History of Newton County from 1834 - 1894

by A. J. Brown

The town of Union was probably settled as early as 1833 or 1834 and it was the place where the courts were held.  The original site was about half mile from the present village.  There the first courts of the county of Neshoba were held in a black-jack log cabin with dirt floor.  Jail in same proportion.  The town is very centrally located for the county site where the two counties were together.

Union is situated directly on the stage line running form Montgomery, Ala., to Jackson, Miss.  There was a large amount of travel on the stage beore the railroad passed through the country.  There was also much mail matter received and distributed from that point.  Dr. Lewis, of Union, says the first court held in the above named house was presided over by Judge Thos. S. Sterling, with John Watts, Esq. district attorney.  The courts were held here until after the division of the county in 1836;  then the county site of Neshoba county was removed to Philadelphia and the Newton county court-house established at Decatur.

Union had no very fine houses.  Sherman's army passed through and burned much of the town;  since that time some better houses have gone up.  The stores are small but sufficient for the business.  There are some comfortable dwellings in the place.  The town and surrounding country have always claimed some of the best citizens of the county.

This is a good place for business and has some distinction as a place of educational advantages.  A high school was established and maintained for years by Rev. J. C. Portis, assisted by an able corps of teachers.  The school is now under the management of other persons.

Union has two frame churches--a Methodist church, which is new and attractive;  the Baptist church not so good.  The school buildings are ood and amply sufficient to accommodate a large number of pupils.  Two Sabbath Schools are kept up at the place;  a good steam mill for grinding and ginning.

The merchants are:  Viverett, Lewis, Cleavland and Portis.  Among the early settlers of the town, Quimby, (merchant and a man of means), James J. Monroe, George Boyd, Mrs. Lewis and family and Mrs. Lane, afterwards Thompson, Daniel, Hunter, Lewis, Viverett, Portis, Cleavland, Ragan, Park.

The neighborhood of Union is one of the best in the county, having good level lands of durable nature, good water and a very healthy and desirable place.

The Union Appeal - Wednesday, April 27, 2005

Union Turns 100

The City of Union is celebrating their 100th anniversary of having a charter to declare themselves a municipality on June 19.  The Union Chamber of Commerce, the Present Day Club and the Union Home and Garden Club are acting as sponsors for the Sunday afternoon event.  A Centennial Celebration will be held at 2:00 p.m. in the Union Community Center, according to Ralph Gordon of the Chamber of Commerce.  "If you have any old photographs of Union that you would like to display, please bring them by the Chamber office or the Newton County Historical Society in Decatur.  The photographs will be scanned and used at the event," said Gordon.  For more information, please call the Chamber of Commerce office to (601) 774-9586 or the Historical Society at (601) 635-2350.