Wesson, Mississippi
Encyclopedia
Wesson is a town in Copiah County
, Mississippi
, United States
. The population was 1,693 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson
Metropolitan Statistical Area
.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the town has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), all of it land.
, by Col. James Madison Wesson. Having lost his mills at Bankston, Mississippi
, Wesson relocated to the town that now bears his name. There he built the Mississippi Manufacturing company which produce a fine quality cotton fabric. In 1871 he sold the mill to Captain William Oliver and Mr. John T. Hardy who renamed it the Mississippi Mills
. The mills became famous for the quality of cotton fabric produced which was dubbed "Mississippi silk" at the centennial celebration of 1876. A product of the industrial revolution Wesson, Mississippi, and the mills located there, began to utilize the new technology of the rapidly changing age. One year after Thomas Edison
perfected the light bulb the Mississippi Mills put them to use. It was said that passengers on the evening train would rush to the windows when passing through Wesson in order to see the marvelous lights.
This prosperity, however, came to an end after the death of Captain Oliver in 1891. Financial difficulties followed by the economic Panic of 1893
, family conflict, and labor disputes caused the mills to fall into receivership in the early 1900s. Eventually, the mills were dismantled and sold for scrap during the First World War.
Wesson's transition from a milling town which produced the best material in the world to an education town with a community college which ranks at the top scholastically makes it unique. The first public school in Wesson was built in 1875, and the community college was added in 1928. Statistics show that the town is "on the move" with creativity, ingenuity, dedications that exists in the Copiah County town of Wesson.
provides academic courses equivalent to the first two years of college or university work that can apply to a baccalaureate or professional degree. Co-Lin also offers programs to prepare students for employment and community service. The college also offers programs for workers to update their skills or learn new ones.. The main campus is located in Wesson, while another campus is located in Natchez
, and a facility is located in Magee
.
Copiah-Lincoln Agricultural High School, through the joint efforts of Copiah and Lincoln Counties, was established in the fall of 1915 at Wesson, on the edge of Copiah County. During its early years, the high school was a boarding school, serving the rural districts of those counties. However, as consolidation of local schools progressed within the counties, practically every family in each county had access to an accredited high school. This availability of local schools created a new role for the agricultural school.
In addition, educators in the agricultural high school and in the county public schools became aware that the youth of Copiah and Lincoln Counties needed educational opportunities beyond the level of the 12th grade. To meet this need, Copiah-Lincoln Community College
was organized during the summer of 1928 under the authority of Section 308, Chapter 283, of the General Laws of the State of Mississippi of 1924. Although an enrollment of about 50 students was anticipated that first year, the actual enrollment was more than 90.
Since its establishment in 1928, Copiah-Lincoln has continued to grow in size and prestige and now occupies a prominent position in the state's educational system with an enrollment of over 2,000 and a physical plant valued at more than $35 million.
In 1934, the officials of Simpson County requested an opportunity to join in the rights and benefits of the public junior college. Accordingly, the Copiah-Lincoln Board of Trustees accepted Simpson as a cooperating county.
Since that time four additional counties have joined in the support of Copiah-Lincoln: Franklin County in 1948; Lawrence County in 1965; Jefferson County in 1967; and Adams County in 1971.
In the fall of 1978, the Copiah County superintendent of education assumed responsibility for the high school. It was renamed Wesson High School. During the fall of 1979, the Wesson High School was moved to a new facility in Wesson. Eventually it was renamed Wesson Attendance Center
.
The Town of Wesson is served by the Copiah County School District
.
of 2000, there were 1,693 people, 430 households, and 319 families residing in the town. The population density
was 736.0 people per square mile (284.2/km²). There were 471 housing units at an average density of 204.8 per square mile (79.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 77.73% White, 19.73% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races
, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.
There were 430 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 36.1% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,021, and the median income for a family was $41,731. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $19,732 for females. The per capita income
for the town was $11,432. About 9.7% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.
Copiah County, Mississippi
As of the census of 2000, there were 28,757 people, 10,142 households, and 7,494 families residing in the county. The population density was 37 people per square mile . There were 11,101 housing units at an average density of 14 per square mile...
, Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 1,693 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson
Jackson, Mississippi
Jackson is the capital and the most populous city of the US state of Mississippi. It is one of two county seats of Hinds County ,. The population of the city declined from 184,256 at the 2000 census to 173,514 at the 2010 census...
Metropolitan Statistical Area
Jackson metropolitan area
The Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area is a metropolitan area in the central region of the U.S. state of Mississippi that covers five counties: Copiah, Hinds, Madison, Rankin, and Simpson. As of the 2000 census, the MSA had a population of 497,197...
.
Geography
Wesson is located at 31°41′57"N 90°23′49"W (31.699286, -90.397081).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the town has a total area of 2.3 square miles (6 km²), all of it land.
History
The Town of Wesson, Mississippi, was founded in 1864, during the American Civil WarAmerican Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, by Col. James Madison Wesson. Having lost his mills at Bankston, Mississippi
Bankston, Mississippi
Bankston is a ghost town in Choctaw County, Mississippi. All that remain of the town are the ruins of the general store and the cemetery. The nearest community is French Camp to the south-southwest.-External links:...
, Wesson relocated to the town that now bears his name. There he built the Mississippi Manufacturing company which produce a fine quality cotton fabric. In 1871 he sold the mill to Captain William Oliver and Mr. John T. Hardy who renamed it the Mississippi Mills
Mississippi Mills (Wesson, Mississippi)
Mississippi Mills was a cotton and wool textile manufacturing complex that operated in Wesson, Mississippi during the latter half of the 19th century. By 1892, Mississippi Mills was described as the largest industry of its kind in the South. Absentee management and the Panic of 1893 contributed to...
