Forrest County, Mississippi Genealogy and History
Pam Gibbs, County Coordinator
Everette Carr - State Coordinator Bill White - Assistant State Coordinator
PLANNING A VISIT?
Hattiesburg Convention Center and Visitor's Bureau
LOCAL RESOURCES
South Mississippi Genealogical and Historical Society
NEWSPAPERS AND TELEVISION
The Times of Hattiesburg and Petal
LIBRARIES
The Library of Petal, Hattiesburg, and Forrest County
Mississippi collection with many valuable resources. Census records and old newspapers on microfilm with viewers that make copies. Ample parking. Worth visiting just to see the building and the Mississippi Room! Genealogy materials are in the tower above the Mississippi Room. Access is by special elevator which is unlocked by the attendant at the second floor desk in exchange for your driver's license. There is one very small table and two chairs. The entrance to the stairs is locked.
Open Monday-Thursday 8 am-8 pm, Friday-Saturday 10 am-4 pm.
329 Hardy St. Hattiesburg, MS 601-582-4461
The Libraries at the University of Southern Mississippi
Cook Memorial Library, University of Southern Mississippi
Microfilm collection on the second floor includes census records, civil war records, WPA county histories, old newspapers from all over the state, and many other useful materials. Microfilm readers require a copy card for copies, twenty cents per page. Copy cards available ONLY at the circulation desk on the first floor, so get one before you go upstairs! Open late and on weekends when school is in session. Reduced hours during intersession and holidays.
McCain Graduate Library, University of Southern Mississippi: Extensive collection of genealogy materials other than census records and microfilm are located in the Cleanth Brooks Reading Room on the third floor. Security precautions require that all purses and backpacks be placed in lockers outside the room. A copy machine is available and copies are twenty cents per page, payable to the librarian when you leave. If you wish to access a special collection it is best to make arrangements ahead of time. Open 9:00 to 5:00 Monday through Friday.
Manuscripts and Archives at McCain Library, University of Southern Mississippi: How-to page tells you what they have, where it is, how to access it, and more.
Parking is a problem at USM when school is in session. Enter the campus from Hardy Street to get a visitor parking permit at the guardhouse, allow plenty of extra time to find a parking space, and expect a pleasant five minute walk.
Materials available at USM include local, state, national, and worldwide records. Search the online catalogs by clicking the links above. Sample of what's available for Hattiesburg area:
Bibliography of Hattiesburg Materials in the McCain Archives
Bibliography of Hattiesburg Materials in the Mississippiana Collection at McCain Library
Armed Forces Museum at Camp Shelby This museum houses memorabilia from the Civil War, WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam and the Persian Gulf Wars. More than 6,100 items from all branches of the military are displayed. Re-Opening October 2001 Free admission. 12 miles South of Hattiesburg on Hwy. 49.
601-558-2757
MISCELLANEOUS LINKS
Mississippi Department of Archives and History
Excellent legal and public information, links to the state courts, the state bar association
Mississippi State Agencies and Departments
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Did you find a bad link or address?
Do you have something to donate?
Volunteering for the MSGenWeb Project
Volunteering for the USGenWeb Project
Cemetery Surveys as an Eagle Scout Project
Sign Up to Transcribe a Census
COUNTY OFFICES
Forrest County Chancery Court:
Land records, Will records, Divorce records
Chancery Clerk - Jimmy C. Havard
P.O. Box 951
Hattiesburg, MS., 39401
Telephone 601-545-6014
Fax: 545-6095
E-Mail: forrest1@netdoor.com
Forrest County Circuit Clerk:
Marriage Records, Criminal Records, Civil Records
Circuit Clerk - Lou Ellen Adams
P.O. Drawer 992
Hattiesburg, MS., 39403
Telephone 601-582-3213
Fax: 545-6093
MISSISSIPPI GENWEB RESOURCES
MSGenWeb Home Page and County list
FORMATION OF MISSISSIPPI COUNTIES
NEIGHBORING COUNTIES
Forrest County was formed in 1908from the Second Judicial District of Perry County, and the city of Hattiesburg was selected as the seat of justice for the county. All records prior to 1908 are found in Perry County, whose county seat is New Augusta, Mississippi. Some records were copied and transferred when Forrest County was formed, but the researcher should check both counties for records in that timeframe.
