While glancing through some of Mattie’s old files, I did found a copy of the minutes from the County Commissioners which provided a brief history of what was happening soon after the courthouse had burned. Thank you, Mattie, for your love of Shelby County history, which now gives me the opportunity to share with you. Enjoy!

Sept 23, 1882 – An election was held in Shelby County to “determine whether or not the sale of intoxicating liquors and medicated bitters producing intoxication, should be prohibited in Shelby County and the votes cast were 700 voted for the prohibition and 358 against prohibition; giving a majority of 342 for prohibition.

Nov 14 – W.G. Paxton was paid $10 for house rent for Grand Jury for Sept court. R.A. Sanders was paid $10 for house rent for District County -- $5/50 was paid for office for Sheriff to A.W. Brown.

Dec 8 – “Whereas J.A. Jarrett, W.C. Carrow, S.L. Ragland, G.B. Hicks, J.D Reduitt, Thomas McKnight, John Holt, B.F. Bridges and divers and sundries other to the number of several hundred citizens of said county and over 100 legal and qualified voters have filed petition to determine the sale of intoxication liquors in Shelby County … 724 voted for prohibition and 219 voted against prohibition.

Feb 1884 – A.W. Brown was paid $51.75 for guarding Dick Walling 5 days.

Nov 28, 1884 – Panola County was paid the sum of $199 on jail account (Shelby County had not completed a jail at that time on the courthouse square).

Dec 9 – Ordered that J.M. Lucky, R.L. Parker, and Y.W. Rogers, are appointed a committee of 3 to thin out the timber and have trimmed up the growth on the public square on Center with full power to employ such labor as may be necessary to perform such saw work.

Another prohibition election was called Feb 1885 with B.D. Sapp, W.W. Jonas, A. Fletcher et al on a petition to called to be held at Rainsville.
The first jail built on the square was completed Aug 12 1885 and J.J.E. Gibson was discharged as a superintendent of the building of it upon the completion. Hull and Barnes were the contractors.

Feb 10, 1886 – J.M. Lucky was appointed agent for Shelby County for the sale of two town blocks situated in the SW corner of the Donation to the town of Center, and the remment (Note: the spelling on the paper) west of the same, being west of the Academy, to go westward from the four academy block to the west boundary line of the town donation to make the best trade he can for same, but not to be sold for less than $100.

Aug 26, 1886 – Lucky reported back to court that he could not get $100 for the land so he was instructed to sell for $50…”said land being situated west of and adjoining the College grounds and adjoining the property of A.M. Brown on the north; R.L. Parker on the west and J.L. Crawford on the south.