. The mills became famous for the quality of cotton fabric produced which was dubbed "Mississippi silk" at the centennial celebration of 1876. A product of the industrial revolution Wesson, Mississippi, and the mills located there, began to utilize the new technology of the rapidly changing age. One year after Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
perfected the light bulb the Mississippi Mills put them to use. It was said that passengers on the evening train would rush to the windows when passing through Wesson in order to see the marvelous lights.
This prosperity, however, came to an end after the death of Captain Oliver in 1891. Financial difficulties followed by the economic Panic of 1893
Panic of 1893
The Panic of 1893 was a serious economic depression in the United States that began in 1893. Similar to the Panic of 1873, this panic was marked by the collapse of railroad overbuilding and shaky railroad financing which set off a series of bank failures...
, family conflict, and labor disputes caused the mills to fall into receivership in the early 1900s. Eventually, the mills were dismantled and sold for scrap during the First World War.
Wesson's transition from a milling town which produced the best material in the world to an education town with a community college which ranks at the top scholastically makes it unique. The first public school in Wesson was built in 1875, and the community college was added in 1928. Statistics show that the town is "on the move" with creativity, ingenuity, dedications that exists in the Copiah County town of Wesson.
Education
Copiah-Lincoln Community CollegeCopiah-Lincoln Community College
Copiah-Lincoln Community College is a comprehensive public community college with its main campus located in Wesson, Mississippi, about south of Jackson, the state capitol and north of New Orleans. The Co-Lin District serves a seven-county area including Adams, Copiah, Franklin County,...
provides academic courses equivalent to the first two years of college or university work that can apply to a baccalaureate or professional degree. Co-Lin also offers programs to prepare students for employment and community service. The college also offers programs for workers to update their skills or learn new ones.. The main campus is located in Wesson, while another campus is located in Natchez
Natchez, Mississippi
Natchez is the county seat of Adams County, Mississippi, United States. With a total population of 18,464 , it is the largest community and the only incorporated municipality within Adams County...
, and a facility is located in Magee
Magee, Mississippi
Magee is a city in Simpson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 4,200 at the 2000 census and was estimated to be near 5,019 as of February 2007. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
.
Copiah-Lincoln Agricultural High School, through the joint efforts of Copiah and Lincoln Counties, was established in the fall of 1915 at Wesson, on the edge of Copiah County. During its early years, the high school was a boarding school, serving the rural districts of those counties. However, as consolidation of local schools progressed within the counties, practically every family in each county had access to an accredited high school. This availability of local schools created a new role for the agricultural school.
In addition, educators in the agricultural high school and in the county public schools became aware that the youth of Copiah and Lincoln Counties needed educational opportunities beyond the level of the 12th grade. To meet this need, Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Copiah-Lincoln Community College
Copiah-Lincoln Community College is a comprehensive public community college with its main campus located in Wesson, Mississippi, about south of Jackson, the state capitol and north of New Orleans. The Co-Lin District serves a seven-county area including Adams, Copiah, Franklin County,...
was organized during the summer of 1928 under the authority of Section 308, Chapter 283, of the General Laws of the State of Mississippi of 1924. Although an enrollment of about 50 students was anticipated that first year, the actual enrollment was more than 90.
Since its establishment in 1928, Copiah-Lincoln has continued to grow in size and prestige and now occupies a prominent position in the state's educational system with an enrollment of over 2,000 and a physical plant valued at more than $35 million.
In 1934, the officials of Simpson County requested an opportunity to join in the rights and benefits of the public junior college. Accordingly, the Copiah-Lincoln Board of Trustees accepted Simpson as a cooperating county.
Since that time four additional counties have joined in the support of Copiah-Lincoln: Franklin County in 1948; Lawrence County in 1965; Jefferson County in 1967; and Adams County in 1971.
In the fall of 1978, the Copiah County superintendent of education assumed responsibility for the high school. It was renamed Wesson High School. During the fall of 1979, the Wesson High School was moved to a new facility in Wesson. Eventually it was renamed Wesson Attendance Center
Wesson Attendance Center
-Athletics:In 2007 students at this high school won the 2A state golf championship and in the 2010 football season went to the second round of the playoffs. -Allegation of discrimination against a lesbian student:...
.
The Town of Wesson is served by the Copiah County School District
Copiah County School District
The Copiah County School District is a public school district based in Copiah County, Mississippi .The district serves the communities of Crystal Springs, Wesson, Georgetown, and Beauregard.-Schools:*Crystal Springs High School...
.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 1,693 people, 430 households, and 319 families residing in the town. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 736.0 people per square mile (284.2/km²). There were 471 housing units at an average density of 204.8 per square mile (79.1/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 77.73% White, 19.73% African American, 0.06% Native American, 0.24% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.36% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.83% of the population.
There were 430 households out of which 36.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.7% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 14.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.6% were non-families. 23.0% of all households were made up of individuals and 8.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the town the population was spread out with 19.6% under the age of 18, 36.1% from 18 to 24, 21.3% from 25 to 44, 15.4% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 21 years. For every 100 females there were 94.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.6 males.
The median income for a household in the town was $33,021, and the median income for a family was $41,731. Males had a median income of $34,375 versus $19,732 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the town was $11,432. About 9.7% of families and 15.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 18.7% of those under age 18 and 15.0% of those age 65 or over.