Morgantown, Mississippi is a small

unincorporated community An unincorporated area is a region that is not governed by a local municipal corporation. Widespread unincorporated communities and areas are a distinguishing feature of the United States and Canada. Most other countries of the world either have ...

Oktibbeha County, Mississippi Oktibbeha County is a county in the east central portion of the U.S. state of Mississippi. As of the 2020 census the population was 51,788. The county seat is Starkville. The county's name is derived from a local Native American word meani ...

, located between the

Noxubee River 200px, right The Noxubee River (NAHKS-uh-bee) is a tributary of the Tombigbee River, about long, in east-central Mississippi and west-central Alabama in the United States. Via the Tombigbee, it is part of the watershed of the Mobile River, whi ...

and Sand Creek at latitude 33.306 and longitude -88.997.

History

Morgantown was founded near the end of the

American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...

by George Decatur Morgan, who first arrived in the area, pre-war, via

wagon train ''Wagon Train'' is an American Western series that aired 8 seasons: first on the NBC television network (1957–1962), and then on ABC (1962–1965). ''Wagon Train'' debuted on September 18, 1957, and became number one in the Nielsen ratings ...

, driven by a family named "Outlaw." Morgan worked as a hired hand for the Outlaws, primarily tending to their slaves. Following his service in the war, Morgan returned to the area, and settled on a small parcel of land approximately one mile south of the town's present location. He resumed his work for the Outlaw family as a farm-hand. In the 1860s, Morgan, along with other early settlers (Daniel McHann, Miland Scott, and George Johns) acquired larger tracts of land in the area, and formed a farming cooperative. Many hired hands settled in the area to work the crops. A sawmill, cotton gin, and school house (which also served as the church house) were established. Morgan had many children and other descendants who, over time, purchased land from the original settlers, particularly from the McHann estate. As the folklore goes, the wife of one of Morgan's descendants suggested the name of the town due to the abundance of Morgans who lived there.

Demographics

Morgantown has a population of 1,412 as of 2010. Morgantown lost almost 20% of its population between 2006 and 2010. The population is 37% white and 59% black. The median age is 39.4 years. Over 42% have attended college.

References

{{authority control Unincorporated communities in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi Unincorporated communities in Mississippi