Chickasaw County Mississippi
Prairie Mount18
The town of Prairie Mount was situated on the edge of the
prairie in the northeastern part of Chickasaw county. It was on
the public road leading from Okolona to Pontotoc, and about five
miles north of the former place. Prairie Mount was founded by
Littleburry Gilliam, an enterprising farmer, who removed from
Franklin County, Alabama, and settled there about 1836. He
became one of the members of the first board of police of
Chickasaw County and aided in its organization. The little
village was named by him in 1836. His residence was opened to
the public as a wayside inn for the accommodation of travelers
seeking land investments from all that part of the Tombigbee
river country south of Pontotoc. There was soon established two
small dry goods stores, a grog shop, a blacksmith shop, and a
wagon repair shop, but the place was not incorporated until
1852. About the time of the permanent location of the survey of
the Mobile and Ohio railroad, the beginning of the present town
of Okolona was made by the erection of one or two farm
residences and a saloon. It soon began to grow into a trade
center for that part of the county which had hitherto
contributed to the growth of Prairie Mount. At the close of the
War Between the States Prairie Mount became extinct. The site of
this once prosperous town is now part of a farm.
Pikesville. The village of Pikesville was once
the center of trade of what is now known as the Egypt Prairie.
It was situated on the east bank of Chickataunckcha River and at
the east end of the old turnpike, still kept up on the main road
leading from Houston to Aberdeen. It was settled about 1842, and
was the only town south of Prairie Mount in the eastern part of
Chickasaw county. Its situation on the adjacent sandy land belts
between the Egypt and Buena Vista skirts of prairie tended to
make it the resort of business adventurers and pleasure seekers,
as well as the trade center of the pioneer wealthy settlers
around Aberdeen, consequently it at once became a village of
culture, progress, and refinement. The Pikesville tannery and
shoe factory was established by R. G. Steel, a thrifty and
enterprising Alabamian. Soon afterwards several mercantile firms
began business there. To these were added a quart liquor saloon
with a sign "Cakes and Beer for Sale." Thus the town grew and
was without a rival until about 1857, when its trade began to
drift to Buena Vista on the Houston and Aberdeen road, and to
Egypt Station, on the Mobile and Ohio railroad. The site of this
old place is now a cultivated field. Its name is still
perpetuated, however, by a post office which is one mile east of
the old town.
Extinct Towns|
AHGP Mississippi
Footnotes:
18. The sketches of the
extinct towns of Chickasaw County are based upon information
which was kindly furnished the writer by Wm. S. Bates, Esq. of
Houston, Mississippi.
Source: The Mississippi Historical
Commission Publications, Volume V, Edited by Franklin L. Riley,
Secretary, 1902.
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