Marshall County
Mississippi Genealogy & History Network

Welcome to Marshall County MSGHN

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

To share your Marshall 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 Marshall County, Mississippi...

Marshall County was established February 9, 1836. It was named for Chief Justice John Marshall and formerly included within its area a considerable portion of Benton, Tate, and several other counties. The act creating the county defined its limits as follows:

"Beginning at the point where the line of the basis meridian intersects the northern boundary line of the State, and running thence south with the said basis meridian line, to the center of township 6; thence west through the center of township 6, according to the sectional lines, to the center of range 5 west; thence north through the center of range 5 west, according to the sectional lines, to the northern boundary line of the State, and thence east with the said boundary line, to the beginning."

Its original area was about 23 townships or 828 square miles. In 1870 it gave up part of its territory on the east to Benton County, and in 1873 it gave up another portion of its area to assist in the formation of Tate County. Because a portion was given to form Tate County, Marshall County received all that portion of De Soto County lying within townships 1 and 2, R. 5 west.

During the early rush of emigration into the newly opened Chickasaw cession, Marshall County received its share of settlers. By the year 1840, it had a population of about 17,500, and by the year 1850 the population was 29,089. This population included many prominent families and wealthy planters.

Three of the earliest settlements were at Tallaloosa, located about 8 miles southwest of Holly Springs, on the Pigeon Roost Creek; Waterford, one mile west of the station of the same name on the Illinois Central railroad, and the place of muster for the militia of that part of the State; and Hudsonville, about 4 miles southwest of old Lamar, on the stage road from Lagrange, Tennessee, to Holly Springs, Mississippi. All three places are now practically extinct. Its chief town and county seat is Holly Springs, the "City of Flowers".

The county has a total area of 709.80 square miles, of which 706.33 square miles is land and 3.47 square mile (0.49%) is water. The population recorded in the 1840 Federal Census was 17,526. The 2010 census recorded 37,144 residents in the county.

Neigboring counties Fayette County, Tennessee (north), Benton County (east), Union County (southeast), Lafayette County (south), Tate County (southwest), DeSoto County (west), and Shelby County, Tennessee (northwest). Communities in the county include Holly Springs, Byhalia, Potts Camp, Barton, Bethlehem, Cayce, Chulahoma, Hudsonville, Marianna, Mount Pleasant, Orion, Red Banks, Slayden, Victoria, Wall Hill, Waterford, and Watson.

Marshall County, Mississippi Records

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