Salem, Mississippi

Salem, Mississippi
Extinct town
Salem, Mississippi Show map of Mississippi Salem, Mississippi Show map of the United States
Coordinates: 34°51′06″N 89°12′40″W
Country	United States
State	Mississippi
County	Benton
Elevation	541 ft (165 m)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
Area code	662
GNIS feature ID	705897[1]

Salem is an extinct town in Benton County, Mississippi, United States.^[1]

History

Salem was settled in 1836 and incorporated in May 1837. At one point, Salem was home to twelve businesses, two hotels, and a female school.^[2]

Salem was destroyed by the Union Army during the Civil War, leading many residents to resettle in nearby Ashland.^{[3][better source needed][4]}

A post office operated under the name Salem from 1837 to 1909.^[5]

Notable people

• Nathan Bedford Forrest, Confederate Army officer; Moved when he was 12 and spent his childhood in Salem.^[4]
• Joseph W. Matthews, 15th Governor of Mississippi from 1848 to 1850.^[6]
• Norris C. Williamson, member of the Louisiana State Senate from 1924 to 1932^[7]
• Daniel B. Wright, U.S. Representative for Mississippi's 1st congressional district from 1853 to 1857.^[8]

References

1. U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Salem
2. Rowland, Dunbar (1907). Mississippi: Comprising Sketches of Counties, Towns, Events, Institutions, and Persons, Arranged in Cyclopedic Form. Vol. 2. Southern Historical Publishing Association. p. 591.
3. Knect, Phillip (March 4, 2016). "Ashland (1871)". Hill County History.
4. Elkins, Ashley (June 4, 2000). "HED:Surprisingly scenic". djournal.com.
5. "Benton County". Jim Forte Postal History. Retrieved May 4, 2020.
6. Cecil L. Sumners (1998). The Governors of Mississippi. Pelican Publishing. p. 62. ISBN 978-1-4556-0521-7.
7. "East Carroll Parish, Louisiana Genealogy". Retrieved May 22, 2021.
8. Mississippi Historical Society (1902). Publications of the Mississippi Historical Society. pp. 320.