not fed, $1,388,146.

Number of manufacturing establishments, 194; capital invested, $2,128,954; wages paid, $613,112; cost of materials, $1,818,306, and total value of products, $3,292,923. The population of the county in 1900, consisted of whites, 19,190; colored, 18,960, a total of 38,150 and an increase of 8,489 over the year 1890. The population in 1906, was estimated at 45,000. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in the county in 1905 was $8,755,762 and in 1906 it was $11,515,689, showing an increase of $2,759,927 during the year. Artesian water is found in the county, there being several flowing wells. The county is taking a great interest in its public highways.

Laura, a postoffice of Montgomery county, 10 miles northeast of Winona, the county seat.

Laurel, a thriving town in Jones county, 7 miles northeast of Ellisville, the county seat. The name was derived from the dense laurel thickets growing within its limits. It is the junction point for three railroads: the New Orleans & North Eastern, the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City, and the Laurel branch of the Gulf & Ship Island. It is watered by the Tallahalla creek, an excellent logging stream. The manufacturing of lumber is the chief industry. It has four large saw mills, a wagon factory, a machine shop and foundry, a large brick plant, a cotton compress, a cotton mill, and an oil mill. The Bank of Laurel, now the First National Bank, was established here in 1899 with a capital of $60,000; the Peoples Bank, now the Commercial Bank & Trust Co., was established in 1900 with a capital of $20,000. The Chronicle, a semi-weekly, Democratic newspaper, edited by A. W. Noble, was established in 1897; and the Ledger, a Democratic weekly edited by W. R. Hardy, was established in 1902. Few towns in the State have had a more rapid growth within recent years. Its population in 1900 had reached 3,193, and in 1906, the population was at least 5,000. It has excellent schools, having five public school buildings for white scholars and one building for colored people. The capacity of the central public school building has recently been doubled.

Laurelhill, a hamlet in the western part of Neshoba county, 12 miles west of Philadelphia, the county seat. The postoffice at this place was discontinued in 1905, and it now has rural free delivery from Madden. Population in 1900, 48.

Law, John. See Western Company.

Lawrence, a post-village of Newton county, on the Alabama & Vicksburg R. R., 60 miles east of Jackson, and 10 miles southwest of Decatur, the county seat. It has a money order postoffice, several general stores, two churches and a grist mill. Population in 1900, 75; the population in 1906 was estimated at 125.

Lawrence County was one of the fourteen territorial counties represented in the Constitutional Convention of 1817, and was created December 22, 1814, from the older county of Marion, originally embracing within its area all the eastern half of the present county of Lincoln. The original act defined its boundaries as follows: "Beginning on the Franklin county line, where the

middle section of the fifth township intersects the same; thence east along the said line to its intersection with the eastern boundary line of the county of Marion. And all that tract of country on the north side of said line, and within the original boundary of Marion county, shall form a county, known by the name of Lawrence." Its original area was about 1,000 square miles. By act of January 5, 1819, it contributed of its eastern area to form the county of Covington (q. v.), and February 12th, of the same year, it surrendered to Marion county the northern half of township 5, ranges 17 and 18; in 1870, it contributed of its western area to form the new county of Lincoln (q. v.). The present area of the county is 414,382 acres, or 638 square miles. For a period of five years county courts were held at the house of Wright Mitchell, and then a rude log court house was built on the site of the present building: Harmon Runnels, Chief Justice of the Quorum; Stephen Noble, J. Q.; Benjamin Goodson, J. Q.; James Stigler, J. Q.; Harmon M. Runnels, Clerk, and Hardin D. Runnels, Sheriff, constituted the first court as organized March 6, 1815. The civil officers of the county in 1818 were as follows: George W. King, Chief Justice of the Quorum, and John Reagan and Eli Garner, Justices of the Quorum; Samuel Alexander, Randolph Traylor, Fort Alfred, Warner, Francis Ross, Harper Garner, Alex. Hall, Jesse Maxwell, Wm. Smith, Sr., Samuel Pepper, Joseph Hart, Francis Tilman, Thomas Ship, Arthur Fox, John N. Field, Justices of the Peace; John Burney, Assessor and Collector; Harper Garner, County Surveyor; Wylie Bohahnon, County Treasurer; Jonathan Armstrong, Leonard Green, Wm. D. Hathorn, Thos. P. Honea, Thos. Matthews, Phillips, Parish Garner, Ezekiel Loften, William Mallet, Constables. The county was named in commemoration of James Lawrence, captain of the Chesapeake in the memorable battle with the British on Lake Erie. Its northern boundary is the old Choctaw boundary line of 1805, separating it from Copiah and Simpson counties on the north, Covington county is on the east, Marion and Pike counties on the south, and Lincoln county on the west. It is an old settled region in the south central part of the State, and its hardy and vigorous pioneers contributed largely to the early beginnings of Mississippi. The little village of Monticello, with a population of 500 and situated on a high bluff on the western bank of the Pearl river, is the county seat; it was the home of Harmon Runnels, Hiram G., Harmon M. and Hardin D. Runnels, his sons. Harmon Runnels came to the State from Georgia, built the first house in Monticello and was a forceful representative in the constitutional convention of 1817. He reared a large family, which became influential in the annals of the State. Hiram G. Runnels, one of the sons, became Governor of the State in 1833. There are no large settlements in Lawrence county, the more important ones being Monticello, the county seat, and the railroad towns of Grange, Hebron, Prentiss and Silvercreek. The county is well watered by the Pearl river which flows through the center, together with its numerous tributaries. Pearl river is navi

