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Shortly after the acquisition ,on December 14,1812,all that part of this region lying within the present borders of the State of Mississip was formed into the counties of Hancock and Jackson with an extensive dom rich in history and awaiting future development and progress.
^ In the original act defining its limits,Hancock is described as Follows: " All that tract of country lying south of the 31st degree of north latitude and west-of .the line-running due north from the middle
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' of the Bay of Biloxi to the 31st degree of north latitude,and east of
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the Pearl River." "February 5,1841,that portion of Hancock lying east
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o f the line between ranges 13 and 14 was embodyed in the County of
Harrison,and February 22,1890 that portion of the county lying north
of the dividing line between Townships 4 and 5 and extending from the middle of Pearl River,east to the line between Ranges 13 and 14 west,was taken to form the new County of Pearl River,"
A list of the early settlers before 1825 contains the names of
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John B. Lardosse,Chief Justice of the Quorum in 1818; Moel Jourdan,
Chief Justice of the Quorum the same year; Elisha Carver,Assessor and Co Hector, 18X8; Samuel Slade, John Lott, George Sheriff (?); Alexander Frazer,Alex Williams,Louis A. Coillaret,Solomon Ford,John Morgan,John
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Deal,William Stackhouse and John S. Brush, Just ices of the Peace; John P.
Saucier,Chief Justice of the Quorum,1820; Hannon Hammond,James Toole,
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Elihu Carver,Sheriffs; and George H. Mixon,and Zebulon Pendleton,Presi-
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dents of the town of Pearlington.