods and suburbs, visit Hometown Locator. The following are the most historically and genealogically relevant populated places in this county:[6]
Cities | ||
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Towns | ||
Unincorporated communities | ||
Census-designated places | ||
Ghost towns | ||
‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties
History Timeline[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
Bible Records[edit | edit source]
Biographies[edit | edit source]
Business, Commerce, and Occupations[edit | edit source]
Cemeteries[edit | edit source]
- Coahoma County Cemeteries (Coahoma County MSGHN)
- Coahoma County Cemeteries (Genealogy Trails)
- Newspaper Scrapbooks and Mississippi River Collection of Carnegie Public Library, Clarksdale, Mississippi, on 3 microfilm reels at the Family History Library, contains cemetery data
- Funeral Homes (GenWeb)
Census Records[edit | edit source]
Historical populations | ||
---|---|---|
Census | Pop. | %± |
1840 | 1,290 | — |
1850 | 2,780 | 115.5% |
1860 | 6,606 | 137.6% |
1870 | 7,144 | 8.1% |
1880 | 13,568 | 89.9% |
1890 | 18,342 | 35.2% |
1900 | 26,293 | 43.3% |
1910 | 34,217 | 30.1% |
1920 | 41,511 | 21.3% |
1930 | 46,327 | 11.6% |
1940 | 48,333 | 4.3% |
1950 | 49,361 | 2.1% |
1960 | 46,212 | −6.4% |
1970 | 40,447 | −12.5% |
1980 | 36,918 | −8.7% |
1990 | 31,665 | −14.2% |
2000 | 30,622 | −3.3% |
2010 | 26,151 | −14.6% |
Source: "Wikipedia.org". |
For tips on accessing Coahoma County census records online, see: Mississippi Census.
General
- 1660-1820 U.S. Census Reconstructed Records, 1660-1820 at Ancestry $
- 1792-1866 Mississippi, State and Territorial Census Collection, 1792-1866 at Ancestry $
- 1805-1890 Mississippi, Compiled Census and Census Substitutes Index, 1805-1890 at Ancestry $
- 1840 1840 Census of Coahoma County, Mississippi
- 1840 Coyle, Berniece Douglas. 1840 Census of Coahoma County, Mississippi. Lewisville, TX: Coyle Data Co., 1988.
- 1840 1840 Census Index (GenWeb Archives)
- 1841 1841 State Census Returns at FamilySearch
- 1845 1845 State Census Returns at FamilySearch
- 1850 1850 census transcription (GenWeb Archives)
- 1850 1850 census index (GenWeb Archives)
- 1870 1870 State Census Returns at FamilySearch
Church Records[edit | edit source]
Church records and the information they provide vary significantly depending on the denomination and the record keeper. They may contain information about members of the congregation, such as age, date of baptism, christening, or birth; marriage information and maiden names; and death date. For general information about Mississippi denominations, view the Mississippi Church Records wiki page.
List of Churches and Church Parishes
- Churches (GenWeb)
- Coahoma County Churches (Coahoma County MSGHN)
Court Records[edit | edit source]
The County Clerk of the Circuit Court in Clarksdale has court records from 1839.
- Court Minutes (3 microfilm reels, 1856-1892) at Family History Library
- Final Record of Court Cases, 1856-1885 (3 microfilm reels) at Family History Library
- Index to Adoptions, Direct & Reverse (1 microfilm reel) at Family History Library
- Index to Chancery Court Docket (1 microfilm reel) at Family History Library
- Probate and Chancery Court Docket, 1860-1873 (1 microfilm reel) at Family History Library
Directories[edit | edit source]
Emigration and Immigration[edit | edit source]
Ethnic, Political, and Religious Groups[edit | edit source]
Funeral Homes[edit | edit source]
- Funeral Homes (GenWeb)
Genealogies[edit | edit source]
Guardianship[edit | edit source]
Land and Property Records[edit | edit source]
Land and property records can place an ancestor in a particular location, provide economic information, and reveal family relationships. Land records include: deeds, abstracts and indexes, mortgages, leases, grants and land patents.
See Mississippi Land and Property for additional information about early Mississippi land ownership. After land was transferred to private ownership, subsequent transactions were usually recorded at the county courthouse and where records are currently housed.
The Chancery Court Clerk for Coahoma County, in Clarksdale, has land records from 1839.