gable for steamboats and is extensively used for shipping purposes and in lumbering operations. The Gulf & Ship Island R. R., crosses the county from north to south, the Mississippi Central R. R., enters the county from the east, and passes through westward crossing the Gulf & Ship Island R. R., at Silvercreek. A short spur of the Illinois Central R. R., from Brookhaven, enters the northwestern part of the county and extends to Monticello, and the N. C. & M. R. R. enters its southwestern corner. The timber growth of the county is chiefly of the long leaf or yellow pine variety and is of an excellent quality. The general surface of the region is undulating and hilly, and level on the river and creek bottoms. The low lands are very fertile; on the uplands the soil is sandy and needs fertilizing. In common with most of the southern counties in the long leaf pine region, there are extensive areas of "reed-brakes," which, when drained and cultivated, can be made to yield bounteously. The products of Lawrence county are cotton, corn, rice, sugar-cane, sorghum, potatoes and all the fruits and vegetables which grow in the temperate zone. There is plenty of good pasturage, winter and summer, and many have engaged in stock raising and sheep husbandry.

The twelfth United States census for 1900 shows that there were in the county 2,510 farms, acreage in farms 276,683, acres improved 92,662, value of the land without the buildings $810,010, value of buildings $386,610, value of live stock $461,692, total value of products not fed $974,152. The number of manufactures was 43, capital $59,061, wages paid $13,075, cost of materials $24,528 and total value of manufactured products $63,975.

The population of the county in 1900 consisted of 7,535 whites, 7,568 colored, a total of 15,103, or 2,785 more than given by the census returns for 1890. The manufacturing interests of the county have increased at least 500 per cent. in the last five years. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in the county in 1905 was $2,687,068 and in 1906 it was $3,631,197, which shows an increase during the year of $944,129. The completion of the Mississippi Central and the Gulf & Ship Island railroads through the county has opened up an extensive area of valuable timber lands, and saw mills are to be found every few miles along these lines.

Lawshill, a post-hamlet in the southern part of Marshall county, about 15 miles southwest of Holly Springs. Population in 1900, 20. Lazarus, a post-hamlet in the southeastern corner of Harrison county, situated on the Back Bay of Biloxi, 2 miles north of Biloxi. Leaf, a post-hamlet in the southwestern part of Greene county, on the Mobile, Jackson & Kansas City R. R., 18 miles southwest. of Leakesville, the county seat. Population in 1900, 37.

Leake County was established December 23, 1833, and was one of the sixteen counties created at that time from the final cession of the Choctaw Indians, under the treaty of Dancing Rabbit, 1830. It was named for Governor Walter Leake, member of the Constitutional Convention of 1817, United States senator and twice governor of the State. The original act defines its limits as follows: "Be

ginning at the northeast corner of Scott county, and running from thence north with the line between ranges 9 and 10 east, to the line between townships 12 and 13; from thence west, with the line between townships 12 and 13, to the line between ranges 5 and 6 east; from thence south with said line between ranges 5 and 6 east, to the line between townships 8 and 9; and from thence east to the place of beginning."

