New Court House Proposed For Leflore County

The Commonwealth presents herewith a cut of the new court house of Leflore County soon to be erected by the plans of Mr. R.H. Hunt, the architect.

The cut gives a good idea of the magnificent proportions and artistic appearance of the new court house, which will be modern in every way. The building will be of pressed brick and stone trimmings. The roof will be made of tiling, while the tower roofing will be a copper. The building will have four entrances, one on each side, with wide cross halls. From the main entrance a stairway leads to the second floor where the courtroom will be located.

The first floor will contain the offices of the Chancery Clerk, Circuit Clerk, Sherriff, and County Superintendent. Toilet rooms will also be located on this floor. On the landing between the first and second floors, a large waiting room for ladies has been provided. This will also have toilet attached.

In addition to the courtroom on the second floor, which, with the galleries, will seat about a 1,000, there will be two petit jury rooms, a grand jury room, consoltation room, two witness rooms, one spare office, and a dormitory room where the juries may lodge at night.

With the modern sanitary plumbing, steam heat and other modern equipment, this new court house will be decidedly the best and most imposing one in the State, and will be an ornament to the town and county and a monument to the enterprise of her peerless people.

From the Greenwood Commonwealth, November 5, 1904.

Court House Contract

Jesty & Co., Winona, Are The Succesful Bidders

Some Sub-Contracts

Work Will Begin Soon On The New Building Which Costs
Nearly Seventy-five Thousand

The Board of Supervisors Tuesday let the contract for the handsome new court house, plans for which were accepted some time ago. R. Jesty & Co., of Winona, were the succesful bidders, their bid being $74,032. Several bids were offered by leading contracts from different places, but Jesty & Co. carried off the plum. They have done considerable work of this kind throughout the State and have the reputation of being reliable and skillful workmen.

The heating contract was let to Sodemen Heat and Power Co. of St. Louis for $2,618.

Greenwood secured the contract for the plumbing, it being awarded to Mr. J.T. Phillips, of this city, who is recognized as a first class man in his line.

The various contractors filed approved bonds, and the work on the new building will commence as soon as the old building can be cleared away.

It will be remembered that some time ago the Board of Supervisors tried to buy the lot where the brick stable of the Guyton Harrington Co. stands, in order to give more room for Court Square. The company refused to sell the property at any price. Recently, while Gov. Vardaman was in St. Louis buying the mules and horses for the State farms, he had a conversation with Mr. Harrington about the matter, and the latter, after a more thorough understanding of the matter, agreed to sell the place if the county still desires to buy it, and is willing to accept any reasonable price for it.

This fact has been communicated to Mayor Vardaman, and he will bring the matter to the attention of the Board at once, so that the deal may be made in time to include the lot in the Court Square when it shall be laid out.

From the Greenwood Commonwealth, March 11, 1905.

COURT HOUSE ANNEX WORK IS NEAR COMPLETION

Doors and passageways into the annex to the Leflore County Courthouse have been opened, and the finishing touches are being placed on this magnificent addition to the county’s official building.

There still remains a great amount of fitting and trimming, but only in the smaller details, before the building will be ready for the official opening. The final date of the completion cannot yet be set, however, because of the non-arrival of some of the material for the jail work which occupies the upper two stories of the annex.

This handsome annex, erected at the cost of $125,000, adds to the beauty of the court house, which is the most magnificent building in Greenwood from the standpoint of architectural appearance. The annex is in keeping with the original design, built of the same material, and so planned that it blends into a harmonious whole. The building was planned by Frank R. McGeoy, local architect, who has supervised its construction by the Estes-Williams Company of Memphis.

From The Greenwood Commonwealth, January, 20, 1927

COURT HOUSE BONDS PAID OFF

Check for $102,067 Is Forwarded To Bond Holders
and Twenty-Five Year Debt Is Wiped Out

Leflore County now owns its own courthouse, and $100,000 of the county’s indebtedness has been wiped off. This morning Chancery Clerk A. R. Bew forwarded a county warrant for $102,067.48 to the Hibernia Bank and Trust Company in payment of the bonds issued in 1904 for the purpose of constructing Leflore County’s handsome courthouse.

The attention of those who are finding mismanagement rampant in governmental affairs might be called to the fact that Leflore County has the money in the bank to pay this warrant, built up during the quarter of a century in a sinking fund.

When the present courthouse was built in 1904, T. C. Garrott was sheriff; C. W. Crockett, chancery clerk; J. B. Humphreys, circuit clerk; R. W. Williamson, county attorney. The Board of Supervisors was composed of F. M. Aldridge, president; R. A. Joiner, Eli Ethridge, Uriah Ray and S. I. Brown.

R. H. Hunt was the architect and F. Jesty & Co., the contractors.

From The Greenwood Commonwealth, November 30, 1929

CLOCK CHIMES BE PRESENTED THURSDAY NOON

Formal Presentation of Memorial Chimes will be held at 11:45

The Westminster Chimes and clock installed in the Courthouse tower will be formally presented to Leflore County in an appropriate service Thursday morning at 11:45. The service will be held in the court room, and will be of some thirty minutes duration.

W. T. Rich, president of the Board of Supervisors of Leflore County will be master of ceremonies.

Invocation will be delivered by Dr. A. T. McIlwain, presiding elder of the Greenwood district of the Methodist Conference.

Presentation will be made by Mrs. Lizzie George Henderson, whose magnificent donation to the county is in memory of the late Dr. T. R. Henderson. The speech of acceptance on behalf of the people of the county will be made by Littleton Upshur.

Members of the Board of Supervisors, city officials, and other notables will be special guests for the services, and as an addition mark of tribute to Dr. Henderson, the stores of Greenwood will be closed during the time of the services.

From The Greenwood Commonwealth, December 24, 1934

CLOCK CHIMES BE PRESENTED ON TOMORROW

Stores Will Be Closed As Mark Of Tribute to Late Dr. T. R. Henderson

All business will cease in Greenwood for forty-five minutes beginning at 11:30 tomorrow morning during the period in which the formal presentation of the clock and Westminster Chimes given to Leflore County by Mrs. Lizzie George Henderson, in memory of the late Dr. T. R. Henderson, will be held.

The presentation ceremony will be held in the court room of the Leflore County courthouse beginning promptly at 11:45.

Hon. W. T. Rich, president of the Leflore County Board of Supervisors will be master of ceremonies.

Dr. A. T. McIlwain, presiding elder of the Greenwood district will deliver the invocation.

Mrs. Lizzie George Henderson will formally present the clock and chimes to the people of Leflore County and Littleton Upshur will accept on behalf of the people.

The balcony of the court room will be reserved for the colored people.

From The Greenwood Commonwealth, December 26, 1934

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