Old Van Buren Village Deed: 1843

The old village of Van Buren established during the 1830s was one of Itawamba County's first towns. Established by some citizens of the town of Aberdeen in Monroe County to the south, the old village was a river port on the Tombigbee River and an early center of trade for the plantation area of southwestern Itawamba County. The town had an early demise with most businesses moving to Old Richmond and also due to the building of the Mobile and Ohio Railroad to the west of the town. The village was all but extinct prior to the Civil War. Below is an abstract of an early deed to the town where the commissioners of the town sold the remaining town lots to Thomas Wren.

This indenture made this 12th day of October AD 1843 between Thomas G. Wren of the one part and Boling C. Burnett and Ellen Burnett his wife and John R. Wren of the other part. Witnesseth that whereas the said B.C. Burnett and John R. Wren are and have been trustees and commissioners of the Town of Van Buren in Itawamba County, Mississippi and whereas the land included in said town has been sold out in town lots and the said Burnett and Wren being desirous to prevent and avoid the expense of making deeds and relinquishments of dower in so many small parcels of land and to avoid the inconvenience resulting from the same have this day bargained and sold and sell unto said Thomas G. Wren, all the land included in the said Town of Van Buren towit: The southeast quarter of Section 24 and the northeast quarter of section 25 in Township 10 of Range 8 East lying in Itawamba County, Mississippi. In Witness of which all parties have hereunto set their hands and affixed their seals the day and date above written.

Boling C. Burnett
Ellen Burnett
John R. Wren
Mary A. Wren
Thomas G. Wren

Source: Deed Book 9, Page 508

The old Van Buren Church faced the northeast at the corner of the Aberdeen and Jacinto Road and Jackson Street in the village. For more information about the old extinct village of Van Buren see an earlier post about the subject from this blog.