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It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

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The minutes of the board of Police for a special March term in 1867 show the followings-
"Thereas at an election held at the various precincts of Hancock County of the 3rd Monday, 18th day of March 1867, under a recent act of the Legislature of the State of Mississippi for the county seat of justice of said county, at it appearing further to the satisfaction of the Board that Gainesville retained (?) the highest number of votes for the said seat of Justice.
"It is therefore ordered by the Board that the said town of Gainesville be and is this date declared the seat of Justice of this County.
(The above appeared in the (HANCOCK HAWK, Jan 19,	1973)
taken from the works compiled by the (Works Progress Administration).
The county board, obviously partisan in the matter, did not have the last word, as shown by records of the circuit court for the first Monday after the fourth Monday in April of the same year.
"Board of Police of Hancock County. On motion of prempatory (?) mandeaus to proceed to provide public buildings and establish the seat of Justice at Shieldsborough.
"It appearing to the satisfaction of the Court that the majority of the qualified voters of Hancock County at the election held on the 3rd Monday in March 1867, were cast for the city of Shieldsborough and that the said defendants sec. board have hitherto failed and refused to establish the county seat at Shieldsborough.
It is therefore ordered, adjudged and decreed, and the Court by virtue of the power and authority vested by the constitution and laws of the state of Mississippi does hereby command that the said defendant as such Board of Police to forthwith, proceed to establish the seat of justice of the county in conformity with the choice of the qualified voters of the same as evidenced at said election at the place designated thereby."
The May term of the Police Court was held at Shieldsborough in accordance with the decision above cited, and the following resolution was adopted:
"It appearing to the satisfaction of the Board that the city of Shieldsborough in said county received the majority of the legal votes of said county for the permanent county seat of Justice.
"It is therefore ordered by the Board that the said city of Shieldsborough be and is hereby declared from and after this date the permanent seat of Justice of the County."
We can only guess at the bitterness of the contest that is indicated by these formal records, and at the meaning of the distinction between "the highest number of votes" specified in one resolution and the "Majority of the legal votes" stated in the other. The decision must have been intensely unpleasant for the members of a board that was so evidently in favor of Gainesville.