"A HISTORY OF MISSISSIPPI FROM THE DISCOVERY OF THE GREAT RIVER BY HENANDO DESOTO INCLUDING THE FIRST SETTLEMENT MADE BY THE FRENCH UNDER IBERVILLE TO THE DEATH OF JEFFERSON DAVIS"

 BY Robert Lowry and William H. McCardle, Jackson, Mississippi, R. H. Henry, & Co., 1891

Extract, pages 460-462

CLARKE COUNTY

Was established in 1833, and so called in honor of Joshua G-. Clarke, a distinguished chancellor of Mississippi of that name.  The commissioners appointed to organize the counties of Jasper, Clarke and Lauderdale, were Samuel Grayson, Asa Hartfield, Robert Jones, William Ellis, H. W. Wood, Henry Hale, George Evans, C. Dyer, N. Martin and J. Bids-well.
            Among the early settlers were John Evans, George Evans, Richard Wagster, Henry Hailes, Alex Hailes, Michael McCarty, James Bankston, Calvin M. Ludlow, John Williford, William Williford, James Risher, J. A. Fontain, John Gunn, Norman Martin, Stephen Grice, Thomas F. Hicks, Alex McLendon, Roland B. Crosby, Cameron Grayson, Jesse C. Mott, David Neely, David B. Thompson, Dabney Edwards, Jacob Slack, John Johnston, Alex Trotter, Richard N. Hough, Robert McLaughlin, L. D. Phillips, Samuel Lee, Jesse Sumrall, Jeremiah Crane, Howell Sumrall, William Goleman, Thomas Goleman, Samuel K. Lewis and Thomas Watts.
            The land on which Quitman, (so named in compliment to General John A. Quitman,) the county site, was situated, was owned and laid off into town lots by General John Watts, afterwards and for many years, judge of the circuit court. 
            The principal streams are Chunky and Oktibbeha, that form the Chickasahay (sic) river, that runs centrally through the county; Buckatunna in the eastern, Suanlovee (sic) in the western, Archusa in the middle, and Shubuta creek in the southern part of the county.
            In the eastern part of the county, near the Alabama line, the Methodist church established a mission in the early settlement of the country, called "Emmaus," for the benefit of the Choctaw Indians.
            Enterprise, now a flourishing town, situated on the Chickasahay (sic) river, a short distance below the junction of the two streams that form it, was founded by John J. McRae, afterwards Governor of the State.  He made earnest efforts to navigate the river and succeeded  in running a steamboat from Lake Ponchartrain (sic) to Enterprise and return in February, 1842.
            The towns in the county are Quitman, the county site, Enterprise, DeSoto and Shubuta.
The Mobile and Ohio Railroad runs very nearly through the center of the county. The Northeastern Railroad traverses the county from a short distance beyond Enterprise to the point where it enters Jasper county.
            Clarke county is among the best of the pine woods counties, with an excellent and thrifty population.
             The Stonewall cotton mills are situated in Clarke county, not far from Enterprise, they manufacture most excellent goods and give employment to quite a number of operatives. The Wanita cotton and woolen mills are situated seven miles northwest of Enterprise.
             There are 51,587 acres of cleared lands in the county, the value of which per acre, as rendered to the assessor, is $4.09. The total value of cleared lands, including incorporated towns, is
$211,259.

The population of Clarke count}', as shown by the census of 1890 : whites, 7,717; colored, 8,106; total, 15,823.

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