FORREST COUNTY GENWEB DATA
First Families of Perry County
The Civilian Conservation Corps
BIBLE RECORDS
BOOKS FOR SALE
Byrd Family of South Carolina and Mississippi
by Charles Byrd
Ben and Jean Strickland left a valuable legacy to researchers in south Mississippi.It is my understanding that a list of published works, prices, and ordering information can be obtained by contacting:
- Jody Strickland
- 935 Little River 17
- Ashdown, Arkansas 71822
- Phone: (870) 898-3235
CEMETERIES
Garraway Cemetery(Forrest County)
Griffin Cemetery(Forrest County)
Clark Cemetery (Forrest County
Perry County Cemeteries (Forrest County was formed from Perry County in 1908).
Forrest County Cemeteries at Interment.net (Old Myers and Mill Creek)
USGenWeb Tombstone Transcription Project
Cemetery Records in the State Archives You can use this link to see whether there is a published record of a particular cemetery in the State Archives.
If you have recorded a cemetery or would like to do so, please contact me about posting on this site. If you know of websites that contain Forrest County Cemetery information please send me the link so I can post it here.
CENSUS RECORDS
The first census taken in Forrest County was the 1910 Federal Census. For census records earlier than 1910 residents were included on the Perry County census.
COMMUNITIES
How Brooklyn Got It's Name : Contributed by Mahlon Martin
DEATH RECORDS
Wright Freeman Funeral Home Records
AB CDE FGH IJKL MNO PQRS TUVWXYZ
HOMEPAGES WITH FORREST COUNTY ROOTS
The McElhaney Children of Forrest County
Descendants of Silas and Jenny Freeman Simmons
Melba's Southern Families - Byrds of SE MS
Absalom Breland - Ancestor to South MS Brelands
Hinton Family Researchers - Hintons of SO MS
Melba Goff Allen's Homepage - MANY SOUTH MS SURNAMES This is a must see site, but plan on staying a while - make sure and let Melba know you appreciate her work. She has contributed so much to South MS Genealogy with her online records!
Breland Researchers - If you are researching the Breland surname, you have to go to this site. It is loaded with information.
Ancestors of Howard Doyle Dearman Contains many Perry Co Surnames
Pattersons of South MS MANY South Mississippi Surnames from Perry, Forrest, Greene and surrounding counties!
CrazyBob's Website Mississippi Territory Information, Green, Perry Counties and more (includes surname registry)
Jehu Carlile Descendants of Jehu Carlile - Fred Carlile has information and is looking for other Carlile researchers!
RuthSellers-Southern Surnames Includes Sellers line from Perry and surrounding counties!
Peggy Conn Burley's Southern Surnames: Anybody researching the Conn family from around Forrest/Perry Counties must see this site!
LOOKUPS
MAPS
1895 MAP OF MISSISSIPPI. Very large and detailed
MARRIAGES
Forrest County Marriages at Melba's Southern Families
MILITARY RECORDS
Union Army Volunteers from Perry County
OBITUARIES
Mississippi Obituary Search Links
OTHER WEBSITES
The Political Graveyard:Forrest County
Bill Strong's Eclectic Mississippi Photo Tour
PEOPLE AND PLACES
The Wedding of Miss Emily Cook and Mr. Reece Orville Bickerstaff
Charles and Octavia McIlwain Family
Descendants of William Calvin Griffin
Osceola McCarty The humble woman who was USM's most generous benefactor
Civil War Record of William Mark Stevens
QUERIES
Forrest County Queries at Genforum
Forrest County Queries at Ancestry
RESEARCHERS
SCHOOLS
Educable Schoolchildren of Perry County, Mississippi: 1892 by Lynda Bailey Chandler Excellent 1890 census substitute
Helene School Basketball Team Hill Denson, George May, and the rest of the 1929 basketball team. Helene School was also known as Carnes.
WILL RECORDS
Forrest County Will Records 1908 - 1924
Forrest County Wills Transferred from Perry County, 1908
MISCELLANEOUS LINKS TO OTHER SITES
Mississippi Public Health Statistics Order birth, death, marriage certificates from the state vital records bureau.
Bill Stong's Eclectic Mississippi Photo Tour:Lots of wonderful pictures of odd and not so odd things from all over the state, plus the best Mississippi links page I have seen!
Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
National Archives and Records Administration
Search electronic records online or search the catalog .This site has been greatly improved!
