What was Warren County before it was Warren County? Part II

When we last left off in the 1720s the Warren County area was under French Occupation. The ancient Natchez Nation that inhabited this area for centuries had been decimated by Old World diseases, and the remaining sects of the tribe had just faced off in one final stand against the new French occupiers before fleeing into history never to be heard from again. As the Native era was ending, the European saga was just beginning. France had an ally in their pursuit to settle this area, without which would have stalled the European expansion into the Mississippi Valley for several decades. The Choctaw held control over the majority of the central Mississippi lands, with their largest rival being the Chickasaw Nation to their north. As an ally to the French after the massacres at Fort Rosalie and Fort St. Pierre, they capitalized on an opportunity to move into the Walnut Hills area and expand their hunting grounds.

The French and the Choctaw had a symbiotic relationship in that the Natives would provide the Europeans with furs, beans, corn, squash, and meats and in return, they would be given tools, equipment, and liquor. It was this exact relationship that would be the downfall of the Choctaw though. Forests became depleted of their wildlife due to excessive hunting to maintain the fur trade, and in time the roles reversed. The Natives became dependent on the Europeans for these exact resources that allowed them to become prominent in the area to begin with. With less deer and bear to hunt, more furs had to be traded for resources to maintain their standard of living, and this required the Natives to hunt more deer and bears for furs. The depressing perpetual cycle was in motion without an end in sight. By the 1770s, the Choctaw began leaving their empty forest lands in search of new hunting grounds, and in their absence, European homesteaders began to move into the area.

Walnut Hills was beginning to see a larger European presence, but it would not be the French who would see it develop into a pioneer society. By 1763 France had lost its claim to North America after their defeat in the French and Indian Wars. The territory along the Mississippi River was divided up between the Spanish and the English; Spain would have a claim to the lands West of the river and England would get the lands to the East. Although there would be another war that provoked Spain to step across the Mississippi; a war in which they had no involvement at all, the American Revolution! While England was dealing with their rebellious colonies, the Spanish seized the opportunity and in 1779 crossed the Mississippi claiming Natchez and lands north to the Yazoo River as part of Louisiana.

Despite the Spanish claim to the newly acquired lands along the Mississippi, English settlers began migrating into the area and laying the foundations of the first permanent homes in what would later become Warren County, many of them bringing nothing more than guns and a sack of flour. Alongside them were those that were given land grants from Spain to settle on their behalf. A few of these families still have descendants living in Warren County today on the same land given to them by the Spanish Government. Tasked with taming the forested lands along the Mississippi, these pioneers were constantly adapting their lifestyles to survive in their new homeland. Virtually cut off from the outside world, their economy was shaped by necessity. Currency both paper and coin mattered little in comparison to livestock, tools, and raw materials; therefore wealth was determined by the comfort of living and what supplies could be stored for the future. Wealth was indeed found here though, and these early settlers realized that there was much more to be discovered in time.

In 1795, the United States officially claimed ownership of these lands, despite the Spanish remaining in the area for another three years. Settlers that were already established were able to retain the ownership of their property including those given land under Spanish land grants. The mixed community was at last loyal to a single nation. The pioneers had laid the foundation, and now it was time for the community to grow. Population growth would lead to a more complex society, and a more complex society would lead to the beginnings of a local government and politics that would shape what would soon become Warren County.

Vicksburg and Warren County Historical Society

If you enjoyed this story about the early history of the Warren County area, please consider visiting the Old Court House Museum here in Vicksburg, MS. We’ve been a museum for 74 years now, and all items on display were donated by families from here. We also have vast archives in our McCardle Research Library that is accessible by appointment. Members of the Historical Society have free admission to the museum, so please also consider becoming a member! Our new members are Arthur Linn, Michelle Hubenschmidt, Sue Hiller, Diana Ainslie, Janet Krop, Glenn Carroll, Chris Bolm, Wyatt Michael Nicholson, Frank Pajerski, Malcolm Huell, Matthew Joyner, Cynthia Joyner, Robyn Lea – Statefarm, Elizabeth Joyner, Jamie Roussett, and Stanley B. Kline. All proceeds raised through membership go directly to the preservation of the museum and its contents. For more information visit our website at www.oldcourthouse.org or give us a call at 601-636-0741. You never know what you’ll find at the Old Court House!