Alphabet File page 166

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Noel Jourdan, first representative.

John Bond of Shieldsboro in 1837 age 56, a planter.

Daniel B. Seal, (about 1900)

 

Towns, villages and Post offices

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Anner - Mentioned in Bio. and Hist. Memoirs

Ansley

Gainesville

Gulf View

Kiln

Lacey

Logtown

Nicholson

Pearlington

Richardson

Standard

Stockdale

Waveland

 

 

Court House, Hancock County.  Burned 1 Apr 1853. County seat moved to Bay St. Louis in 1860. (BSL 100 Yrs pg 17).

 

THE COURTHOUSE of Hancock is a large two story frame building 50x70, which was erected in 1874, at a cost of $6,000. The court, jury and consultation rooms are upstairs, while the offices are on the ground floor, and these are supplied with fire-proof vaults and all-steel safes, thus rendering the county's records absolutely secure., There is in the same yard a brick jail, fitted with steel cells, and the peculiar fence with which it is enclosed makes it almost impossible for a prisoner to escape. The courthouse is manned by a good and careful set of officers, none of whom are more painstaking and competent than Jas. F. Cozenenvee (Cazeneuve), the sheriff and tax collector of the county. (SCE 05/20/1893)

 

County Court House, "New" in 1894 photo (ATG pBSL-4)

 

Thumbnell History, Hancock County Courthouse- Hancock County was established in 1812.  Five years later, in 1817, the first courthouse was built at Center, which later became Caesar.  The county government remained there for twenty years - until the courthouse and county seat were moved to Gainesville in 1837.

 

  The county seat remained at Gainesville for more than 15 years.  When, in 1853, the Gainesville courthouse burned, the county seat was moved to Shieldsboro.

 

In 1866, a wooden courthouse was built at Shieldsboro, now Bay St. Louis.  This served for about 45 years.

 

  In 1910, H.S. Weston was president of the board of supervisors, and S. J. Craft, J. E. Smith, T. J. McArthur, L. C. Bourgeois were "associate members".  A. J. Carver was sheriff, and E. H. Hoffman was clerk.

 

  In July, plans submitted by Kennan & Weiss, New Orleans architects, were approved for building a new courthouse "not to exceed the sum of $25,000."  Jett Bros. Contracting Co. of Alabama won the contract for construction with a bid of $24,989, which included granite steps at $650.  However, before construction started, the plans were changed to eliminate the fire escapes, at a saving of $60.

 

  Napoleon Caron was low bidder for moving the old courthouse out of the way.  His bid, to move the building and vault 76 feet to the east side of the grounds, for $650.

 

  John Henry, only applicant for the job, was hired as construction superintendent with compensation set at two per cent of the cost.  The Contract with Jett Bros was signed August 1, 1910, with contract time 8 months. Actual starting date is uncertain, but first payment under the contract, for $3,120, was made October 4, 1910.

 

  Although the courthouse was built from the general county fund, the supervisors on Dec. 6, 1910, borrowed $10,000 from Hancock Bank.  They issued five warrants of $2,000 each, payable one each year for five years.

 

  The courthouse was formally accepted by the board September 20, 1911.  John Henry was employed to move the safe and furniture from the old building into the new, Jett Brothers was paid $50 for placing a marble cornerstone containing the names of the supervisors, and Alonzo B Hayden provided "sundry articles for the toilet rooms" for $28.

 

  Napoleon Caron bought the old courthouse at auction for $150, and the pickets and posts from the fence around the courthouse grounds were sold to J.E. Saucier for $5.

 

  To complete the transition, the following were purchased for court and jury rooms: Three dozen chairs, four dozen cuspidors, two dozen sheets, and a dozen each of single beds, mattresses, pillows and blankets.  (Compiled by Jim Pfeiffer) VF

 

  Circuit Court, April Term, 1861, The State of Mississippi.  At a regular term of the Circuit Court begun and held in and for the County of Hancock in the State of Mississippi on the first Monday after the fourth Monday in April A.D. 1861, at the Court house of said county in the town of Gainesville."

 

  The records then show that no meeting was held for four years.  On May 1st., (Monday) 1865, an attempt was made to hold court in Buck Branch, a place away up in the present territory of Pearl River County, but the Judge, John Hancock, failed to appear.  Court was dismissed until the next day, when, the judge still being absent, it was finally adjourned by the sheriff.  No other session was held until December 4th., 1865, when court was able to return to Gainesville in peace, and a considerable amount of business was transacted.

 

  About this time the question as to the transfer of the county seat was evidently being warmly agitated.  One of the first indications is in the minutes of the Board of Police for Jan. 6th., 1867.

 

  It is ordered by the Board that a special meeting of the Board be held at the Court house of said county on Monday, the 14th., day of Jan.  1867, to receive proposals for the building of a jail for this county."

 

  The minutes for the 14th show that:

 

  "The contract for the building of a jail for this county was put up at the lowest (?) bidder and struck off to W. J. Poitevent at the sum of Twenty one hundred dollars ($2100.00) he being the lowest and best bidder."

 

  This is the first record of a county jail.  Although there is an authorization during the war for the sheriff to sell the jail irons at auction.  The reason for the sale is not given.  If a jail were actually built in Gainesville it would, of course, be an argument against removing the county seat.

 

  In 1867 an act of the state legislature authorized an election to determine the future county seat.  Again we lack any account except the dry fact in official records, but we can imagine a very intense rivalry.

 

  The minutes of the board of Police for a special March term in 1867 show the following:-

 

  "Thereas at an election held at the various precincts of Hancock County of the 3rd Monday, 18th day of March 1867, under a recent act of the Legislature of the State of Mississippi for the county seat of justice of said county, at it appearing further to the satisfaction of the Board that Gainesville retained (?) the highest number of votes for the said seat of Justice.

 

  "It is therefore ordered by the Board that the said town of Gainesville be and is this date declared the seat of Justice of this County.

 

  (The above appeared in the (HANCOCK HAWK, Jan 19, 1973) taken from the works compiled by the (Works Progress Administration).

 

  The county board, obviously partisan in the matter, did not have the last word, as shown by records of the circuit court for the first Monday after the fourth Monday in April of the same year.

 

  "Board of Police of Hancock County.  On motion of preemptory (?) mandamus to proceed to provide public buildings and establish the seat of Justice at Shieldsborough.

 

  "It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that the majority of the qualified voters of Hancock County at the election held on the 3rd Monday in March 1867, were cast for the city of Shieldsborough and that the said defendants sec. board have hitherto failed and refused to establish the county seat at Shieldsborough.

 

  It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed, and the Court by virtue of the power and authority vested by the constitution and laws of the state of Mississippi does hereby command that the said defendant as such Board of Police to forthwith, proceed to establish the seat of justice of the county in conformity with the choice of the qualified voters of the same as evidenced at said election at the place designated thereby."