The county is an exact square, contains 16 townships or 561 square miles and is located almost at the center of the State. It is bounded on the north by Attala county, on the east by Neshoba county, on the south by Scott county and on the west by Madison county. There are as yet no railroads within its borders, but transportation facilities are afforded by the Pearl river, which runs through the county from the northeast to the southwest and is navigable to Edinburg on the eastern border. Besides the Pearl, the region is watered by its numerous tributaries, the Yokahockany river, Yellow, Young Warrior and Standing Pine creeks. There are no large towns within its area. Carthage, near the center, 2 miles north of Pearl river, is the county seat and contains a population of 416. Some of the more important settlements are Walnut Grove, Edinburg, Standing Pine and Goodhope. As early as 1837 it possessed a population of 1,136 whites and 531 slaves. Among the earliest settlers may be numbered the families of the Harpers, Loyds, Warners, Freeneys, Dicksons, Boyds, Eades and Vanansdales. The general surface of the region is undulating and hilly, and a large section is composed of level, bottom or swamp lands. The last census shows about one-third of the land improved, the rest timbered with pine, oaks, hickory, beech, poplar, chestnut, maple, walnut, sycamore and cypress. The soil is red clay in the hills, loam, second-bottoms and alluvial soils called "reed-brakes." These bottom lands, when reclaimed by drainage, are extremely productive. The products of the county are cotton, corn, sorghum, sugarcane, rice, potatoes and all kinds of fruits and vegetables. There is little manufacturing done, but pasturage is good and live stock does well and many have embarked in this industry. The live stock in 1900 was valued at nearly $500,000.

The twelfth census of the United States for the year 1900 shows that there were in the county 2,756 farms, embracing an acreage of 302,264, of which 102,736 were improved. The value of the land, exclusive of the buildings is $886,180, value of the buildings $394,860, value of the live stock $468,227, and the total value of products not fed $966,529. The number of manufacturing establishments is 48, capital invested $84,501, wages paid $9,278, cost of materials $32,203 and total value of products $62,069. The population in 1900 consisted of whites 10,747, colored 6,613, a total of 17,360 and 2,557 more than in the year 1890. The total assessed valuation of real and personal property in Leake county in 1905 was $1,549,795 and in 1906 it was $2,626,254, showing an increase during the year of $1,076,459.

Leake, Walter, third governor of the State, "was born in Albemarle county, Va., May 20, 1762. He was the son of Capt. Mask Leake, a Revolutionary officer, and Patience Morris, of Hanover, and was named for his paternal grandfather, Walter Leake, of Goochland, who was a son of William Leake and Mary Bostick, first of the family in Virginia. He was at one time a member of the Virginia legislature from Albemarle county, and a few years. later we find him a candidate for the United States congress against Thomas Mann Randolph, Mr. Jefferson's son-in-law. Randolph beat him by two votes. Leake immediately announced his intention of running again; but before another election Mr. Jefferson appointed him chief judge of the Mississippi territory, which appointment he accepted. He accordingly removed with his wife (Elizabeth Wingfield) and family to his new post of duty. (Virginia Hist. Mag., April, 1904.) He was appointed one of the judges (there being no such office as "chief judge') of the Mississippi territory, to succeed George Matthews, March 2, 1807, and arrived at the town of Washington in May. He made his home in Claiborne county, about 60 miles from Washington (see Judiciary, Territorial). Hinds county was fifteen years. in the future, and was then in the undisturbed possession of the Choctaws. Judge Leake served with distinguished ability as Territorial judge until the general assembly, Oct. 9, 1817, elected him. one of the first United States senators from the State. Meanwhile he had been elected a delegate from Claiborne county to the constitutional convention of 1817, of which he was a valuable member, with his associates on the Territorial bench, Poindexter and Simpson. He took his seat in the senate Dec. 11, 1817, and drew the four years' term. He resigned his seat to become a candidate for governor, and was elected over Charles B. Green by a vote of nearly four to one. The bank monopoly question was to some extent an issue, it having been raised against the bank by Gov. Poindexter. June 17, before the election, Gov. Poindexter appointed him to the supreme bench to succeed John Taylor, deceased, and serve until the legislature should elect. Taylor had succeeded him in 1817. He was again on the bench, also holding circuit court, until he became governor Jan. 7, 1822. In his farewell message, Gov. Poindexter offered his "congratulations on the judicious selection which has been made, in the worthy and distinguished citizen who has been chosen to succeed me in this office. If integrity the most pure and unsullied, combined with sound intelligence and great experience in public life are qualifications for the highest trust in the gift of the people, they are identified in the individual selected as your chief magistrate." His letters in the executive journal are dated from Jackson or Spring Plains, his home, until March, 1825, when the name Mount Salus appears. His last letter on the journal is dated, "Mount Salus, August 10, 1825." He died Nov. 17 of that year. One child survived him, a daughter, who married Henry Goodloe Johnston. A grandson of the governor, Walter Leake Keirn, was an officer of the Confed