Wayne County Mississippi

Winchester The town of Winchester was eighty-three miles from Mobile. It was once a flourishing place, being the county seat of Wayne County. The court house, built of pine lumber of the best quality, in 1822, was still standing a few years ago, "solitary and alone" and unoccupied. Except that building, not a vestige of the town remains to be seen. The want of hotel accommodations during the terms of the courts, caused the removal of the county seat to Waynesboro on the Mobile and Ohio railroad about seven or eight miles north.

It is said that at one time Winchester had twenty business houses and enjoyed a large trade, having no competing trading points near. It was situated on a beautiful level site, covered with large oak and other shade trees, about one mile from the Chickasawhay River and near a beautiful and never failing creek of the purest water. It was on the great thoroughfare from the Carolinas and Georgia via St. Stephens on the Tombigbee to Natchez on the Mississippi.

Winchester in its early days had for its residents and citizens many distinguished men. Among them were General James Patton, who had charge of the fort at Winchester at the time of the Ft. Mim's massacre, and who afterwards became Lieutenant Governor; Powhattan Ellis, U. S. Senator and minister to Mexico; Judge Thomas A. Willis; Judge Thomas S. Sterling; John A. Grimball, Secretary of State; John H. Mallory, Auditor of Public Accounts; Thos. L. Sumrall and Samuel W. Dickson, Register and receiver of U. S. Land Office at Mt. Salres (Clinton), General Thomas P. Falconer; Judge John H. Rollins; Gov. John J. McRae, and James A. Home, Secretary of State.

There is a station by the name of Winchester on the Mobile and Ohio railroad near where the old town once existed. A steam mill is close by and perhaps a few business houses.

Extinct Towns| AHGP Mississippi

Source: The Mississippi Historical Commission Publications, Volume V, Edited by Franklin L. Riley,
Secretary, 1902.