I (fill in name) do solemnly swear that I will faithfully support the Constitution of the State of Mississippi and will obey the laws thereof: that I am not disqualified from holding the office of (fill in name and pertinent information) of Mississippi; and that I will faithfully discharge the duties of the office upon which I am about to enter, SO HELP ME GOD.
I (fill in name) do solemnly swear that I will faithfully support and true allegiance bear to the Constitution of the United States and to the State of Mississippi and obey the laws thereof and that I am not disqualified from holding office by the Constitution of the United States or the State of Mississippi. I will faithfully discharge the duties of (fill in name of office and county) upon which I am about to enter, SO HELP ME GOD.
“Be it remembered that a meeting of the Board of Supervisors appointed and duly commissioned by His Excellency R. C. Powers Governor of the State of Mississippi and subsequently qualified pursuant to an act of the Legislature of said State creating the County of Tate which said meeting was begun and held at the court house in the town of Senatobia in said County on Monday the 12th day of May 1873. Present T. S. Tate, J. V. Walker, J. P. Pickle, E. B. Bobo and D. T. Neighbours proceeded to organize by electing T. S. Tate president and administering the oath of office to O. T. West clerk of the Chancery and Circuit Courts said county and an ex officio clerk of this Board being now fully organized and the court being duly opened by proclamation by Josiah Daily Sheriff of said County, the said Board proceeded to business when the following proceedings and orders were had and made to wit:” (This is the beginning of the first board of supervisors’ meeting on May 12, 1873 as transcribed from the Supervisors’ Minute book in the Chancery Clerk’s office.)
This was the beginning of Tate County business. The first officials for our county weren’t elected but appointed. In 1873 the first five County Supervisors and the Sheriff as well as court officials all took similar oaths as Tate County began doing business. One of the first actions after taking office was to divide the county into the five districts the supervisors would represent. Other business included setting aside money for a courthouse and a jail. Tax rates had to be established so collection could begin at the appointed time.
Court officials were busy transferring data on property that was once DeSoto, Marshall and Tunica County into new deeds that showed the property now a part of Tate County. People would have to register to vote in Tate County rather than the previous county. So many details had to be handled as the new county emerged.
Can you imagine how those men would react to the Tate County of today? Today’s supervisors’ meeting can be audibly and digitally recorded. In 1873 minutes were tediously taken and then meticulously recorded in the Supervisor Minute book by hand. The most advanced technology of the time were the railroads, telegraph and photography. What would they think about video calls, electric cars, votes cast by computer input?
As Tate County begins its 151st year, its citizens hope for improvements economically and educationally and that Tate County will always be a place that its citizens are proud to call home.
So many men and women are taking the “Oath of Office” this month. They went through months of seeking the support of voters for the primary election and runoffs and then the November elections. Now as they pledge their oath, the voters look to them to faithfully do the job as they promised.
To learn more about your county and those citizens who have been a part of it possibly since the beginning, we invite you to visit the library located in the Crockett Building, 107 Court Street (second floor). We are open on THURSDAY and FRIDAY (except prior to a holiday) from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (please call if you’ll arrive after 3 p.m.). You may contact us at tatehistory@hotmail.com or call 662-562-0390 and leave a message on voice mail with brief details of your request and we will answer. Be sure to look for us on Facebook.