- Land Ownership Map, 1872 (on 2 microfiches) at Family History Library
- U.S. Department of the Interior, Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office (search for online copies of Coahoma County land patents; generates 35 pages of listings for Coahoma County)
Local Histories[edit | edit source]
Local histories are available for Coahoma County. County histories may include biographies, church, school and government history, and military information. For more information about local histories see the wiki page section Mississippi Local Histories.
- Catchings, Troy, and Homer Hill. An Oral History with Mr. Troy Catchings, 1994 March 15. Mississippi Oral History Program of the University of Southern Mississippi (series), Vol. 659 (archival manuscript). WorldCat page
- Coahoma County Memories: A Pictorial History. Clarksdale, MS: Clarksdale Press Register, 1999. WorldCat page
- Howerton, Joe D. The Howerton Family in Coahoma County, 1837-1850. Corpus Christi, TX: Philip Howerton, [1934?]. WorldCat page
- Keys, Vernon J., and Homer Hill. An Oral History with Ms. Vernon J. Keys, 1994 March 19. Mississippi Oral History Program of the University of Southern Mississippi (series), Vol. 662 (archival manuscript). WorldCat page
- Murray, Nicholas Russell. Coahoma County, Mississippi, 1868-1900. Hammond, LA: Hunting for Bears, [1982?]. WorldCat page
- Weaver-Zercher, David L., and William H. Willimon, eds. Vital Christianity: Spirituality, Justice, and Christian Practice. New York: T&T Clark, 2005, section titled "The Legacy of Economic Unrighteousness in the Mississippi Delta" (specifically about Coahoma County), pp. 217-224. Google Books preview
- Weeks, Linton. Clarksdale & Coahoma County: A History. Clarksdale, MS: Carnegie Public Library, 1982. Amazon page | Family History Library | Google Books page | WorldCat page
- Work, John W., Lewis Wade Jones, and Samuel C. Adams, Jr. Lost Delta Found: Rediscovering the Fisk University-Library of Congress Coahoma County Study, 1941-1942. Nashville: Vanderbilt University Press, 2005. Amazon page | WorldCat page
Maps and Gazetteers[edit | edit source]
for more resources
- FamilySearch Places:Cities and Towns- How to Use FS Places
- Maps of Mississippi (1785-1918)
- Coahoma County Maps & Geography (GenWeb)
- General Highway Map, 1957, at Family History Library
- Land Ownership Map, 1872 (on 2 microfiches) at Family History Library
- Libre Map Project (includes detailed topographical maps of Coahoma County)
Migration[edit | edit source]
Military Records[edit | edit source]
- Index to Discharged Members Armed Forces (1 microfilm reel) at Family History Library
Civil War
- 1861-1865 Mississippi, Civil War Service Records of Confederate Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch
- 1861-1865 Mississippi, Civil War Service Records of Union Soldiers, 1861-1865 at FamilySearch
- 1861-1865 U.S., Confederate Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry index free
- 1861-1865 U.S., Union Soldiers Compiled Service Records, 1861-1865 at Ancestry index free
- 1889-1942 Mississippi, Confederate Records, 1889-1942 at FamilySearch
- 1900-1974 Mississippi, Confederate Veterans and Widows Pension Applications, 1900-1974 at FamilySearch
Companies formed in Coahoma County:
- Company B (Coahoma Invincibles), 11th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
- Company B (Mississippi Swampers), 44th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
- Company K (Alcorn Rebels), 23rd Regiment, Mississippi Infantry
Civil War links:
- 11th Regiment, Mississippi Infantry (includes Company B, Coahoma Invincibles)
- 23rd Mississippi Infantry (includes Alcorn Rebels)
- 44th Mississippi Infantry AKA Blythe's Regiment (includes Mississippi Swampers)
- Army of 10,000 (includes Alcorn Rebels)
- Coahoma and Civil War (GenWeb)
- Coahoma Invincibles (Civil War Message Board)
- Monument to the 11th Mississippi Infantry Regiment (includes Coahoma Invincibles, in Stone Sentinels)
World War I
- 1917-1919 Mississippi, World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919 at FamilySearch — index
- 1917-1918 Mississippi, World War I Army Veterans, Master alphabetical index, 1917-1918 at FamilySearch — index and images
- Coahoma WWI Military Records (USGenWeb Archives)
World War II
- Coahoma County, Mississippi World War II Casualties Army and Air Force (Access Genealogy)
