John Coor was a Rural County Sheriff

My 4x-great-grandfather, John Coor (1785-1838), lived in Copiah County, Mississippi. A part of Copiah County is named after him: Coor Springs. According to Wikipedia, it is now a ghost town, but at the county's formation in 1823, it was the county seat. When Simpson County split off from Copiah, the county seat was moved to Gallman and then later to Hazlehurst. Like many towns that faded, the railroad had bypassed the town and instead went through Hazlehurst and Gallman.[1]

John purchased land from the federal government along the Copiah Creek in Sections 27 and 28.[2]

In 1825, John was elected sheriff in Copiah County, Mississippi, and on 10 August 1825, he posted a $4000 bond with John Sandifer and John E. Watts as sureties, payable to Governor Walter Leake or his successor.[3]

His term was not specified in length but was stated according to the Mississippi Constitution, which stipulated a two-year term.[4]

In 1825, the population of Copiah County was 2,010 white males, 1,850 white females, totaling 3,860. John Coor reported on the census. Also included in the 1825 census were the reporting of 637 white taxable inhabitants, 155 births, and 45 deaths.[5]

Earlier in 1825, after being elected, John, as the presiding justice of Copiah County, also posted a bond of $600 to the county court with William K. Perkins. The county had just levied a tax of one-fourth the amount of the state tax to be collected by him as the assessor and collector of the tax.[6]

John did present the account of the taxable property in Copiah County for the year 1825, which totaled $1145.85, which in today’s dollars would be $37,497.77.[7]

John only served one term, as Thomas Holiday was elected sheriff in 1827.[8]

#52Ancestors: Week 44: Rural

This is my eighth year working on this year-long prompt, hosted by Amy Johnson Crow (https://www.amyjohnsoncrow.com/) at Generations Cafe. I write each week in one of my two blogs, either Mam-ma’s Southern Family or My Trails into the Past. I have enjoyed writing about my children’s ancestors in new and exciting ways.


[1] “Coars Springs, Mississippi,” Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coars_Springs,_Mississippi : accessed 22 Oct 2025).

[2] Bureau of Land Management, "Land Patent Search," John Coor, Copiah Co, Mississippi, patent nos. 7 & 8, in township 1, range 1, Choctaw land office, index and imaged, General Land Office (http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/search/default.aspx : accessed 24 Oct 2025); Record Group 49; Records of the Bureau of Land Management; National Archives, Washington, D.C.

[3] Copiah Co, Mississippi, Deed Record, vol. B, p. 27, John Coor posting bond, 1825, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLL-B362-C : accessed 22 Oct 2025); IGN 008201517, images 21 of 417.

[4] “Mississippi Constitution of 1817,” Article IV Executive Department, Section 24, imaged, Mississippi History Now (https://www.mshistorynow.mdah.ms.gov/issue/mississippi-constitution-of-1817 : accessed 22 Oct 2025).

[5] Mississippi State Census Return, Copiah County, 1825, John Coor reporting, imaged, Mississippi Department of Archives & History (https://da.mdah.ms.gov/series/sos/copiah/100/1825/detail/59541#dtop : accessed 22 Oct 2025).

[6] Copiah Co, Mississippi, Deed Record, vol B, p. 32, John Coor posting bond, 1825, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLL-B3X9-6 : accessed 22 Oct 2025); IGN 008201517, images 24 of 417.

[7] For the tax record, see Copiah Co, Mississippi, combined tax assessment, 1825, last page, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:33SQ-GPGL-LLT : accessed 22 Oct 2025); IGN 004845528, image 80 of 381. For the value calculation, see “Inflation Calculator,” CPI Inflation Calculator (https://www.in2013dollars.com/us/inflation/1825?amount=1145.85 : accessed 22 Oct 2025).

[8] Copiah Co, Mississippi, Deed Record, v. C, p. 181, Thomas Holiday posting bond, imaged, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3Q9M-CSLL-B3DD-9 : accessed 23 Oct 2025); IGN 008201517, image 181 of 417.

Copyright © 2011-2025 by Lisa S. Gorrell, Mam-ma's Southern Family, All rights reserved.

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