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SMp Of state	116
The original location was well chosen. It not only was on Leaf River, providing the earlier settlers with transportation and communication, but it was at a juncture of several roads. The old Paulding Road to Mobile threaded through there and the road from Mobile to Natchez found its way to this location. This would account, in part, for at least three distinguished travelers passing there in early days. General^rFrrffr Claiborne, during the Indian Uprising in 1813, spent the night with Hiram Breland near there on his way back to Natchez. It seems there was a woods fire that filled the valley with such thick smoke he was unable to cross the river until the following day when the fires had burned out. General Andrew Jackson moved his Infantry through there, November 26, 1814, on his way to New Orleans. Major Sam Dale rode Paddy, his Indian Pony, through there on January 10, 1815, two days after the end of the Battle of New Orleans. People in Greene and Jackson Counties learned of Jackson’s victory before they did in Mobile!
John Madison Walley
John Madison Walley was one of the early citizens of Greene County and was the first sheriff, after the seat of government was moved to Leakesville. He lived on a tributary of the Escatawpa River but was actually in the eastern hills of the county. He was the first man elected to an office in the county who did not reside along the river!
Unfortunately, the records are not as complete for Greene as they are for Jackson County. Both had several fires, but the courthouse burned in Leakesville toward the end of the 19th century. There have been fires in the State Archives as well.
John Mclnnis
As far as we have been able to learn, John Mclnnis was the first citizen to live where Leakesville is today. He had a ferry there. Mclnnis ’ ”s a native of Richmond County, North Carolina. His father was orn in Scotland. John was born in 1802. His ^ parents were Donald and Anne McLeod Mclnnis. His wife was Polly McLeod of Noxubee County, Mississippi. John died at Montrose and was buried there.