- Coahoma County World War II Casualties (Genealogy Trails)
- Coahoma WWII Military Records (USGenWeb Archives) - scroll down
Naturalization and Citizenship[edit | edit source]
Newspapers[edit | edit source]
- Clarksdale Banner, established 1884 or 1888 (sources differ), ceased publication in 20th century
- Clarksdale Challenge, established 1896, ceased publication in 20th century
- Clarksdale Journal, an African-American newspaper established 1899
- The Clarksdale Press-Register (currently in operation)
- Clarksdale Register, established 1902 or 1904 (sources differ)
- Coahoma County, MS Newspaper Titles (Chronicling America at the Library of Congress)
- Newspaper Data (Genealogy Trails)
- Newspaper Scrapbooks and Mississippi River Collection of Carnegie Public Library, Clarksdale, Mississippi, on 3 microfilm reels at the Family History Library
Obituaries[edit | edit source]
- Index, Obituary Scrapbook, Carnegie Public Library, Clarksdale, Mississippi (manuscript, 4 vols., 1914-1977) at Family History Library
Other Records[edit | edit source]
- 1853 Register of Commissions (Genealogy Trails)
- Minutes, 1873, 1896, Coahoma County Board of Supervisors (2 microfilm reels) at Family History Library
Periodicals[edit | edit source]
Probate Records[edit | edit source]
Probate records are held by the Coahoma County, Mississippi Genealogy Clerk of Court and are housed at the Coahoma County, Mississippi Genealogy Courthouse. Microfilmed records can be found online at Mississippi Probate Records, 1781-1930. See the wiki page Mississippi Probate Records for information about how to use probate records.
Content: Probate Records may give the decedent's date of death, names of his or her spouse, children, parents, siblings, in-laws, neighbors, associates, relatives, and their place of residence.
Record types: Wills, estates, guardianships, naturalizations, and adoptions.
Online Records
The Chancery Court Clerk for Coahoma County in Clarksdale has probate records dating from 1856.
- 1780-1982 Mississippi Wills and Probate Records 1780-1982 at Ancestry $
- 1781-1930 Mississippi Probate Records 1781-1930 at FamilySearch
- 1839-1880 Final Probate Records, 1839-1880 (6 microfilm reels) at Family History Library
- 1839-1880 Index to Estates of Decedents, Minors, Lunatics and Convicts...(1839-1880) (1 microfilm reel) at Family History Library
- 1841-1930 Will Records; 1841-1930, Probate Indexes (2 microfilm reels) at Family History Library
- 1845-1870 Court Minutes, Probate Court (3 microfilm reels, 1845-1870) at Family History Library
- 1850-1950 Estate and divorce files (mixed together), Coahoma County, Mississippi, 1850-1950 FHL Collection (76 microfilm reels)
- 1860-1873 Probate and Chancery Court Docket, 1860-1873 (1 microfilm reel) at Family History Library
- 1873-1879 Administrators, Guardians and Executors Record, 1873-1879 (1 microfilm reel) at Family History Library
- 1892-1943 Petitions & Letters of Guardianship (2 microfilm reels, 1892-1943) at Family History Library
School Records[edit | edit source]
Social Security Records[edit | edit source]
- 1935-2014 United States Social Security Death Index at FamilySearch - How to use this collection; index. Also at Ancestry, findmypast, Fold3, GenealogyBank, MyHeritage, and Steve Morse. Click here for more information.
- 1936-2007 U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007 at Ancestry ($) — index, click here for more information.
Tax Records[edit | edit source]
Mississippi tax records replace missing censuses and provide lists of residents during years between censuses. There may be gaps of several years. For more information, see Mississippi Taxation.
- 1838-1899 County Tax Rolls at FamilySearch
Vital Records[edit | edit source]
Vital Records consist of births, adoptions, marriages, divorces, and deaths recorded on registers, certificates, and documents. Mississippi law did not require keeping birth or death records until 1912. Births and deaths are kept by the Mississippi Bureau of Vital Statistics. Marriage records are kept by the county. See also How to order Mississippi Vital Records or order electronically online.
See Mississippi Vital Records for more information on getting Mississippi records.
Birth[edit | edit source]
Marriage[edit | edit source]
The County Clerk of the Circuit Court in Clarksdale has marriage records from 1849.
