Home | Contact Us | Search this Site | MSGHN State Website
Welcome to Sunflower County, MS.
My name is BJ Marlow and I am the volunteer County Director for the Mississippi Genealogy & History Network's Sunflower County Project. The mission of our organization is to aid genealogical researchers with resources and materials at no cost to the researcher.
This website weaves genealogical and historical, fading memories and recollections, and a few educated guesses with a dabbling of speculation to present a history of Sunflower County and a genealogical portrait of her ancestors and their descendants. I am personally indebted to a great many people, close and distant relatives (and some who may be), long time residents, newcomers, and old, for generously sharing, knowing and unknowingly, their family history research and providing clues and links to other historical sources, documents and photographs.
Let me know when something doesn’t look or sound right or it is downright wrong! I am working from many sources. This site will always be a work in progress. I will be bringing more Sunflower County resources to this web-site as quickly as possible. If I can be of assistance or if you have any questions, suggestions or comments, please email me at BJMarlow. If you have Sunflower County information and pictures you are willing to share, please let me know.
A Short History of Sunflower County, MS.
On 15 February 1844, the area now known as Sunflower & Leflore Counties was take from Bolivar County and formed as Sunflower Couny. Sunflower County is named for the Sunflower River, which is named in turn for the sunflowers that grow along its banks. The Mississippi State Legislature used the following language to define the new county:
“Beginning at the corner of townships 24 and 25, of ranges 4 and 5 west, thence east between townships 24 and 25, to the line between ranges 2 and 3 west; thence south between ranges 2 and 3 west to the line between townships 21 and 22; thence east between townships 21 and 22 to the Tallahatchie River; thence down the Tallahatchie River, and down the Yazoo River to the point where the old Choctaw boundary line intersects it; thence with the said boundary line north, forty-six degrees west, to the point where the line between ranges 4 and 5 west, intersects that line; thence north with the line between ranges 4 and 5 west, to the place of beginning.”
The first center of government for Sunflower County was the town of Clayton. The county seat was later moved to the town of McNutt (located in present-day Leflore County). Then on 15 March 1871 a large area of Sunflower County was removed to form a new county called Leflore. Since McNutt was located in the new Leflore County, Sunflower County moved their county seat to the town of Johnsonville. In 1882 the very mobile county seat for Sunflower County was once again moved to the town of Eureka, which later changed its name to Indianola. Apparently the center of government for Sunflower County became comfortable in Indianola since it has remained there to this day.
Early and prominant settlers of the county include James J. Chenning, Major Frank Hawkins, Captain John Hawkins, Governor B. G. Humphreys, Ezekiel McNabb, Colonel Hezekiah McNabb, J. Y. McNeil, Colonel Eli Waits, and G. B. Wilds. Notable residents of a more contemporary era include Blues musicians B. B. King and Charlie Patton, Country singer Johnny Russell, and NFL Quaterback Archie Manning.
In addition to the county seat of Indianola, other towns and communities in Sunflower County include Drew, Moorehead, Ruleville, Shaw (in both Sunflower and Bolivar Counties), Doddsville, Inverness, Sunflower, Baird, Baltzer, Blaine, Boyer, Caile, Dockery, Dwyer, Fairview, Heathman, Holly Ridge, Kinlock, Linn, Parchman, Rome, Roundway, Steiner, and Stephensville. Sunflower County is also home to two ghost towns - Cottondale and Inwood.
The county has a total area of 707 square miles, of which, 694 square miles of it is land and 13 square miles of it (1.90%) is water. Sunflower County is the longest county in Mississippi. The traveling distance from the southern boundary at Caile, to its northern boundary at Rome is approximately 56 miles. In 1850 the population of Sunflower County was 1,102, which grew to a peak of 66,364 in 1930. As of 2010 the population had declined to 29,450.
For more information check out the Sunflower County Facts & Information link on the menu panel as well as other Sunflower County Records links.
Home | Contact Us | Search this Site | MSGHN State Website