Fraternity-Testvériség, 1958 (36. évfolyam, 1-11. szám)

1958-08-01 / 8. szám

4

FRATERNITY

A LETTER FROM KOSSUTH, MISSISSIPPI

In connection with the issuing of the Kossuth stamps, we wrote a letter to the postmaster of Kossuth, Miss., inquiring about the history of the place bearing the name of our great “Champion of Liberty”. Mr. Albert L. Mills, postmaster, was very kind to give us the following historical facts concerning the naming of the village:

“In reply to your letter of May 2, I am planning to have the commemorative stamps honoring Lajos Kossuth on hand as soon after issue as they are available. I will be glad to handle your first day covers from this office.

We are proud in this village to have our post office and town named for Lajos Kossuth, the Hungarian patriot.

A brief history of Kossuth, Mississippi:

According to a manuscript by the late Mrs. Mary Morrison Bobb and information gained from elderly citizens, there was a village here called New Hope as early as 1840. It was a farming community, most of the land being awarded to Col. C. P. Polk; other land owners having slaves were Maj. W. J. Wallace and a Mr. Stafford. Negroes in this community still continue to have those surnames today

Col. Polk gave and sold land only to those people who would take it on condition that no saloon would ever be established in the town. He donated land for the Methodist and Baptist churches.

If whiskey was ever sold legally in the town, the land would revert to his heirs. About 1850-1857 the Baptist and Methodist churches were built.

Major Wallace made a trip in 1852 to Washington, D. C., when Kossuth was visiting the United States. He heard much talk of the Hungarian hero. While there he saw and admired the man, and had quite a bit to tell about him when he returned home.

About 1852 it was decided that the village, which was growing, should be renamed Kossuth, in honor of Lajos Kossuth, the great Hungarian patriot.

Major Wallace, the postmaster at that time, and Col. Polk wrote the U. S. Post Office Department asking that the post office be named Kossuth.