- 1776-1935 Mississippi Marriages, 1776-1935 at Ancestry $
- 1800-1825 Mississippi Marriages to 1825 at Ancestry $
- 1800-1911 Mississippi, Marriages, 1800-1911 at FamilySearch
- 1826-1900 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-1900 at Ancestry $
- 1826-1850 Mississippi Marriages, 1826-50 at Ancestry $
- 1849-1917 Coahoma County Marriage Books 1-17 Index 1849-1917 in International Genealogical Index at FamilySearch
- 1849-1917 Marriage Records, First District, 1849-1917 (20 microfilm reels) at FHL Collection
- 1858-1979 - Mississippi, County Marriages, 1858-1979 at FamilySearch for various counties — index and images
- 1868-1900 Murray, Nicholas Russell. Coahoma County, Mississippi, 1868-1900: Computer Indexed Marriage Records. Hammond, LA: Hunting for Bears, [1982?]. WorldCat
- 1892-1917 Marriage Records, Second District, 1892-1917 (10 microfilm reels) at FHL Collection
- Coahoma County Marriages (Coahoma County MSGHN)
Death[edit | edit source]
- 1822-1921 - Mississippi Deaths and Burials, 1822-1921 at FamilySearch — index, some images
- 1912-1943 - Mississippi, Death Certificate Index, 1912-1943 at FamilySearch — index
- Deaths in Coahoma County
- 1912-1943 Reclaim the Records: Mississippi Death Index at Archive.org - images of index
Divorce[edit | edit source]
- 1850-1950 Estate and divorce files (mixed together), Coahoma County, Mississippi, 1850-1950 FHL Collection (76 microfilm reels)
Research Facilities[edit | edit source]
Archives[edit | edit source]
Listed below are archives in Coahoma County. For state-wide archival repositories, see Mississippi Archives and Libraries.
Family History Centers[edit | edit source]
Family History Centers provide one-on-one assistance, free access to center-only databases, and to premium genealogical websites.
FamilySearch Affiliate Libraries have access to most center-only databases, but may not always have full services normally provided by a family history center.
Local Centers and Libraries
Libraries[edit | edit source]
Listed below are libraries in Coahoma County. For state-wide library facilities, see Mississippi Archives and Libraries.
- Carnegie Public Library
114 Delta Avenue
Clarksdale, MS 38614
Website
Museums[edit | edit source]
Societies[edit | edit source]
Listed below are societies in Coahoma County. For state-wide genealogical societies, see Mississippi Societies.
Websites[edit | edit source]
- Mississippi Genealogy Network Group on Facebook
- Coahoma County Genealogy and Family History (Linkpendium)
- Coahoma County Genealogy Queries (Cousin Connect)
- Coahoma History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education (e-Reference Desk)
- Coahoma County, Mississippi (Histopolis Collaborative Genealogy & History)
- Coahoma County, Mississippi (official site)
- Coahoma County, Mississippi (The Political Graveyard)
- Coahoma County, Mississippi (Wikipedia) Includes history
- Coahoma County, Mississippi Genealogy Links (Genealogy Links.net)
- Coahoma County, Mississippi USGenWeb Archives
- Coahoma County, MS (RootsWeb)
- Coahoma County, MS Genealogy Forum (GenForum)
- Coahoma County MSGenWeb Site
- Coahoma County MSGHN (Mississippi Genealogy & History Network)
- Coahoma County, MS Genealogy and History (Genealogy Trails)
- Coahoma Message Board (RootsWeb)
- Profile for Coahoma County, MS (ePodunk)
- FamilySearch Catalog – The FamilySearch catalog contains descriptions and access information for all genealogical materials (including books, online materials, microfilm, microfiche, and publications) in their collection. Use Historical Records to search for specific individuals in genealogical records.
Research Guides[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Mississippi.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Coahoma, Mississippi," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coahoma_County,_Mississippi."
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Mississippi.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Coahoma County, Mississippi . Page 378-384 At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002; Alice Eichholz, ed. Ancestry’s Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources, Third ed. (Provo, Utah: Ancestry, 2004), 379-381.
- ↑ Handybook for Genealogists: United States of America, 10th ed. (Draper, Utah: Everton Pub., 2002), Mississippi.At various libraries (WorldCat); FHL Book 973 D27e 2002.
- ↑ Wikipedia contributors, "Coahoma County, Mississippi," in Wikipedia: the Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coahoma_County,_Mississippi, Last accessed 15 September 2019.